Orange Juice: Nutrients, What Research Shows and Safety

Orange juice is the liquid pressed from sweet oranges, Citrus sinensis (family Rutaceae). It is sold fresh-squeezed, chilled from concentrate, or in cartons as "not from concentrate." People drink it for vitamin C and for the taste. This page looks at the drink as it is sold. It keeps the juice apart from whole oranges, from fruit "drinks" with added sugar, and from supplements of plant compounds such as hesperidin. Information only.

Read this first

• It is a sugary drink, even with no sugar added. One cup has about 21 g of sugars and about 122 kcal, and almost no fiber. [1] WHO counts sugars in fruit juice as "free sugars" and says most juices, even unsweetened ones, contain significant amounts. [8] The NHS counts juice as at most one 5 A DAY portion, 150 ml a day. [9]
• Kidney disease: NIDDK names orange juice as a juice higher in potassium than apple, grape or cranberry juice, for people who must watch potassium. Ask your care team. [11]
• Medicines: FDA says the allergy medicine fexofenadine may work less well with orange or apple juice, and its label says not to take it with fruit juices. [12] This is separate from the grapefruit warning (see the interactions guide below).
• Fresh-squeezed juice that is not pasteurized can carry harmful bacteria. FDA says children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness. [13]
• Evidence in one line: it is a good source of vitamin C. Trials found a modest fall in LDL cholesterol. Observational studies link a lot of juice to slightly higher weight and diabetes risk. None of this makes juice a treatment.

What is in it (USDA values)

The values are for orange juice, chilled, including from concentrate (USDA FoodData Central item 169100, SR Legacy). [1] The serving column is the USDA household portion of 1 cup (249 g). Raw (freshly pressed) orange juice is a separate USDA item with higher vitamin C (50 mg per 100 g) and folate; real products differ, and some are fortified. [2]

% Daily Value uses the FDA 2016 Daily Values; values vary with brand, fortification and storage. The serving figures are the 100 g values multiplied by 2.49. [1]

Vitamin C helps form collagen, helps wound healing and helps the body absorb iron; the body cannot make it or store much of it. MedlinePlus lists citrus juices such as orange juice among rich sources and notes that light can break down vitamin C, so cartons are preferred over clear bottles. [3] Orange juice also contains flavanones such as hesperidin. Reviews of cohort studies and trials link flavanone intake to heart markers, but the authors urge caution because of study differences. [14] That is evidence from people, mostly observational, and not proof that the juice protects the heart.

What research says

About industry: a 2026 symposium report arguing that juice should be classed as processed fruit says it was sponsored by a fruit juice research body. [15] We use it only to show the debate exists. We did not find a pooled trial showing that orange juice prevents heart attacks, cancer or colds ("Proper evidence not found in the sources we read").

Eaten as food vs taken as juice, extract or supplement. The LDL result is for the juice. Hesperidin tablets, a different product, did not lower lipids or blood pressure in the pooled analysis. [4] [5] Whole oranges keep their fiber; see the page on oranges.

How much is a normal serving

The USDA household portion is 1 cup (249 g), about 8 fl oz, with about 122 kcal. [1] The NHS says no more than 150 ml of juice, smoothies or vegetable juice combined counts toward 5 A DAY in a day, and advises drinking juice with meals to reduce tooth decay risk. [9] WHO says free sugars should stay under 10% of daily energy, with extra benefit at 5%; fruit juice counts as free sugars. [8] The American Academy of Pediatrics (2017) says juice has benefits and drawbacks, and the abstract notes its sugar can add calories and tooth decay risk and that it lacks protein and fiber. [10] This is information, not a prescription.

Safety, allergy and medicines

• Sugar, weight and teeth: the AAP says the sugar in juice can raise calorie intake and tooth decay risk. [10] The NHS says juicing releases sugars that can harm teeth. [9]
• Diabetes and blood sugar: one cup has about 29 g of carbohydrate. [1] Ask a clinician or dietitian how juice fits with your blood sugar plan. See foods for blood sugar control.
• Kidney disease and potassium: NIDDK says damaged kidneys can struggle to remove potassium and names orange juice as higher in potassium than apple, grape or cranberry juice. One cup has about 443 mg. [1] [11] See foods, kidney disease, potassium and oxalates.
• Medicines: FDA says fexofenadine may be less effective with orange or apple juice. Its grapefruit warning covers grapefruit, Seville oranges, pomelos and tangelos, and it does not list regular orange juice as a general problem. [12] A pharmacist can check your medicines. See medicine interactions with foods.
• Unpasteurized juice: FDA says untreated juice can carry bacteria, that packaged untreated juice must carry a warning label, and that juice sold by the glass (juice bars, farmers' markets) does not need one. [13]
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: FDA names pregnant women as higher risk for untreated juice, so pasteurized juice is the safer choice. [13] MedlinePlus says vitamin C needs are 85 mg in pregnancy and 120 mg while breastfeeding, and that high-dose vitamin C supplements in pregnancy are discouraged. [3] We did not read a source with other orange-juice-specific pregnancy advice.
• Babies and children: the AAP statement covers juice in infants, children and adolescents. [10] We did not read its numeric limits. See foods for babies and toddlers.
• Allergy: citrus allergy is possible. We did not read a source on how common it is. For trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat, call 911 (or your local emergency number). See food allergy basics.
• Too much vitamin C: MedlinePlus says intakes above 2,000 mg a day are not recommended because of stomach upset, diarrhea and, rarely, kidney stones. [3] Juice alone is far below that.

Choosing, storing and food safety

• Read the label: "100% juice" is different from a juice "drink" or "cocktail," which may have added sugar. We did not read a source defining label rules beyond the FDA warning-label text. [13]
• Check whether juice is pasteurized, especially for children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weak immunity. [13]
• Keep untreated juice refrigerated, as FDA advises for packaged untreated juice. [13]
• MedlinePlus says light breaks down vitamin C, so cartoned juice keeps it better than clear bottles. [3]

Related pages

• Fruit juice vs whole fruit
• Oranges
• Citrus fruits
• Foods and medicine interactions: vitamin K, grapefruit and others
• Foods, kidney disease, potassium and oxalates
• Apple juice