Phytonutrients in Florida Orange Juice

Orange Juice features vitamin C, carotenoids, and flavonoids with powerful antioxidant properties.

Flavonoids in Florida Orange Juice

Flavonoids are plant-based compounds, or phytonutrients, that contribute to the beautiful colors of flowers and fruit, and whose potential health benefits continue to be researched. The most common flavonoids found in Florida Orange Juice include:

  • Hesperidin
  • Naringenin
  • Eriodyctiol

What is Hesperidin?

You may be familiar with flavonoids such as resveratrol in red wine or catechin in green tea, but have you heard about hesperidin? Hesperidin is primarily found in the peels of citrus and may function as an antioxidant. Think of antioxidants as little bodyguards in your body that reduces damages to your cells and tries to protect you from different types of diseases.


DID YOU KNOW?

The flavonoid hesperidin is highly concentrated in citrus and rarely found in other foods, making orange juice a unique source of this flavonoid.1


Detailed Nutrition Information

Citrus variety, fruit maturity, post-harvest processing techniques, storage conditions, and the location within the fruit (e.g. peels are richer than pulp) affect levels of flavonoids in orange juice. Thus, the amount of flavonoids in a food can vary widely. Orange juice has been reported to contain between 30mg1 and 130mg2 of hesperidin on average in an 8-ounce (1 cup / 326ml) serving.

The higher pressures used to squeeze oranges to make 100% orange juice can dramatically increase the amount of hesperidin and other beneficial phytonutrients released from the peels of the orange.3 Furthermore, 100% orange juice has been shown to have higher available amounts of beneficial flavonoids than whole oranges or fresh pressed orange juice.4,5

Carotenoids in Orange Juice

Carotenoids are yellow, orange and red pigments found in abundance in citrus and include:

  • Beta-carotene
  • Alpha-carotene
  • Beta-cryptoxanthin
  • Lutein
  • Zeaxanthin

Carotenoids behave as antioxidants which can play a role in overall good health.

Beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin can form vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A helps build strong bones and teeth, supports night vision and maintenance of normal vision, supports healthy skin, and contributes to the normal function of the immune system.6 Oranges and 100% orange juice are one of the main contributors of beta-cryptoxanthin in the U.S. diet.7

The amount of carotenoids in food can vary widely depending on citrus variety, growing conditions, fruit maturity, processing, storage, and multiple other factors. Eight ounces (1 cup / 236ml) of 100% orange juice has been reported on average to contain at least:8

  • 20-82 mcg of beta-carotene
  • 67-419 mcg beta-cryptoxanthin
  • 0-285 mcg lutein and zeaxanthin

Commercial orange juice has been shown to have higher release and increased absorbable amounts of carotenoids than whole oranges, or fresh pressed OJ.4,5 Therefore, consuming 100% orange juice is a great way to access these bioavailable phytonutrients.