Calories in orange juice and its health benefits

Drinking orange juice is a common way to consume oranges, and this drink is often served with breakfast. Orange juice is a nutrient-rich beverage including vitamins and minerals andantioxidants. 

Besides, some brands fortify orange juice to add more essential nutrients, which can make it a complete drink.

In this article, we'll learn about the calories in orange juice, its health benefits, and how to make it.

Calories in Orange Juice

Here are the calories and full nutrition facts for 100 ml of fresh orange juice with no added sugar:-

• Carbohydrates

Most of the calories in orange juice come from carbohydrates, as a 100 ml serving provides about 11 grams of carbohydrates. There are no fibers Or Starch In orange juice, this means most carbs are natural sugar (fructose), but some brands may add added sugar to it.

The glycemic index (GI) of orange juice without added sugars is about 50.3, meaning it's low and doesn't spike blood sugar after drinking.

• Fats

Orange juice does not provide any significant amounts of fats, as 100 ml of it offers less than 0.5 grams of fats.

• Protein

Orange juice is not considered a good source of protein, as 100 ml of it provides only about 1 gram of protein. Protein.

• Vitamins and minerals

A 100 ml serving of orange juice provides about 60 mg of Vitamin C, which is roughly the recommended daily amount of this vitamin.

Besides that, orange juice has a high amount of Potassium, and it's also a good source of Folic acid andthiamine.

• Calories

A 100 ml serving of orange juice provides about 47 calories only, coming from 92% carbs, 2% fat, and 6% protein.

Health benefits of orange juice

Even though orange juice has a lot of sugar, it still offers many great health benefits because of important nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, andantioxidants. 

Some of the health benefits of orange juice include:-

1- Boosting skin and blood health

Vitamin C in orange juice is essential for keeping blood vessel walls normal and healthy skin tissue. It also helps wounds heal.

Also, orange juice is a good source of folic acid, which is needed to make red blood cells and helps prevent birth defects like spina bifida early in pregnancy.

2- Helping immune system functions

Vitamin C in orange juice is key for the immune system to work properly. People need to get vitamin C from food because the body can’t make or store it.

Plus, vitamin C and folic acid help different immune cells work, like phagocytes, natural killer cells, T cells, and B cells.

3- Protection from free radicals

Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant thought to give important health benefits by protecting your body’s cells from damage by free radicals. Also, some compounds in orange juice may help prevent some cancers.

4- Helping nerve and muscle function

Orange juice has a lot of potassium. Potassium is key for nerve and muscle function, and it works against sodium to keep body fluids and blood pressure balanced.

5- Preventing inflammation

Studies show drinking orange juice daily for a few weeks can reduce signs of inflammation. Research found the biologically active polyphenols in orange juice have anti-inflammatory effects.

Food allergy to orange juice

People with citrus food allergies should avoid oranges, including orange juice. Also, those allergic to other citrus fruits like grapefruit or mandarins should avoid orange juice too.

Food allergy symptoms can include rash, redness, wheezing, shortness of breath, swelling of lips and tongue, difficulty swallowing, nausea, and stomach pain. If you suspect a citrus or other food allergy, see a healthcare provider for the right diagnosis.

How to make orange juice

Orange juice is easy to get from stores and markets. Look for bottles and cartons near dairy products.

You can also get concentrated frozen orange juice to dilute at home. Plus, you can easily make fresh orange juice at home or use a good juicer.

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