For the first time since 2019, the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) connected face-to-face in late May with hundreds of registered dietitians to discuss the health benefits of Florida orange juice. Today’s Dietitian Spring Symposium included an opportunity to educate the dietitians at an exhibit booth and present recent research about the impact of 100% orange juice on inflammation and oxidative stress. The symposium was held in Bonita Springs, Florida.
The presentation was led by FDOC’s Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Gail Rampersaud and Taylor Wallace, a food nutrition researcher and principal investigator of the FDOC-funded study on the subject.
The FDOC explained why the work to educate dietitians on this topic is crucial. It said in a recent survey of registered dietitians, about half said they were not aware of the health benefits of hesperidin or its impact on inflammation. Additionally, many registered dietitians do not recommend using 100% orange juice as an additional way to help meet the recommended servings of fruit.
Hesperidin is a flavonoid found in oranges and 100% orange juice. A Citrus Industry article reported that a review linked hesperidin to health benefits. That FDOC-funded review examined published studies relating to hesperidin in 100% orange juice and its impact on several chronic conditions.
Ensuring that orange juice remains an option for the many adults who do not consume even half of the recommended daily fruit intake is a vital part of the FDOC’s educational outreach.
In addition to ongoing digital efforts, the FDOC plans to connect with registered dietitians again at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Orlando this October.
Source: Florida Department of Citrus
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