What Is Orange Juice?
Orange juice is the world’s most popular fruit juice. Manufacturers produce around 1.6 billion metric tons of this beverage each year. In addition to buying orange juice in many varieties at grocery stores, you can also squeeze your own orange juice by hand or with an electric juicer.
Orange juice contains many beneficial nutrients — most notably vitamin C. It does have its downsides though: one being the amount of sugar in each serving. If you are watching your calories or carbohydrates, you may want to limit your intake or choose a version that doesn’t contain added sugar.
Types of Orange Juice
There are a few things to consider when buying orange juice, like calories, freshness, and, of course, pulp. Before you grab a carton off of the shelf, consider these different types.
Fresh orange juice
You can make your own orange juice by squeezing the citrus fruit by hand or with a juicer. When you make it yourself, your orange juice won't contain added sugar or preservatives, which are included in many juices at the grocery store.
Organic orange juice
Food grown organically must be certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA regulates organic foods, like orange juice, restricting the use of things like some fertilizers and pesticides. If you want to limit exposure to these chemicals, organic orange juice might be a good choice for you.
Frozen orange juice
One popular form of orange juice available in stores is frozen orange juice concentrate. To drink this form of orange juice, you need to mix cold water with the concentrate. This method became widespread during World War II when a reliable process to freeze and concentrate the juice was invented.
No-sugar-added orange juice
Much of the orange juice you find in grocery stores now is 100% juice, meaning there is no added sugar. But some do contain added sugars. Watch out for products called orange drink or orange juice drink. These can include a lot of extra sugar and may have only small amounts, if any, actual orange juice.
Pulp-added or pulp-free orange juice
If you like orange juice without pulp, you may want to reconsider. When pulp is left in the orange juice, it does provide a small amount of fiber. Studies have shown that fiber helps the body maintain digestive health and may lower your risk of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer.
Orange Juice Nutrition
One cup of fresh orange juice contains:
- Calories: 112
- Protein: 2 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 26 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Sugar: 21 grams
Orange juice is a good source of:
Orange Juice Benefits
Research has found that drinking orange juice in moderation can have many potential health benefits:
Orange juice is an excellent source of Vitamin C. One cup contains twice the daily recommended value. Vitamin C supports your immune system and may be effective in fighting against the common cold.
Excellent source of folate
The folate in orange juice supports healthy fetal development. The CDC suggests that pregnant women take in at least 400 micrograms of folate or folic acid each day to prevent a birth defect called neural tube defects.
Lowers risk of kidney stones
Orange juice contains a high level of potassium citrate. This nutrient binds to the calcium in urine, creating an environment where kidney stones are less likely to develop.
Better gut health
Orange juice (with pulp) has fiber, which can improve the health of your gut by making your poop easier to pass. Orange juice also contains compounds that have been shown to increase the good bacteria in your gut.
Lower inflammation
Drinking orange juice may help reduce inflammation, especially the kind that happens after you eat a high-fat meal. Some of the healthy compounds in oranges, known as polyphenols, are thought to combat inflammation.
Other Orange Juice Considerations
Increased blood sugar
Orange juice is an excellent source of several vitamins and minerals. However, like all juices, orange juice contains a significant amount of sugar, which can increase blood sugar levels. Increased blood sugar can be dangerous for people who experience hypoglycemic symptoms like dizziness when consuming sugar too quickly.
Drinking too much orange juice can also lead to weight gain. One 8-ounce serving has 112 calories. The high concentration of sugar in orange juice, especially in orange juice that contains added sugar, makes it a high-calorie beverage. If you are following a low-calorie diet, you may want to eat an orange instead. One orange has about 45 calories, 2.4 grams of fiber, and only 10 grams of sugar.
Where to Get Orange Juice?
You can buy orange juice at about any grocery store or corner market, often in both frozen and refrigerated forms. It can even be ordered through online retailers or through grocery delivery services.
Orange juice price
The average price for a 12-ounce can of frozen orange juice concentrate is about $4.30. A 52-ounce carton of orange juice starts at about $4.
How to pick the best orange juice
Look for orange juice that does not contain added sugar. Also consider high-pulp orange juice, which contains more healthy fiber. You can even find orange juice that has been fortified with extra calcium and vitamin D, which does not naturally occur in orange juice. If you want to decrease the amount of sugar and calories you get with each glass, you may also want to try light orange juice, which has added water or artificial sweeteners to cut the calories.
How to Make Orange Juice
A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice can be a real treat. If you want to make it at home, it's a simple process and can be done with very little equipment.
Orange juice recipe
Start with about six oranges if you would like two servings of juice. How much juice you get from each orange will depend on the orange's size and ripeness. You can squeeze the oranges by hand, with a hand-held juicer, or an electric juicer into a cup. Another method is to remove the orange segments from the orange, place in a blender and blend (make sure to keep seeds out because that makes the juice bitter). After blending, strain the juice using a sieve to remove the pulp.
Can orange juice go bad?
Freshly squeezed and cold-pressed juice you buy at the store (which is not pasteurized through heat, like most juices) go bad pretty quickly. If you keep them refrigerated, they can last up to three days. Don't leave them at room temperature because bad bacteria can begin to grow quickly on fresh juice.
Refrigerated juice you buy from the store will last about one to two weeks in the refrigerator if unopened. Be sure to drink it by the use-by date. Once you open it, you have about eight days to drink it. If you buy juice that isn't refrigerated, it can last for several months unopened. When you open and refrigerate it, you have about eight days to drink it, too. When you make juice from a frozen concentrate, it also lasts about a week in the refrigerator.
Takeaways
Orange juice can be healthy when you drink it in moderation. It is filled with vitamin C and, if it has pulp, some fiber, which helps digestion. But, like all juices, orange juice has a lot of calories and natural sugars, so you may want to stick to small amounts if you are trying to reduce your weight or have an issue with your blood sugar.
FAQs on the Benefits of Orange Juice
Does orange juice detox your body? No. There isn't any scientific proof that orange juice -- or other juice fasts -- flush your body of toxins.
What is the best time to drink orange juice? Research shows that it may be better to drink orange juice with meals. Drinking it between meals may increase the risk of weight gain.
Can orange juice reduce belly fat? Probably not. The calories in orange juice will likely cause weight gain. If you want to drink it, drink small amounts (8 ounces or fewer) and drink juice with pulp, which will help you feel fuller longer and reduce blood sugar spikes.
