Key Takeaways
- Apple juice and orange juice are two popular juice options, but they contain different amounts of vitamins and nutrients.
- Orange juice provides more vitamin C than non-fortified apple juice, but some types of fortified apple juices may have more vitamin C than orange juice.
- Both juices contain a significant amount of sugar and don’t have much fiber.
Vitamin C is a key nutrient to support your immune system, and drinking juice can provide vitamin C to help you reach the recommended daily intake. Apple juice naturally contains less vitamin C than orange juice, but many options have vitamin C added.
Orange Juice and Fortified Apple Juice Both Offer Plenty of Vitamin C
Orange juice contains about 34 times more vitamin C than non-fortified, 100% apple juice. However, most apple juices available for purchase have vitamin C added as ascorbic acid, an antioxidant that prevents discoloration and improves the juice’s shelf life.
The ascorbic acid in many commercially available apple juices means the beverage ultimately provides as much or even more vitamin C than orange juice.
When shopping for apple juice, you can look for “vitamin C added” on the label or “ascorbic acid” in the ingredient list, and check the vitamin C content on the nutrition label.
Nutrition Comparison
Both apple juice and orange juice provide nutrients with similar amounts of calories and carbohydrates. Per one-cup serving, here’s how the nutrition compares among orange juice, 100% apple juice, and fortified apple juice.
| Orange Juice | Apple Juice | Fortified Apple Juice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 117 cal | 114 cal | 114 cal |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g | 28 g | 28 g |
| Total Sugars | 20 g | 24 g | 24 g |
| Fiber | 0.7 g | 0.5 g | 0.5 g |
| Vitamin C | 76 mg | 2 mg | 95.5 mg |
| Potassium | 454 mg | 250 mg | 250 mg |
| Calcium | 22 mg | 20 mg | 20 mg |
| Magnesium | 25 mg | 12 mg | 12 mg |
Link Between Vitamin C and Health
Vitamin C is an essential vitamin found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, and your body can’t make it on its own. It’s an antioxidant that has an important role in immune function, as well as collagen synthesis.
Many people are familiar with the idea that drinking orange juice helps treat colds. Research suggests that people who regularly supplement vitamin C at higher doses might experience briefer or less severe cold symptoms, particularly people who exercise intensely or are exposed to extreme cold.
While this finding hasn’t been proven at lower doses, like those from drinking juice, having a glass of OJ or apple juice is a way to boost your vitamin intake.
Juice vs. Whole Fruit
The benefits of eating fruit are widely known and accepted. However, research presents conflicting findings about the health impacts of drinking juice.
A study funded by the beverage industry concluded that people who drank 100% fruit juice had better overall diet quality and nutrient intake.
However, other studies have linked juice intake to developing type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and dental cavities. One meta-analysis concluded that juice should not be considered a healthier choice than soda. Another meta-analysis found some benefits of juice consumption, with caution in certain groups, such as those with diabetes, and overall inconclusive findings.
Importantly, juice lacks the fiber found in whole fruits. Eating an apple or orange provides more fiber and nutrients, without spiking blood sugar as much as drinking juice may. If you’re looking to up your vitamin C intake, reaching for an orange may be the healthiest option.
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