Benefits of Orange Juice

Orange Juice

OJ improves abnormal lipid profiles.

Author/s: Issue: July, 2001

Three cups of orange juice a day over a 4-week period can significantly increase HDL levels
and improve a patient's LDL:HDL ratio, suggests this small study of healthy adults with
moderate hypercholesterolemia. When Canadian investigators asked 25 men and women with
elevated total and LDL cholesterol and normal triglyceride readings to drink 1, 2, or 3 cups of
juice a day in three separate 4-week periods, those on the highest dose (750 mL) saw their
HDL levels increase by 21% and their LDL:HDL ratio decrease by 16%. The researchers also
observed a 30% increase in plasma triglycerides, but those readings remained in the normal
range.

Kurowska EM, Spence JD, Jordan J, et al. HDL-cholesterol raising effect of orange juice in
subjects with hypurcholesferolemia. Am J Clin Ntur. 2000;72:1095-1100.

ORANGE JUICE FOUND TO
DECREASE RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.

Issue: Dec, 2000

Epidemiologic studies indicate that a high consumption of fruits and vegetables reduces the
risk of coronary heart disease. It is thought that this benefit may be due to the minor
components, falvonoids, which have been proposed to inhibit LDL oxidation and platelet
aggregation as well as to vitamins C, E, and [Beta]-carotene, which act as antioxidants. In
addition, folic acid and natural folate found in citrus fruit and green vegetables has been
shown to reduce plasma total homocysteine. Citrus juices, namely orange juice and
grapefruit juice, are high in flavonoids, folate, and vitamin C, leading them to be potentially
beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease. Animal studies have found orange juice to
promote decreases in cholesterol.

A study to determine whether orange juice beneficially alters blood lipids in individuals with
hypercholesterolemia was conducted. Sixteen healthy men and nine healthy women with
elevated plasma total and LDL-cholesterol levels and normal plasma triacylglycerol
concentrations served as subjects. Subjects included one, two, or three cups (250 mL each)
of orange juice into their diets. Each dose was included for a four-week period. After the
intervention period, subjects took part in a five-week washout period. Plasma lipid, folate,
homocysteine, and vitamin C concentrations were measured at baseline, after each
treatment and following the washout period.

It was found that intake of 750 mL of orange juice per day increased HDL-cholesterol
concentrations by 21%, triacylglycerol concentrations by 30%, and folate concentrations by
18%. This amount of orange juice also decreased the LDL-HDL cholesterol ratio by 16% and
did not impact homocysteine concentrations. There were no significant effects seen with
less than 750 mL of orange juice daily.

Three cups of orange juice per day appears to improve blood lipid profiles in individuals with
hypercholesterolemia. This serves as evidence to the importance of consuming greater than
five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

E. Kurowska, J. Spence, J. Jordan, et al., HDL-Cholesterol-Raising Effect of Orange Juice in
Subjects With Hypercholesterolemia. Am J Clin Nutr ; 72:1095-1100 (November, 2000)
[Correspondence: EM Kurowska, Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario,
London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1. E-mail: kurowskajulian.uwo.ca.]