Is 100% Orange Juice Healthy to Drink Every Day?

Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed lowering the minimum sugar content for pasteurized orange juice. The change would reduce the minimum Brix level—a measure of a liquid’s sugar content—from 10.5% to 10%. It would not affect the taste or nutrition of orange juice.

Even with slightly less sugar, orange juice isn’t ideal for daily consumption because it lacks fiber and can cause blood sugar spikes.

Why Is Orange Juice Pasteurized?

Most commercial orange juice is pasteurized at a high temperature for about 15 seconds to kill harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, and extend shelf life. This process helps reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Fresh-squeezed orange juice is typically not pasteurized.

Are the Natural Sugars in Orange Juice Healthy?

Orange juice, like all fruit, contains natural sugars. An 8-ounce serving of 100% fresh-squeezed orange juice has 20.8 grams of sugar and 112 calories.

“Even with the natural sugars, it’s almost empty calories. Our body is going to take that sugar, and it’s still going to be metabolized the same way as high fructose corn syrup,” Dolores Woods, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian at UTHealth Houston, told Verywell.

For comparison, a 12-ounce can of soda sweetened with high fructose corn syrup has 39 grams of added sugar, while the same amount of orange juice has 31 grams of natural sugar.

Both naturally occurring and added sugars raise blood sugar and provide 4 calories per gram, according to Theresa Gentile, MS, RDN, CDN, a New York-based registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Still, 100% orange juice offers some nutritional advantages over soda.

“The difference lies in orange juice’s nutrient package. 100% orange juice delivers vitamin C, potassium, and folate. This makes OJ a healthier choice than soda,” Gentile told Verywell in an email.

Why Whole Fruit Is Usually the Better Choice

Most adults need between 1.5 and 2 cups of fruit per day. Orange juice counts towards this goal, but experts recommend getting at least half of your daily fruit servings from whole fruit, not juice.

“Eating the whole orange is always going to be better,” Woods said.

One navel orange also counts as one cup of fruit. The whole fruit has 12 grams of sugar and 2.8 grams of fiber, compared to 21 grams of sugar and 0.5 grams of fiber in one cup of orange juice.

Fiber helps slow digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes, but even 100% orange juice with pulp wouldn’t offer much more fiber, according to Woods.

Should You Stop Drinking 100% Orange Juice?

Orange juice is convenient, affordable, and available year-round. People who enjoy orange juice can include it in a balanced diet.

Orange juice naturally provides nutrients like flavonoids, plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Some juices are also fortified with vitamin D and calcium. If you want to drink orange juice, remember to consume small portions, Woods said.

“It’s still good for us, but it’s a once-in-a-while drink. I wouldn’t get into the habit of drinking too much of it every day,” Woods added.