your health
Vitamin & Mineral Facts
Vitamin C
An 8-ounce glass of 100 percent orange juice is an excellent source of vitamin C.
An 8 ounce glass of orange juice provides 100 percent or more of the Daily Value for vitamin C. Citrus juices are reported to be the largest contributor of vitamin C in the diet.13
Vitamin C is a nutrient known to be important to the immune system and intake of vitamin C-rich foods may help support a healthy immune system.
Vitamin C can help support collagen production which is important for maintenance of healthy skin, bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels.
Vitamin A & Carotenoids
An 8-ounce glass of 100 percent orange juice supplies 4% of the Daily Value for vitamin A.
Carotenoids are pigments found naturally in some foods, primarily fruits and vegetables.
Some carotenoids, such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, can be converted to vitamin A in the body and are therefore called pro-vitamin A carotenoids.
Oranges contain the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin and oranges and orange juice are one of the main contributors of beta-cryptoxanthin in the U.S. diet.20
Potassium
An 8-ounce glass of 100 percent orange juice is a good source of potassium.
Orange juice provides potassium, which is a mineral important for muscle function, nerve transmission, pH maintenance (acid/base balance), and maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance.
Potassium has been identified as a Nutrient of Concern in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,8 meaning that many Americans do not get enough of this important mineral.
Potassium may play an important role in our cardiovascular health. Diets containing foods that are a good source of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.14
Folate
An 8-ounce glass of 100 percent orange juice is a good source of folate.
Folate is important for cell division and the production of healthy red blood cells.
Folate is essential for growth and development and may help reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, known as neural tube defects.
To help reduce the risk of neural tube defects, women capable of becoming pregnant should get 400 micrograms of the synthetic form of folate (folic acid) every day while consuming food folate (the form found in foods and beverages such as orange juice) from a varied diet.15
Have a glass of 100 percent orange juice to increase folate in your diet.
Folate may significantly modify homocysteine (an amino acid) levels in the body. High levels of homocysteine in the blood have been associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.15
Magnesium
An 8-ounce glass of 100 percent orange juice supplies 7% of the Daily Value for magnesium.
Magnesium helps the body generate energy from the foods we eat and is required for the action of many enzyme systems.
Diets rich in fruits and vegetables that provide key minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium may help contribute to the maintenance of healthy blood pressure.18
Magnesium may play an important role in bone health, so diets rich in foods with magnesium, such as fruits and vegetables, can help optimize the intake of micronutrients required for bone health.19
Thiamin
An 8-ounce glass of 100 percent orange juice is a good source of thiamin.
Thiamin is a water-soluble vitamin associated with the action of many enzyme systems and helps the body process energy from the food we eat.
Foods and beverages that are good sources of thiamin should be included as part of any healthy diet.
Vitamin B6
An 8-ounce glass of 100 percent orange juice supplies 7% of the Daily Value for vitamin B6.
Also known as pyridoxine, helps the body process protein and carbohydrates in food.
Vitamin B6 helps produce hemoglobin, a part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to all parts of the body.
Calcium
Calcium-fortified orange juice is an excellent non-dairy and lactose free source of calcium.
Calcium aids in bone and tooth development, blood pressure regulation and muscle function.
Calcium has been identified as one of four Nutrients of Concern in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.8
In the U.S., 10 million individuals are estimated to have osteoporosis already and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone density, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis and broken bones.21
Vitamin D
Many calcium-fortified orange juices provide over 20% of the Daily Value for vitamin D.
Vitamin D works hand in hand with calcium to help support bone health.
Vitamin D has been identified as one of four Nutrients of Concern in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.8
Phytonutrients & Flavonoids
Phytochemicals are any chemicals that come from a plant. Phytonutrients are the subgroup of those plant components that may have nutrient characteristics when consumed by animals. Phytonutrients typically occur in very small amounts and when consumed, may provide people with nutritional or health benefits.
Oranges contain a variety of phytonutrients, some of which are known as flavonoids, a class of natural compounds.
Hesperidin is the most common flavonoid found in oranges, and orange juice is the only fruit juice that contains significant amounts of hesperidin.
Some flavonoids have been associated with beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, skin or bones.4,16 Flavonoids primarily found in citrus have been associated with improvements in markers of inflammation.17
Health Tips for Heart, Mind, and Body
Unhealthy lifestyle. It's a common contributor of our biggest health problems: stroke, heart disease, diabetes, cancer. What do the nation's top physicians recommend to keep your heart, mind, and body in optimally good health?
For the secrets to a long healthy life, WebMD turned to Richard A. Lange, MD, chief of cardiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. His advice:
1. Daily exercise.
You brush your teeth every day; exercise is equally important for your daily routine. Turn off the TV or computer, and get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day.
To work your heart, it's got to be aerobic exercise. You've got lots of options: walking, jogging, biking, rowing machine, elliptical machine, swimming. But don't feel like you have to be an athlete. Walking is great exercise. Get 10 minutes here and there during the day. It all counts.
Start with something simple, like parking in the far corner of the parking lot -- so you get those extra steps to the door. Take the stairs one or two flights instead of the elevator. If you take public transportation, get off one stop early and walk the rest. Get out at lunch to walk. Or walk with your significant other or your spouse after work. You'll get a bonus -- relaxation and stress reduction.
2. Healthy diet.
Quit eating junk food and high-fat fast food. Your heart, brain, and overall health are harmed by foods high in saturated fats, salt, and cholesterol. There's no getting around it. You've got to replace them with healthy foods: lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, olive oil -- what we call the Mediterranean diet. Eat like an Italian, a Spaniard, a Greek! Enjoy!
3. Weight loss.
Too much body weight puts your health at great risk. When you take in more calories than you burn, you get fat -- it's that simple. You've got to eat less. You've got to exercise more. You've got to push yourself to make these lifestyle changes -- but you've got to do it to help avoid serious health problems like heart disease, diabetes, or stroke.
4. Regular physical exams.
Tell your doctor your family medical history. Learn your personal risk factors, and the screening tests you need. Women may have mammograms to screen for breast cancer and Pap tests for cervical cancer. Men may have prostate cancer PSA tests. Routine screening for colorectal cancer should start at age 50, perhaps earlier if colon cancer runs in your family. You also need regular diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol tests. Make sure your immunizations are up to date. You may need flu and pneumonia shots, depending on your age.
5. Less stress.
When a person says they're too busy to exercise, it tells me other things are crowding out what's important in life: They don't spend time with family and friends; don't exercise enough; don't eat right; don't sleep properly. All these things reduce stress in your life, and that is critical to your health and longevity.
To be healthy, we need to set boundaries -- and set limits on work hours. We should not be working so hard that we're neglecting the things that keep us healthy. This is important advice, too, for people who take care of elderly parents or young children. Make sure you're getting proper exercise and sleep -- and that you're not trying to do too much.