By Adedapo Adesanya
Orange fruit juice contains essential nutrients needed to keep vital body organs healthy without any health complication or hazard to the body, this is according to food and nutrition expert, Mr Olusola Malomo.
According to him: “Studies have also shown that the consumption of orange juice is not associated with adverse health effects often linked with the consumption of junks. Instead, it detoxifies the body and enhances its ability to fight health-related challenges.”
He disclosed this at the July edition of his monthly healthy living dialogue, an initiative which in partnership with Chivita in its ‘no-added sugar’ campaign seeks to engage the public on the nutritional value of 100 percent fruit juice.
Mr Malomo, who is decorated as one of the best dieticians in Lagos State, debunked the claim that orange juice was just “a pack of natural sugar,” arguing that it comes along with a variety of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and potassium, which are known to moderate blood pressure while enhancing the well-being of the human system.
He also stated that pure orange juice contains some of the richest nutrients the heart and other parts of the body need to perform optimally. Indeed, what many people know about orange juice nutritional value is “is a tip of its overall dietary worth.”
According to him, researchers have proven that 100 percent orange juice enables free cholesterol transfer to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol which helps to maintain a healthy heart.
“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 randomized controlled trials showing an inverse relationship between 100 percent fruit juice and hypertension.
“This is because 100 percent red-orange is high in lycopene that is proven to statistically reduce blood pressure and insulin resistance,” he continued.
“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 added.
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.
Aduragbemi Omiyale