Is it possible to drink too much orange juice

In simpler words, your orange juice has just as much sugar and calories as a soda drink! Like most things we consume today, orange juice contains calories. Almost all of these come from the amount of sugar it has.

Thus, without any digestion-slowing nutrients like fiber, healthy fats, or protein, orange juice causes a spike and crash in your blood sugar. This can result in weight gain in the same way that soda does, according to a study.

Results from a BMJ study with over , participants, which was conducted over 24 years, has something to say about this. This is because citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons, are highly acidic and can erode the teeth enamel. Moreover, if you have mouth sores, avoid acidic foods and beverages because they can worsen your symptoms. Since orange juice is also rich in fructose and is acidic, excessive consumption can be harmful to the body in multiple ways.

As well as vitamin C, orange juice is high in several different antioxidants, like flavonoids. Antioxidants are important to protect yourself against conditions like heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. They even protect your skin from damage and keep it looking youthful and glowing! Orange juice also contains potassium, which is important in keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level and preventing coronary heart disease.

Having enough potassium literally keeps your heart beating regularly. Orange juice has even been found to lower cholesterol levels , which is part of the reason it does so much good for your heart. If you have too much bad cholesterol, then it clogs up your arteries and impacts the way your blood is pumped around your body.

So if you have high blood pressure, then changing your daily routine to include orange juice is definitely something to consider. Another important nutrient found in orange juice is folate sometimes referred to as folic acid , which is particularly important for pregnant women, since it keeps the baby healthy and improves DNA synthesis — very scientific!

Kidney stones are very unpleasant and something to be avoided whenever possible. Orange juice can alter the pH of your urine , which will help to prevent kidney stones from forming. It makes staying healthy very simple when you can get so much nutrition from one source. Orange juice makes it easy to get all the nutrition you need, especially when it tastes so good. However, with orange juice its definitely true that you can have too much of a good thing. Oranges are like all fruits — they contain lots of natural sugars, or fructose.

These are healthier sugars than the ones you find in soda or candy, since those ones are usually processed. For example, a study published in the April edition of the journal Circulation states that both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages increase the risk of death from cancer and heart disease.

The same source states that soft drinks are the primary source of added sugar in the American diet. A single serving provides more than calories and up to Read more: The Top 10 Beverages to Avoid. Another study, which appeared in the journal Stroke in March , suggests that regular consumption of diet soda may lead to stroke, coronary heart disease and death from all causes. As the researchers point out, these beverages also affect metabolic health and may contribute to weight gain, obesity and elevated blood insulin levels.

Orange juice has none of these side effects. However, it may cause you to pack on pounds when consumed in excess. Despite their high nutritional value, fruit juices contain just as much as sugar and calories as soft drinks. Whole fruits, by comparison, are rich in fiber , which slows sugar absorption into the bloodstream and increases satiety.

This beverage is promoted as a natural alternative to soft drinks. Drinking too much orange juice, though, can be just as bad for your health — and your waistline — as drinking soda. Think about it: A half of a cup of orange juice has 56 calories — that's a lot less juice than most people consume in one sitting. Plus, this beverage tastes best when consumed fresh, so if you make a large batch, you want to drink it the same day. If you take in more calories than you burn, the pounds will add up.

Sugar is sugar , whether it comes from fruit juices or soda. It provides just as many calories 4 per gram as table sugar and can harm your health when consumed in excess.

A recent study published the Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA in May states that fruit sugars produce the same biological response as the sugar in soft drinks.

Researchers have found that the risk of all-cause mortality increased with each additional serving of soda or fruit juice consumed. Furthermore, whole fruit consumption has been linked to a lower risk of diabetes, while fruit juices seem to increase diabetes risk. Just like soda, fruit juices may contribute to obesity and diabetes when consumed in large amounts. The same study indicates that fruit juices may have protective effects on the heart and brain when consumed in moderation fewer than seven 5-ounce glasses per week.

Scientists attribute these benefits to the high doses of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in fruit juice and recommend drinking no more than 8 ounces per day. Children under six years old should not exceed 4 to 6 ounces of fruit juice daily. Contrary to popular belief, fruit juices are not a better option than soft drinks for people with diabetes, as reported in a July research paper published in the BMJ.

Both types of beverages seem to be positively associated with a greater risk of Type 2 diabetes.