A new study suggests that adults who drink 100% orange juice tend to have better overall diet quality, higher intake of key nutrients and less risk of being overweight than adults who don’t drink orange juice. Additionally, the research suggests that children who drink 100% orange juice also have better overall diet quality and higher intake of key nutrients.
As part of the study, researchers analysed data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and found that both adults and children who consume 100% orange juice tend to have significantly better Healthy Eating Index scores (a measure of diet quality that assesses conformance to federal dietary guidance) as well as greater intake of several key nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium and potassium than those who don’t consume 100% orange juice.
“A growing body of research has painted a clear picture that enhanced nutrient intake and better diet quality is associated with drinking 100% orange juice in both adults and children,” said study co-author Carol E O’Neil, PhD, MPH, LDN, RD, School of Human Ecology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. “Our research helps to demonstrate that drinking 100% orange juice is associated with higher intake of four important nutrients, vitamin C, folate, magnesium and potassium, which are generally underconsumed by the US population.”
100% orange juice consumption also linked to lower body mass index The study also found that consumption of 100% orange juice was associated with a 16% reduction in the risk of adults being overweight or obese. The results were even more striking among females, where orange juice consumption was associated with a 27% reduction in the risk of being overweight or obese.
Furthermore, this study suggests that people ages two and older who drink 100% orange juice tend to have better diet quality, as well as BMIs that are comparable to or lower than those who don’t drink orange juice. Notably, the researchers found no significant difference in the risk of being overweight or obese among children who consume 100% orange juice compared to those who don’t.
“These findings are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, which conclude that ‘for most children and adolescents, intake of 100% fruit juice is not associated with body weight,'” said Gail Rampersaud, MS, RD, LDN, assistant in Nutrition Research and Education, University of Florida. “It’s encouraging that the overall body of research provides evidence to help refute a common misperception that may be preventing people from enjoying all of the taste, nutritional and health benefits that 100% orange juice offers.”
Source: Florida Department of Citrus
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