Orange juice: healthy – or not?

A glass of orange juice is considered a healthy start to the day. However, fruit juice is also criticized for its high sugar content. You can find out how healthy orange juice really is here.

When you think about how healthy orange juice is, the first thing that comes to mind is its high vitamin content. In fact, the popular breakfast drink is not as unproblematic as it is often assumed: the high sugar content can have negative health consequences.

In addition, oranges usually come from large plants, where they are grown in monocultures with excessive water consumption and the use of pesticides. Therefore, oranges from conventional farming are often contaminated with pollutants. On top of that is the problem of inhumane working conditions.

So it is not easy to say whether orange juice is healthy or not. We tell you what you need to know about the health benefits and disadvantages and what other problems exist in the orange juice industry.

What Makes Orange Juice Healthy?

Orange juice owes its reputation as a healthy drink to its vitamins and compounds. Orange juice contains, among other things:

• vitamin C
• secondary plant materials
• folic acid
• potassium

vitamin C supports the immune system and strengthens the body’s defenses. With a very high amount of vitamin C (around 300 milligrams per liter), orange juice is a great source of vitamin C.

folic acid It is related to B vitamins and stimulates the formation of new cells. Therefore, folic acid is especially important for children and pregnant women. It is also important for healthy growth potassium. Like calcium, potassium promotes bone and muscle development. With 41 micrograms of folic acid and 183 milligrams of potassium per 100 milliliters, they contain less vitamin C than orange juice.

carotenoids and flavonoids Friday secondary plant materials in orange juice. As antioxidants, they have a risk-reducing effect against cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Orange juice is therefore healthy because it provides potentially valuable vitamins and minerals. However, drinking also has its downside.

Orange Juice Health Myth?

Despite its excellent ingredients, orange juice is not only healthy. This is the reason total sugar content.

With 8 grams of sugar, 100 grams of orange juice contains almost as much as sugar cola. So is 100 percent fruit juice without added sugar. The danger is that the high sugar content raises the blood sugar level. This is especially dangerous for people with diabetes and can cause heart or kidney disease in others.

At the same time, the calorie intake from sugar is also increased by sugar lack of satisfaction strengthened The fiber present in the fruit is lost during the juice production. As a result, we are not as full after a glass of juice as we are after eating the same fruit. We still get sugar and quickly reach for a second glass.

So, when it comes to orange juice, the following applies: the best only in moderation have fun and focus on good quality.

Orange juice: freshly squeezed or packaged?

How healthy freshly squeezed or industrially produced orange juice is depends on the preparation and quality of manufacture. Both types have high sugar content.

• Freshly brewed water is usually more aromatic and has a natural taste. Drink fresh water immediately after preparation. If you leave it longer, the valuable vitamins are lost with light and heat. Then fresh orange juice is no longer a health drink, but just a source of sugar.
• In the case of industrially produced orange juice, it is therefore important to have fruit juice protect the light cardboard or dark glass. This is the only way to protect light-sensitive vitamins.
• just choose Non-concentrate juices with a fruit content of 100 percent. The health value of orange juice decreases with the number of processing steps. Therefore, the most valuable ingredients remain in the non-concentrated water.
• Avoid fruit juices, concentrated juices or nectars. They are not suitable as alternatives to orange juice. Depending on the manufacturer, sweeteners, flavor enhancers, artificial flavors or artificial preservatives are added to them. These drinks usually have a much higher sugar content than fresh orange juice and therefore have less health value.

By the way: The rule of thumb for pasteurized (heated) orange juice is that the drink should contain 200 milligrams of vitamin C per liter by the best before date. Store-bought juices can also support your immune system.

Problems in the Orange Juice Industry

Apart from the issue of whether orange juice is healthy or not, there is also a question social and environmental sustainability. Oranges are mainly imported from Brazil, Mexico and South Africa. It is an exotic fruit that grows in tropical and subtropical areas only with intensive irrigation. That’s why oranges have come a long way and are very high CO2 emission wind

To produce orange juice, oranges are usually opened Large plants in monocultures plant There they are associated with insects and must be treated with chemicals pesticides be treated In a study, orange juice are evaluated based on taste, composition, packaging and working conditions. The Öko-Test laboratory could not find pesticides in the orange juice. However, the use of plant toxins and the like is harmful to the environment and should not be supported.

In addition to the ecological impact, the production of orange juice is often not socially fair or sustainable. that one Working conditions in Brazil are violent and often exploitative. Therefore, when buying orange juice, pay more attention to the supply chains, such as Rewe.

Our conclusion: only enjoy orange juice in moderation

The question whether orange juice is healthy or not cannot be answered with certainty. Fruit juice is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. At the same time, high sugar content causes health problems. If you drink orange juice, then first of all, listen to these tips:

• Drink only orange juice in moderation as a fun drink and it is not like thirst.
• When choosing your water, pay attention to the quality and fair farming and working conditions.
• drink milk in foodto prevent the build-up of unintentional body fat by absorbing spontaneous energy in between.
• Select if possible freshly boiled wateralso save for packaging.

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