Health Benefits Of Orange Juice: A Delicious Way To Boost Your Immunity & More!

A humble glass of orange juice may not only infuse healthy nutrients into the body but also lower cholesterol, check blood pressure and prevent colds and flu. Yes, there are multifarious orange juice benefits that you should know about. Orange juice is always a healthy and tasty option for regular consumption throughout the year.

Orange juice gives you energy instantly while keeping you hydrated in the warm summer months. Orange juice is a beverage made from oranges by pressing them. It is a popular and widely consumed fruit juice known for its refreshing taste.

If you want to enhance your immune function &overall health, then sure having orange juice is the best choice. It is since; it is rich in vitamin C. It also consists of some effective nutrients like folate, potassium and much more antioxidants. People can also consume this juice as a beverage or use them as active ingredient in cocktails and many recipes. You can find this juice in both commercially packages and freshly squeezed forms.

Consuming this juice regularly can let you hydrate much better than ever. You can also acquire minerals and vitamins to support the balanced diet. Even though, orange juice offers more nutritional benefits, still it is high in sugar naturally. Hence take enough amount of it and be safe and free from diabetes.

Let us acquaint you with the astonishing health benefits of drinking a glass of orange juice every day. You can also get detailed information on the health benefits of orange juice from the internet by typing in the search box orange juice benefits, benefits of drinking orange juice, orange juice uses, health benefits of orange juice, or orange juice.

Nutritional Value of Orange Juice

Before getting into the orange juice benefits in detail, here is a list of nutrients contained in the same.

• Minerals
• Vitamins
• Antioxidants
• Flavonoids
• Phytochemicals 

Orange Juice Benefits: 10 Surprising Benefits Of Drinking Orange Juice For Glowing Skin | Livlong

Top 10 Orange Juice Health Benefits

There are several benefits of drinking orange juice that you should know about. They include the following:

1. Boosts Immunity

One of the predominant health benefits of orange juice is to boost immunity. 100% orange juice will help in infusing Vitamin C into the body, thereby beefing up the immune system against a variety of ailments.
Oranges also have ascorbic acids, which help with tissue growth and cell rejuvenation alike. It is a rich source of Vitamin C which acts as a potent antioxidant, safeguarding the body against internal and external oxidative stressors.

Its immune-modulating effects are likely due to its role as a cofactor for various enzymes involved in gene regulation and biosynthesis. Vitamin C aids in the migration of neutrophils to infection sites and enhances their ability to eliminate pathogens through phagocytosis and the production of oxidants. Moreover, it protects host tissues by facilitating neutrophil apoptosis and clearance by macrophages, thus reducing excessive damage caused by neutrophil necrosis and NETosis.

In essence, vitamin C is crucial for the immune system to mount an efficient response against pathogens while minimising harm to the body.

2. Enhances Digestive Abilities

One of the health benefits of orange juice is that it helps greatly with digestion.

3. Combats Cancer Risks

A higher intake of Vitamin C may help in reducing the risks of cancer. Vitamin C contributes towards lowering the risks of mouth cancer, stomach cancer and oesophagus cancer considerably. Studies indicate that citrus products, including orange juice, may offer an additional health benefit to consumers through the presence of limonoids, a type of phytochemical.

These limonoids show significant potential in exerting anticancer effects. Notably, these compounds have demonstrated no toxic effects in animal models, suggesting the possibility of utilizing limonoids in the prevention or treatment of human cancer.

However, while initial research conducted on cell cultures and animals has shown promising results, further studies are necessary to determine the efficacy of limonoids in cancer prevention and treatment in humans.

4. Maintains Cardiovascular Health

Oranges come packed with folate and Vitamin B9. These components enhance blood circulation levels and overall body cleansing while helping produce more red blood cells.

Hesperidin is one of the flavonoids contained in orange and it helps greatly in ensuring blood flow and oxygenation. A study aimed to investigate the potential association between the long-term consumption of orange juice (≥12 months) and reduction in the risk factors for cardiovascular disease in men and women with normal to moderately high cholesterol levels. The study participants were 103 men (aged 18–66 years) and 26 women (aged 18–65 years) who were employees at an orange juice factory and had daily access to free orange juice.

The findings revealed that 41% of the participants consumed 2 cups (480 mL) of orange juice per day for at least 12 months, while the remaining 59% were non-consumers of orange juice. Among those with normal lipid levels, orange juice consumers exhibited significantly lower levels of total cholesterol (-11%), LDL-cholesterol (-18%), apolipoprotein B (-12%), and LDL/HDL ratio (-12%) compared to non-consumers.
Additionally, long-term orange juice consumers demonstrated improvements in folate and vitamin C intake. In summary, this study suggests that regular and long-term consumption of orange juice is associated with lower total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and LDL/HDL ratio, as well as an enhanced dietary intake of folate and vitamin C.

5. Combats Kidney Ailments

Higher potassium and calcium in oranges may help in combating kidney stones. It often takes place due to imbalances in calcium and oxalate levels. Consumption of orange juice may help in rectifying things in this regard.

According to a study, orange juice has been found to have the potential in preventing the formation of kidney stones, thanks to the presence of citrates. Kidney stones typically form when urine becomes overly concentrated, leading to the binding of minerals and other substances in the urine. Dr Clarita Odvima’s research conducted at UT Southwestern Medical Center revealed that orange juice consumption increased citrate levels in urine, resulting in a reduced crystallisation of uric acid and calcium oxalate.

The study suggested that orange juice could be a preferable alternative to potassium citrate, a commonly prescribed medication with gastrointestinal side effects experienced by some patients.

6. Helps You Lose Weight

There are several advantages of orange juice for weight loss.
It keeps you full for a longer duration, thereby preventing you from binging on food. Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2003–2006, the consumption of orange juice has been associated with several health benefits.

Those who consumed orange juice (at an average of 210 mL/day) exhibited better overall diet quality, improved nutrient intake, and a reduced risk of obesity.

Additionally, orange juice consumers had lower mean body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels than non-consumers (who consumed an average of 50 mL/day of 100% orange juice).

Moreover, orange juice consumers were found to have a 21% lower likelihood of obesity and male consumers had a 36% lower likelihood of having metabolic syndrome than non-consumers of this beverage. These findings highlight the potential positive effects of incorporating orange juice into one’s diet.

7. Makes Your Skin Glow

There are numerous orange juice benefits for the skin. It ensures a natural glow by cleansing the skin. There are several benefits of drinking orange juice daily for the skin since it contains Vitamins E and C which contribute towards reviving skin cells and combating spots or blackheads. It also contributes towards lowing the impact of sunburn. Carotenoids are recognised for their involvement in providing photoprotection against harmful UV radiation. The findings of this study indicate that regular consumption of fresh orange juice can lead to an increase in the concentration of carotenoids in the skin.

8. Improves Vision

One of the biggest benefits of drinking orange juice comes from Vitamin A and carotene. They contribute towards a better vision by safeguarding the cornea. Orange juice in general provides a rich and diverse supply of carotenoids. Carotenoids offer health benefits to humans by acting as scavengers of reactive species, displaying antioxidant properties. There is evidence suggesting that these pigments may safeguard individuals from significant eye conditions such as macular degeneration and cataracts. 

9. Natural Healing

Orange juice works as a natural healer with its flavonoids like anthocyanins and even hesperidin. It also has antioxidants which speed up overall healing. In a recent study involving four patients who underwent abdominal surgery, a lack of wound healing was observed. Interestingly, these patients did not exhibit any apparent symptoms of scurvy.

However, when three of them were treated with orange juice, their wounds showed rapid healing, while the fourth patient who did not receive orange juice unfortunately passed away. Unfortunately, there was no information available regarding the vitamin C content of their diet before the administration of orange juice. Nonetheless, their pre-treatment diet contained sufficient amounts of vitamin C to prevent scurvy.

10. Reduces Wrinkles

Orange juice not only makes your skin glow, but also reduces the visibility of wrinkles. It works as an anti-aging beverage that helps you finally say goodbye to persistent wrinkles and skin lines. 

Orange Juice Side Effects

There are numerous orange juice benefits and side effects. Some of these side effects include the following:

• Orange juice may sometimes lead to sudden spikes in blood sugar levels, leading to excessive weight gain at times. 
• Orange juice has acidic attributes, contributing towards heartburn, bloating, nausea, vomiting or insomnia. 

Should I Drink Orange Juice Daily?

Orange juice is packed with the goodness of rich antioxidants and vitamins. It ensures several benefits for the system, right from natural healing and glowing skin to lowering wrinkles, boosting cardiovascular health and many more.

You can try consuming orange juice regularly for these healing attributes. However, make sure that you check the label before buying. 100% orange juice is always recommended without any added sugar. Orange juice that has a high concentration of added sugar and other preservatives will not benefit you as much and will instead lead to weight gain in most cases.

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