It’s a well-known fact that orange juice and other citrus fruit juices are healthy, refreshing and really good source of vitamin C and other antioxidants. Tarty, delicious and delightful, a glass of fresh orange juice is an instant mood and energy booster. You can pair it with your breakfast or have it after a gruelling gym session. In addition to being a refreshing drink, orange juice is a bundle of vitamins, nutrients and essential minerals. No wonder, it is such a favourite among the health and fitness enthusiasts. But did you know that drinking a glass of orange juice daily may cut your risk of deadly strokes? Yes, you heard us! Having orange juice daily reduces the risk of having a stroke by almost a quarter, suggests a study – published in the British Journal of Nutrition.Oranges are low in calories and full of nutrients, they promote clear, healthy, skin and can help to lower our risk for many diseases as part of an overall healthy and varied diet.
Orange trees are the most commonly cultivated fruit trees in the world. Oranges are a popular fruit because of their natural sweetness, wide variety of types and diversity of uses, from juices and marmalades to face masks and candied orange slices.
An orange has over 170 different phytochemicals and more than 60 flavonoids. Many of these have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and strong antioxidant effectsAccording to the American Heart Association (AHA), eating higher amounts of a compound found in citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit may lower ischemic stroke risk for women.
Those who ate the highest amounts of citrus had a 19 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke than women who consumed the least. Maintaining a low sodium intake is essential to lowering blood pressure, however increasing potassium intake may be just as important because of its vasodilation effects.
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), fewer than 2 percent of US adults meet the daily 4700 mg recommendation.3
Also of note, a high potassium intake is associated with a 20 percent decreased risk of dying from all causes.According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, consuming bananas, oranges and orange juice in the first two years of life may reduce the risk of developing childhood leukemia. (resource no longer available at www.bastyrcenter.org)
As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C, oranges can also help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer.
While an adequate vitamin C intake is necessary and very beneficial as an antioxidant, the amount necessary to consume for therapeutic purposes for cancer is more than we can consume.
The findings of the study revealed that people who consumed the juice each day saw a reduction in the risk of a brain clot by 24 percent, the Daily Mail reported. Further, the rates of heart disease were also reduced in regular drinkers, who were 12 to 13 percent less likely to suffer with damaged arteries. Fresh fruit juices have long been thought of as healthy. But consumers in recent years have been put off by warnings over their high sugar content.
The researchers noted that the health benefits in terms of stroke prevention could outweigh the risks from sugar content. “We found a favourable association with pure fruit juice consumption,” said researchers from the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health. It’s not just orange juice that has this benefit, other fruit juices also appear to cut the risk, they noted. However, the team said despite the obvious benefits of juice, they would still recommend eating whole fruit as well, as there are more studies confirming its benefits.
For the study, the team examined nearly 35,000 men and women aged between 20 and 70 years.
Here Are A Few Other Benefits Of Orange Juice:
1. Boosts Immunity: Orange juice is packed with vitamin C, which helps boost your immunity and keep you protected from cold, flu and other inflammatory diseases.
2. Skin Health: Orange juice is oozing with antioxidants, most significantly vitamin C, which plays a crucial role in fighting free radical activity. Free radical activity could make your skin dull and also promote wrinkles and ageing. The abundant quantum of vitamin C present in orange juice could help give you a youthful and radiant skin.
3. Weight Loss: Orange juice is incredibly low in calories and has zero fat, which makes it an excellent option if you are looking towards shedding that extra kilo or two. However, nutritionists often advise eating a whole orange over juicing one.
4. Strong Bones: It is a known fact that the calcium content in orange is legendary, which is incredible for your bone health. But, did you also know that orange is also profuse with flavonoids like naringenin and hesperidin, which are anti-inflammatory in nature and can help relieve arthritis pain.
5. Kidney Stones: According to the book ‘Healing Foods’ by DK Publishing, “oranges have high concentration of citrate, meaning drinking orange juice can help breakdown calcium oxalate stone formation and induce relief from the pain occurring due to kidney stones.”
