The Breakfast Villain Might Actually Be Innocent

Orange juice used to be a common breakfast staple in American households until it was demonized for its high sugar content. But did the health experts get this one wrong?

Like the low-fat craze of the 1990s, certain health trends make zero sense. But when it comes to orange juice, the final verdict isn’t so cut and dried. Freshly squeezed orange juice is full of antioxidants. And it’s perfect for pirates who want to avoid getting scurvy. One eight-ounce glass delivers a full day’s worth of vitamin C for an adult with only around 110 calories per serving.

As The Telegraph reported, a recent study published in the journal Advances in Nutrition confirmed that consuming 100 percent orange juice “significantly improves markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in adults.” With 90% water content, it’s also hydrating and, as frequent OJ drinkers agree, is quite delicious.

But orange juice is not a perfect, nutritious treat and should be consumed in moderation. All those warnings about high sugar are accurate. Like all fruit juices, OJ is very high in sugar and for that reason will spike blood sugar even though it’s a natural source of the sweet stuff. It’s also low in fiber, which is unfortunate because a higher fiber count would help with those blood sugar spikes and crashes. 

Freshly squeezed orange juice may seem like the best option, the outlet noted, but the health benefits are negligible compared to more readily available — and convenient — not-from-concentrate options found in the supermarket cold section. Also, while it would seem that the full pulp version contains more fiber, in truth, the difference is not enough to suffer through the floating chunks in your juice if that’s not your preference.

Meanwhile, anything that says “orange drink” instead of orange juice should almost always be avoided as it does not have the same benefits or nutritional value. Don’t even think about Sunny D unless you’re attending a 90s-themed party.

Per The Washington Post, the FDA sets a minimum standard for the sugar content in order to call a drink “pasteurized orange juice,” which is what’s sold in grocery stores without added sugars. Anything below that threshold cannot be called that, so be sure to check the label.

The bottom line is that orange juice isn’t the villain we’ve made it out to be and can be part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation.