It's a well-known fact that orange juice and other citrus fruit juices are healthy, refreshing and really good source of vitamin C and other antioxidants. Tarty, delicious and delightful, a glass of fresh orange juice is an instant mood and energy booster. You can pair it with your breakfast or have it after a gruelling gym session. In addition to being a refreshing drink, orange juice is a bundle of vitamins, nutrients and essential minerals. No wonder, it is such a favourite among the health and fitness enthusiasts. But did you know that drinking a glass of orange juice daily may cut your risk of deadly strokes? Yes, you heard us! Having orange juice daily reduces the risk of having a stroke by almost a quarter, suggests a study - published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
The findings of the study revealed that people who consumed the juice each day saw a reduction in the risk of a brain clot by 24 percent, the Daily Mail reported. Further, the rates of heart disease were also reduced in regular drinkers, who were 12 to 13 percent less likely to suffer with damaged arteries. Fresh fruit juices have long been thought of as healthy. But consumers in recent years have been put off by warnings over their high sugar content.
Drinking a glass of orange juice daily may cut your risk of deadly strokes.
The researchers noted that the health benefits in terms of stroke prevention could outweigh the risks from sugar content. "We found a favourable association with pure fruit juice consumption," said researchers from the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health. It's not just orange juice that has this benefit, other fruit juices also appear to cut the risk, they noted. However, the team said despite the obvious benefits of juice, they would still recommend eating whole fruit as well, as there are more studies confirming its benefits.
For the study, the team examined nearly 35,000 men and women aged between 20 and 70 years.
Here Are A Few Other Benefits Of Orange Juice:
1. Boosts Immunity: Orange juice is packed with vitamin C, which helps boost your immunity and keep you protected from cold, flu and other inflammatory diseases.
2. Skin Health: Orange juice is oozing with antioxidants, most significantly vitamin C, which plays a crucial role in fighting free radical activity. Free radical activity could make your skin dull and also promote wrinkles and ageing. The abundant quantum of vitamin C present in orange juice could help give you a youthful and radiant skin.
3. Weight Loss: Orange juice is incredibly low in calories and has zero fat, which makes it an excellent option if you are looking towards shedding that extra kilo or two. However, nutritionists often advise eating a whole orange over juicing one.
4. Strong Bones: It is a known fact that the calcium content in orange is legendary, which is incredible for your bone health. But, did you also know that orange is also profuse with flavonoids like naringenin and hesperidin, which are anti-inflammatory in nature and can help relieve arthritis pain.
5. Kidney Stones: According to the book 'Healing Foods' by DK Publishing, "oranges have high concentration of citrate, meaning drinking orange juice can help breakdown calcium oxalate stone formation and induce relief from the pain occurring due to kidney stones."
(With Inputs From IANS)