Drinking juice first thing in the morning is widely regarded as a healthy habit and is practiced by people worldwide. Among these juices, orange juice enjoys the top spot and is commonly served at the breakfast table.
However, this daily consumption of orange juice really provides as much health benefits as it is considered to be providing, or is it ruining the health in the long term, is what an award-winning dietician and nutritionist, Lauren Manaker, disclosed in an interview.
“While orange juice is a popular and nutritious beverage, There are several reasons why someone might choose to avoid drinking it every day,” said Lauren while speaking to Delish, a food blog.
She said orange juice is the “darling” of the immune health-supporting drinks for its high vitamin C content, folate, and thiamine.
And since an average American does not consume enough servings of fruits and vegetables every day, Lauren described drinking orange juice as “good news” to bridge the gap.
However, an 8-ounce serving of the juice contains about 26 grams of carbs and 20 grams of sugar, which is much more than the daily required amount.
Although the sugar present in orange juice is natural, a high quantity of it can lead to excessive caloric intake, resulting in weight gain if consumed in excess, warned the nutritionist.
When squeezing out the juice, the fiber present in the fruit is stripped off in the form of pulp, making it only a glass of sugary drink with some minor health benefits.
This high content of sugar without any fiber in it can slow down the sugar absorption in the blood and even cause spikes in blood sugar levels, eventually leading to insulin resistance.
Hence, daily consumption of orange juice might cause more health issues rather than providing benefits; therefore, it is recommended to consume fruits as a whole to ensure less sugar and more fiber intake.
