Orange juice is a common breakfast beverage known for being packed with vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. Like most other citrus fruit products, orange juice contains vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamin, folate, potassium, fiber, proteins, copper, magnesium, and a host of other nutrients that are beneficial to the body when digested. The best way to enjoy the benefits of orange juice is to simply drink it, either alone or with a meal. A single 8-ounce serving per day will give you the vitamin boost you need to experience the benefits we will show below.
As with any supplement, individual results will vary. Always check with your healthcare provider before making significant changes to your diet and. Also, notify them immediately of any side effects. The section below will discuss seven health benefits of drinking a small glass of orange juice regularly. Remember, you don’t need much of this powerful fruit to experience these refreshing benefits.
Health in a Glass: 7 Amazing Benefits of Orange Juice
1. Immune System Boost
This is one of the most well-known benefits of orange juice. Vitamin C is a vital part of keeping your immune system healthy. Also, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps keep your system running smoothly. Our bodies do not synthesize Vitamin C naturally. Therefore, we need to consume it through our diets either by eating or drinking foods that contain it.
If you are feeling run down or may have a cold coming on, you can double up to two small glasses (6-8 ounces each) per day until you are feeling better.
2. Fiber
You may not associate fiber with one of the benefits of orange juice. But oranges contain a significant amount of fiber that remains when the fruit turns into juice.
Fiber is important for your digestive health. It also plays a role in maintaining health cholesterol levels.
3. Kidney Stone Prevention
The citric acid and citrates of oranges help prevent the development of kidney stones. Patients who are diagnosed with kidney stones are often prescribed supplements containing special forms of citrates.
There are also natural ingredients of orange juice.
4. Blood Pressure
Another of the benefits of orange juice is that it contains a plant based compound called hesperidin. The plant improves the function of small blood vessels that control your blood pressure. This can also improve conditions from hemorrhoids to varicose veins and poor circulation.
More indications for hesperidin and blood pressure are available online.
5. Cholesterol
Regular orange juice consumption can decrease your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels by keeping it from building up in your arteries and blood vessels. This helps keep your cardiovascular system clean and running smoothly.
6. Healthy Skin
Drinking fresh orange juice daily provides nutrients that also benefit your skin by helping it keep in moisture. Moisturized skin tends to be firmer and brighter.
You can also use orange juice directly on your skin to deliver the nutrients directly. Some have found orange juice applied directly to the skin helps to heal sunburn.
7. Collagen
Collagen is produced best when the body has a healthy amount of vitamin C. Moreover, collagen is a building block in your body for your bones, tendons, blood vessels, and more. If your body is low on vitamin C, you may have complications due to scurvy.
One 6-ounce glass of orange juice can contain up to 93 mg of vitamin C. So, getting the recommended 90 mg per day is easy for most people.
Choosing the Right Orange Juice
Before enjoying the health benefits of orange juice, it is important to consider the source of your orange juice in order to get the best results. There are mainly three types of orange juice to consider.
- Commercially produced orange juice from concentrate: Commercial orange juice form concentrate often has added sugar content. This can make the beverage less healthy than it’s more natural counterparts. People with insulin sensitivity or blood sugar concerns may need to avoid store-bought orange juice entirely to avoid this concern.
- Commercially produced freshly squeezed orange juice: If you need to use store-bought orange juice, this may be a better option than juices from concentrate. In order to make sure these juices are safe for market shelves, the juice has to be pasteurized. This can reduce the amount of nutrients in the orange juice, and sugar is also there for taste.
- Homemade freshly squeezed orange juice: Squeezing orange juice for yourself at home from fresh oranges is the easiest way to make sure you know there is no added sugar or reduced nutritional value in your drink. To get the most benefits of orange juice, drink the juice right away after squeezing. This will also give you the best taste! Directions for making your own orange juice are available online.
The Nutritional Value of Orange Juice
Orange juice is a popular breakfast item for a variety of reasons, some of which have been outlined above. Less is more, especially when you can squeeze your own juice fresh every morning. Just a small glass every day can make a big difference with your body. Try to leave the pulp in your juice to get the most of each of these nutrients:
- Vitamin A;
- B vitamins;
- Potassium;
- Magnesium;
- Iron;
- Calcium.
Refreshing Up
If you already drink orange juice and have experienced the benefits described in this article, we would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment or send us an email telling us about your experience.
If you have another use for orange juice not explained here, feel free to share it with us.
The images are from pixabay.com.
