When it comes to fruit juice, there is really only one debate that matters: pulp or no pulp? And this never comes to light more than when orange juice is on the menu.
Personally, I prefer smooth orange juice, I don’t enjoy the pulp.
Pulp or no pulp, the big debate continues.
I personally like my orange juice smooth. I just think it tastes better and it goes down better – it’s better all-round!
But is OJ pulp good for you and is it healthier?
In short, no, it isn’t. Orange juice with pulp isn’t healthier than pulp-free juice, and vice versa. Their textures are just different. The pulp you find in orange juice is essentially just fiber and this is what helps your digestive system work efficiently. You also get something called insoluble fiber in orange juice, which is what your body uses to absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, and you find insoluble fiber regardless of whether or not there’s pulp in your juice.
If you find yourself having a large, meaty breakfast, then having orange juice with pulp will help you digest it better. However, if you normally have a light breakfast in the morning, then no pulp juice will do just fine.
If you’re prone to blood sugar spikes or you have diabetes, then orange juice with pulp is the one for you. The orange pulp balances and absorbs sugar, which will be good for you. It’ll also leave you feeling fuller for slightly longer.
Really, it all comes down to your personal preference when it comes to pulp. A better question might be…
In This Article
Is Orange Juice Healthy?
On the whole, orange juice is good for you. It’s a great source of vitamin C and can boost your immune system. However, you shouldn’t be drinking gallons and gallons of orange juice as along with all the health benefits it has, it also has a high sugar content. So remember, everything in moderation!
I’ve previously talked more in-depth about the benefits of orange juice here, but I’ll explain a little here. Orange juice has great nutritional value. It has anti-inflammatory properties which can help prevent high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels – again, good for those who have type-2 diabetes and need to keep a close eye on their blood sugar.
Orange juice also helps to maintain healthy barriers in your skin that can prevent UV damage, thus preventing wrinkles! If you live somewhere sunny and get a lot of vitamin D, then you should definitely consider a daily dose of orange juice.
Would eating an orange be better?
Eating more, or any, fruits and vegetables is always a good idea. So if you want to eat an orange, you eat an orange! Even if you juice regularly, you should still be eating portions of vegetables with your meals. For me, juicing doesn’t replace eating healthy meals, it just means that I can pack my diet with lots more fruit and veggies than I’d be able to eat normally. Eating a whole bag of spinach is very difficult. Juicing a bag of spinach and then drinking it along with some citrus fruits is much easier!
A glass of orange juice takes around 5-7 oranges to make, so while eating that many oranges in a day might be impossible, you might find yourself getting mouth ulcers. You’ll get more of the fibre by eating oranges rather than juicing them, though, since it usually gets broken down and lost in the juicing process.
So, eating fruit is never a bad thing but if you really enjoy your glass of orange juice, then don’t worry. Just make sure that it’s part of a balanced and varied diet.
What About Blending An Orange?
If you have questions about orange juice, it’s probably safe to assume that you’re wondering about store-bought orange juice. That being said, I want to touch on making your own orange juice just in case. If you’re keen to retain as much of the nutritional value of your oranges as possible, then blending them is the way to go. You keep all the fiber and still get a delicious drink.
However, there is a wrench in the works with blending oranges.
Orange seeds.
If you have a good enough blender, then you aren’t even going to notice them, they’ll get blended right into your juice. But if you have a normal blender, or personal blender, the orange seeds might not get broken down and your orange juice might have some crunch…
On top of that, orange seeds actually contain a small amount of cyanide! It’s harmless in small doses but it’s something I’d rather not think about when I’m having my morning orange juice.
Putting your oranges in a juicer, especially an orange juicer, means that these seeds just get spat out with all the other pulp and don’t end up in your drink, which is what I would prefer.
It’s really up to you, if you want to save all that fiber, then blend your oranges but if the seeds are going to bother you, then using a juicer is the way to go. Blending vs juicing with oranges is more high pulp vs no pulp.
When Is The Best Time to Drink Orange Juice?
I did a lot of research into this in another article looking at the best time to drink juice generally, so have a look at that if you want more information.
It turns out that having your juice in the morning is actually the best time to have it. This is because when you have fruit juice, you get a big dose of complex carbs that are also really nutritious, which helps set you up for the day.
