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Juice vs Soda

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Orange juice isn’t “just as bad for you as Coke.” Don’t fall for that bullshit.

Somehow, this became a popular narrative. Especially in dieting circles, folks glanced at a nutrition label, noticed that the sugar and calorie content of the two drinks were similar and determined that they should be uttered in the same breath. This is pure nonsense. Even if OJ isn’t of the highest quality, it’s still the superior option. Consider Coke the “sugar drink” in the study below from whfoods.com:

Seven healthy test subjects were given each of three drinks, two weeks apart: blood-orange juice containing 150 milligrams of vitamin C, fortified water containing 150 milligrams of vitamin C, and a sugar and water solution containing no vitamin C. Blood samples were collected immediately before the drink was consumed, then every hour for 8 hours, and finally 24 hours after consumption of each drink. Blood samples were exposed to hydrogen peroxide, and free radical damage to DNA was evaluated at 3 and 24 hours. Only when orange juice was consumed was any protective effect seen. After drinking orange juice, DNA damage was 18% less after 3 hours, and 16% less after 24 hours. No protection against DNA damage was seen after consumption of the vitamin C fortified drink or the sugar drink.

When folks make nutrition claims like, “choose lean, low fat meats,” we ask ourselves some internal questions: “does this make sense to me?” “would I like this to be true?” or “will this be easy for me?” We check the boxes in our minds and neglect to follow up with research. Rather, we reinforce the assumptions, and they become our truths. We then find like-minded individuals and celebrate when we share similar vantage points. The spread of this behavior is fast, and a once whispered hypothesis becomes the paradigm of a nation without science to support.

I have heard some extraordinarily intelligent men and women boldly state, “OJ is just as bad as soda.” That doesn’t make them any less knowledgeable or bright. They are human and mean something entirely different. The message is that OJ is high in sugar, and Coke is high in sugar. Those are facts.

Now, I am certainly not suggesting the consumption of low quality orange juice. Additionally, if given the choice, why not eat the organic orange over squeezing out the juice? From the New York Times:

Whole fruits, he explained, contain a bounty of antioxidants and healthful nutrients, and their cellular scaffolding, made of fiber, makes us feel full and provides other metabolic benefits… Fiber provides “its greatest benefit when the cell walls that contain it remain intact,” he said. Sugars are effectively sequestered in the fruit’s cells, he explained, and it takes time for the digestive tract to break down those cells. The sugars therefore enter the bloodstream slowly, giving the liver more time to metabolize them… “If we take a nutrient-centric approach, just looking at sugar grams on the label, none of this is evident,” Dr. Ludwig said. “So it really requires a whole foods view.”

I know, I know, you want a drink with breakfast. Drinking organic OJ in small quantities will not kill you. Nor will Coke. The former is still the healthier option, and that is indisputable and backed up by objective material.

Don’t fall for the BS,

Kap

  • BoojieMaw

    Best OJ I ever had was after giving birth. I guarantee Diet Coke would not have been as refreshing! There is a reason the Bradley Method recommends OJ - it’s a perfect drink to replenish fluids and give you a sugar boost after a very strenuous workout! HA :)

  • bill

    I know there is a lot of criticism of bottled OJ, especially form concentrate. While I’m not a huge fan of eating oranges (too lazy, and I’m too messy) I have been squeezing my own juice every morning for my whole life. Can’t beat the taste, and it’s enough work that you won’t overdo it…come to think of it, maybe the process burns off some of those calories! You can always squeeze it the night before if you’re rushed in the morning-I know I like mine cold.

    • Big Man

      How many oranges do you need to make a glass of OJ?

      • bill

        Depends on the size of the glass and the size of the oranges! Generally, about three for a smaller glass. We have Valencia and Naval oranges. If they are left on the tree too long, the juice will eventually get absorbed back into the tree. I bought some seedless ones a while ago, and it seemed they had very thick peels, and not much juice-they might have been more for eating. some are terrible for juice. We had a couple of those trees out by the road-people would stop and help themselves…and they got what they paid for! Squirrels sure do love them!

  • Jack

    I almost always eat my oranges instead of drinking them. Generally I only drink OJ when I can see that it’s fresh-squeezed (or if I’m squeezing it myself).

    Anything that comes in a supermarket carton/bottle is heavily processed and probably not worth much nutritionally, even if it’s not bad for you. Since manufacturers process vast quantities and store the juice for months at a time, they pasteurize it (which inevitably takes away flavor and color), then add flavor packets (extracts from orange flesh and peel) before it’s packaged for sale. That’s why every carton tastes the same even though logic suggests that taste would fluctuate to a certain degree. Since the flavor packets are derived from oranges, legally the manufacturers aren’t obliged to write anything except “oranges”. And they can still call it “100% juice, not from concentrate”.

    All of that aside, I think drinking OJ also makes it easier to unintentionally consume more sugar than you would if you ate the equivalent in the full oranges, and reduces fiber intake. In any case, I agree - OJ is definitely a better choice than soda.

  • Chris
  • lien

    ‘why not eat the organic orange over squeezing out the juice’ … right on :-) … i have stayed away from soda that is sweetened by high fructose corn syrup since i saw the documentaries The Future of Food and King Corn

  • Msquared

    Preach Kap. Call out that bullshit!

  • http://www.ameribev.org/ American Beverage Association

    As this article notes and previous research reinforces, 100 percent fruit juice offers important nutritive benefits. For example, research published in Nutrition Journal shows that drinking 100 percent orange juice is beneficial: http://www.nutritionj.com/content/11/1/107/abstract. As the study’s lead researcher said: “people can feel good about enjoying one hundred percent orange juice daily because it fits many of the key recommendations outlined in the Dietary Guidelines.” We would also add, however, that soft drinks can be enjoyed in moderation as a part of a healthy, balanced life. In fact, diet options, which are 99% water, have proven to aid weight loss efforts. Moreover all of our industry’s products have been extensively tested, reviewed, and deemed safe. Bottom line: our member companies offer myriad options when it comes to 100 percent juice, as well as a wide array of other beverages so that people can stay hydrated and healthy.
    -American Beverage Association