Dietitian Highlights Health Benefits of Orange Juice

Martins Ifijeh
An expert in food and nutrition, Olusola Malomo, has pointed out that orange fruit juice contains essential nutrients needed to keep vital body organs healthy, noting that it is not linked to health hazards.

Malomo said this in the July edition of his monthly healthy living dialogue, an initiative supported by Chivita as part of its ‘no-added sugar’ campaign.

The renowned dietitian said pure orange juice contains some of the richest nutrients the heart and other parts of the body need to perform optimally, adding that what people know about orange juice nutritional value is just a tip of its overall dietary worth.
According to him, researchers have proved that 100 per cent orange juice facilitates free cholesterol transfer to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

He said: “There is also a substantial evidence from observational studies that the consumption of orange fruit juice has a protective effect against the risk of hypertension and other major heart diseases, with randomised controlled trials showing an inverse relationship between 100 per cent fruit juice and hypertension.

“This is because 100 per cent red-orange is high in lycopene that is proven to statistically reduce blood pressure and insulin resistance,” he continued.

Quoting recent research findings, he categorized the gains of consuming orange juice into five broad headings which he listed as: more than just a bag of natural sugar; right amount a day keeps obesity away and ally for a healthy heart. Others are: reduces high blood pressure/insulin resistance and improves the body’s glycaemic control.

Malomo dismissed the claim that orange juice was just a pack of natural sugar, adding that, “It comes along with a variety of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and potassium known to moderate blood pressure while enhancing the wellbeing of the human system.

“Intake of orange juice is an important component of the overall health goal, looking at the food pyramid with respect to dietary guidelines, orange fruit, like every other fruit, counts as part of five portions a day. Juicing of these fruits has remained a convenient way to help meet the recommended daily servings,” he states.