Is Fresh Florida Orange Juice Really Better than Concentrates?

As you sip your morning glass of orange juice, you may think you’re getting the full nutritional benefit of Florida oranges; but you could be wrong. If you didn’t squeeze your glass of OJ from fresh Florida oranges, nutritionists say you’re missing out on important health benefits. Nearly all orange juice products sold in groceries are made from concentrates. Orange juice sold in bottles, cartons or cans is made from highly processed orange juice concentrates.

Most orange juice concentrates start with real Florida oranges, but the production process strips away the fruit’s natural nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, juices, organic sugars, fiber, flavor and color. After carefully removing all of the natural nutrition from “juice” concentrates, processors endeavor to replace nature’s gifts with a concoction of chemicals in an effort to give back what they have so carefully taken away.

Most people don’t realize that there are important differences between chemically-produced additives and the natural vitamin C, organic nutrients and disease-fighting antioxidants that develop while a Florida orange gradually grows into a mature fruit. Numerous studies have shown that nature knows best. Naturally-produced nutrients and vitamins are more easily and more thoroughly absorbed by the human body. For maximum nutritional value, dieticians recommend eating food that is as close to its natural state as possible.

You can’t get any closer to nature than a fresh-picked, juicy Florida orange — something to consider the next time you reach for a glass of OJ!