Florida Orange Juice Has No Added Sugar

How Much Sugar is Actually in Orange Juice?

A common misconception about orange juice is that it’s jam-packed with added sugars. The truth is, 100% orange juice contains NO added sugars, and the sweetness you taste is from naturally occurring sugars that develop as the oranges grow on the trees. Half a cup of 100% orange juice contains about 11 grams of sugars.

All fruit has naturally occurring sugars that comes with many nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, and beneficial plant compounds.

How to Tell if Sugar is Added in Orange Juice?

100% orange juice, by law, has nothing added to it. Look for the words “100% orange juice” on food labels. Words like “beverage, drink, -ade, punch, or cocktails” usually mean that it is not 100% fruit juice. If added sugars have been included, the ingredients list may have words such as “corn syrup, dextrose, or sucrose.”

Sugar and Calories

Many foods with added sugars provide mostly “empty calories,” without adding nutritional benefits, and may contribute to excessive calorie intake associated with weight gain.1-3 Unfortunately, any foods with sugars are often lumped into this category, even 100% orange juice which is a nutritious beverage.

The number of oranges needed to make an 8-ounce glass of orange juice can vary depending upon the citrus variety, how juicy the oranges are, and their size. Oranges grown for juicing in the production of commercial Florida Orange Juice are so juicy that it only takes about 1.7 oranges on average to make an 8-ounce glass of juice.4* So, if you ate this number of whole oranges, you would be consuming the same amount of naturally-occurring sugar found in a glass of 100% orange juice.4 

Empty calories are typically found in foods such as fruit drinks, fruit cocktails, soft drinks, iced drinks and specialty coffee drinks. On the other hand, 100% orange juice offers vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Several studies show that consumption of 100% orange juice or other 100% fruit juices is not related to excess body weight or obesity in children and adults.5-11   Furthermore, adults and children who regularly consume 100% orange juice or 100% fruit juice are more likely to have higher quality diets, higher intake of vitamins and minerals, and eat more whole fruit.7,8,11-14

Many considerations such as diet, physical activity, lifestyle behaviors, and other factors (e.g. genetics) that are involved in energy balance.1  Excess calories from any food may result in a higher risk for being overweight. Practice moderation by limiting your intake of foods with added sugars and replacing empty calorie foods with more nutritious foods. Florida Orange Juice offers you with Amazing 5 benefits: No added sugar, folate, potassium, vitamin C and great taste. Florida OJ is a naturally sweet and nutrient-dense beverage.

 *Comparisons made between averages in weight, water, energy, and sugar content in orange juice and whole oranges of different sizes.

In Orange Text is the phrase "Did you know?"

100% orange juice is an excellent source of vitamin C and also a good source of potassium and folate.

Compared to other non-citrus fruit juices, 100% orange juice is more nutrient dense.15

References

  1. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 2005:265-324
  2. Slavin et al. Adv Nutr. 2014; 5:760-761.
  3. USDA/DHHS. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
  4. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (slightly revised). US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory; May 2016.
  5. O’Neil et al.Am J Lifestyle Medicine. 2008; 2(4):315-354.
  6. Evidence Analysis Library (EAL), Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Dietary and Metabolic Impact of Fruit Juice Consumption Evidence Analysis Project.
  7. Crowe-White et al. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2016;56(5):871-884.
  8. O’Neil et al.Nutr J. 2012;11:107.
  9. Wang et al. Pub Health Nutr. 2012; 15(12):2220-2227.
  10. Auerbach et al. Pediatrics. 2017;139(4):e201624541
  11. O’Neil CE et al. Nutr Res.2011;31:673-682.
  12. Dong et al. Appetite. 2016; 107:478-485.
  13. Yang et al. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2013;45(4):340-348.
  14. Lee et al. J Med Food. 2014;17(10):1142-1150.
  15. Rampersaud. Food Sci. 2007;200772(4):S261-S266.