Drinking 100% orange juice is linked to surprising health benefits, study finds

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Pure orange juice might have some unexpected benefits.

Researchers from Toronto Metropolitan University researched the effects of drinking 100% orange juice compared to a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB), or "orange drink," on appetite, food intake and glycemic response in adults.

The study was funded by the Florida Department of Citrus. It was published in the journal Nutrients and also surveyed emotions and sensory characteristics associated with the beverage.

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Thirty-six "normal weight" adults were tasked with drinking either 100% orange juice, an orange drink or water before eating.

The researchers found that food and energy intake was lower in subjects who drank 100% orange juice compared to the orange drink.

"A little bit of orange seems to go a long way," study co-author Nick Bellissimo told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

Caloric compensation from 100% orange juice was 84%, while the orange drink was −25%. 

(Caloric compensation is the "regulation of energy intake by adjusting one's intake based on previous consumption," according to the National Institutes of Health.)

There was no significant difference in average appetite between the beverages, but blood glucose levels were lower after people drank the 100% orange juice.

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"Rest-of-day blood glucose concentrations were lower after 100% orange juice compared with the orange drink and water control," the study stated.

"In conclusion, consumption of 100% orange juice as a preload resulted in higher caloric compensation, lower total daily EI [energy intake], and lower blood glucose concentrations compared to the orange drink."

The researchers’ hypothesis was that the flavonoids in 100% orange juice slow down the digestion and absorption of sugar. (iStock)

Study co-author Nick Bellissimo, associate professor of nutritional physiology at Toronto Metropolitan University, reacted to the findings in a statement to Fox News Digital.

While a "number of dietary guidelines" recommend reducing sugar intake from "all sources," Bellissimo said, the findings suggested that 100% orange juice can be beneficial.

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"Orange juice is similar to a sugar-sweetened beverage in that it contains free sugars, but it also contains sucrose (fructose and glucose bound together), while also containing vitamin C and flavonoids," he noted.

The researchers’ hypothesis was that flavonoids in orange juice slow down the digestion and absorption of sugar.

"Thus, you are not seeing the same spike in blood glucose as you see with the SSB," Bellissimo said.

Study participants who consumed orange drinks ate more calories at lunch than the 100% orange juice drinkers. (iStock)

"Interestingly, the energy in the orange juice was compensated for at the next meal – i.e., participants decreased their food intake at lunch by an amount similar to the energy in the orange juice – whereas participants ate more calories at lunch after consuming the SSB."

Bellissimo confirmed that this effect on energy intake and glycemic response "persisted for the rest of the day." 

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"And participants consuming the orange juice actually consumed fewer calories, primarily by decreasing their carbohydrate intake," he said.

"A little bit of orange seems to go a long way," Bellissimo added.

People who drink 100% orange juice should mix it with some water for a more positive blood sugar result, a registered dietitian suggested. (iStock)

Ilana Muhlstein, a registered dietitian and nutritionist in Los Angeles, was not involved in the study but shared her thoughts on the study with Fox News Digital.

"The most important finding of the entire study is that the blood glucose concentrations were lower after 100% orange juice compared with an orange drink of the same calories, which shows that the body can recognize a difference between natural sugars and added sugars," she said.

As a dietitian, Muhlstein said she is "constantly encouraging people to drink water," especially prior to their meals, just as done in the study.

"The body can recognize a difference between natural sugars and added sugars."

"It’s important to note that drinking water has a meaningful impact on lowering blood sugar levels," she also pointed out. 

"If someone wanted to drink orange juice, I would encourage them to stick with 100% orange juice, versus an ‘orange drink’ sweetened with sugar, and do their best to mix it with some water for a more positive blood sugar result."

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Dr. Rosa Walsh, scientific research director at the Florida Department of Citrus, shared with Fox News Digital in a statement that although additional research is required to "further explore" the study results, the department is still "encouraged by these findings."

"It helps to reinforce the importance of choosing 100% fruit juice with no added sugar over sugar-sweetened beverages and shows the positive impact that incorporating a glass 100% orange juice into your daily diet may have on your overall health and wellness," Walsh said.

"An 8-ounce glass of 100% orange juice contains no added sugar and provides 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C and includes other essential vitamins and minerals."

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