A recent study revealed that daily orange juice may pose surprising health benefits due to a range of properties inside it.
According to a study published in the Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, drinking about two cups of 100% orange juice every day for two months alters the activity of over 1,700 genes associated with metabolic health and heart.
For the study, 20 healthy adults whose immune cell samples were assessed before after the daily orange-juice routine.
Researchers observed broad gene-activity related to inflammation, blood vessel function, fat metabolism, and more.
The effects, however, differed by body weight. Normal-weight participants showed more changes in inflammation-related genes, while overweight individuals saw greater shifts in genes tied to fat processing and energy use.
According to researchers, these responses may be driven by flavonoids, antioxidant plant compounds found in citrus, tea, cocoa and berries that have been linked to heart-protective effects.
The research team wrote that the findings offer “unprecedented insights” into how daily consumption of orange juice may affect molecule pathways and could assist in transforming nutrition advice.
However, experts stressed the need for further studies to confirm real-world benefits.
Dietitian Nicolette Pace mentioned that orange juice can fit into a balanced diet in moderate amounts and stated the study highlights the potential of individualized nutrition.