With that in mind, it’s not a bad thing to have your orange juice later in the day. It’s still good for you, no matter when you drink it and it’s better to have some than none. I will say that having orange juice just before bed could be asking for trouble. Like I said before, orange juice has a high sugar content, which means it could keep you up at night!
Is There Any Orange Juice Without Sugar?
Regardless of whether or not your orange juice has pulp, there will always be sugar present and this is one of the problems lots of people have with orange juice.
So if you’re wondering if you can get sugar-free orange juice, I’m afraid the answer is no.
However, you can get orange juice with no added sugar, which is great because it means no refined sugars have been added. This type of orange juice will still have fructose in it though, which is a naturally occurring sugar you find in fruit. It can’t be taken away! If you’re aiming to lose weight then options like Trop 50 by Tropicana has 50% less sugar and fewer calories than other orange juices, but is just watered down orange juice.
If it’s sugar-free juice you’re after, then getting yourself a juicer and juicing solely vegetables is the way you’re going to do it. Carrot juice has a lot of the same health benefits as orange juice but without the sugar!
What happens if you drink orange juice daily?
Really, drinking orange juice everyday does great things for your overall health. I’ve mentioned already that orange juice has lots of nutritional value and having some everyday means you’ll enjoy those health benefits all the time.
Regularly having orange juice can also lower your chances of developing kidney stones and suffering from high cholesterol, which can contribute to overall good heart health.
Just bear in mind that orange juice doesn’t have as much fiber as other fruit juices, so it won’t fill you up as much and because it contains a lot of sugar, it can affect your blood sugar levels and weight.
So an 8oz/240ml serving a day will do the job perfectly, there’s no need to drink more than that to stay healthy.
Does orange juice detox the body?
I’ve said before that I’m wary about using the word ‘detox’, since there’s a lot of misinformation out there. Your body naturally detoxes itself, that’s what your liver and kidneys do. However, including more juice in your diet or trying short-term juice cleanses can be good for you, since you’ll reap the benefits of the vitamins and minerals present in juices.
Orange juice has lots of health benefits, so if you’re looking for a juice to detox with it’s a good option. Lots of vitamin A, lots of vitamin C, lots of carotenoids.
I feel like a broken record but please bear in mind that orange juice has a lot of sugar!
3. Health Benefits Of Orange Juice
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1. Anti-Inflammatory
I mentioned it earlier but orange juice has anti-inflammatory properties. If you have problems with your blood pressure or blood sugar, then orange juice could be a really helpful addition to your daily routine.
Inflammation has previously been linked to depression, so if that’s something you’re dealing with, a glass of orange juice a day could help alleviate your symptoms.
Orange juice could also be helpful if you’re trying to lose weight. Because it has these anti-inflammatory properties, it can help you lose excess weight that’s lying around your abdomen.
2. Good For Your Skin
Orange juice is one of the most well-known sources of vitamin C and everyone has heard of vitamin C – good for your immune system, good for overall health and… good for your skin!
Getting your daily dose of vitamin C strengthens your skin, which is made up of lots of layers. Keeping these layers strong helps to prevent the damage caused by UV rays.
If that wasn’t enough, vitamin C helps to combat the loss of collagen your skin goes through naturally as you age, which is what causes skin to sag and wrinkle. So having your high pulp orange juice in the morning could keep your skin looking young and fresh!
3. Lowers Cholesterol
If you didn’t already know, the bad type of cholesterol is bad for you as it clogs up your arteries and impacts how your blood flows around your body. However, there is a good type of cholesterol! This good cholesterol does the opposite, it gets rid of the bad cholesterol and sends it to be broken down by your liver.
A study has shown that people who drink orange juice regularly have a lower level of the bad type of cholesterol, as well as lower total cholesterol. This means that orange juice could help keep your heart healthy, which is important for everybody!
Conclusion – Pulp vs No Pulp Orange Juice
The good news is that whether you’re a pulp lover or a pulp hater, you’ll enjoy great health benefits from your orange juice. The difference between the two is minute, especially since you shouldn’t drink too much orange juice a day anyway.
Pulp is potentially healthier, since you’ll be slightly fuller for it and it’ll help keep your tummy happy. So when purchasing ornage juice you’ll probably want to opt for with pulp. But making fresh orange juice at home would be better, then you can control how much orange juice pulp is present.
On the whole, just enjoy your drink of choice – it’s tasty, healthy goodness! And don’t stress, the orange juice pulp vs no pulp debate is the last steps on the health train. It sure beats having a beer for breakfast.
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