A recent study has shown that regular orange juice (OJ) consumption can influence the activity of thousands of genes inside immune cells. Many of these genes help control blood pressure, calm inflammation and manage the way the body processes sugar, all of which play an important role in long-term heart health.
The study followed adults who drank 500 milliliters of pure pasteurized OJ every day for two months. After 60 days, many genes associated with inflammation and higher blood pressure had become less active. These included NAMPT, IL6, IL1B and NLRP3, which usually switch on when the body is under stress. Another gene known as SGK1, which affects the kidneys’ ability to hold onto sodium (salt), also became less active.
The study was conducted by researchers at Brazil’s University of São Paulo, North Carolina State University and University of California, Davis. See the full study, including a list of all authors, here.
PREVIOUS STUDIES
Such gene changes match previous findings that daily OJ consumption can reduce blood pressure in young adults. This is noteworthy because it offers a possible explanation for why OJ has been linked to better heart health in several trials. The new work shows that the drink does not simply raise blood sugar. Instead, it appears to trigger small shifts in the body’s regulatory systems that reduce inflammation and help blood vessels relax.
Natural compounds in oranges, particularly hesperidin, a citrus flavonoid known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, seem to influence processes related to high blood pressure, cholesterol balance and the way the body handles sugar.
The response also varies by body size. People carrying more weight tended to show greater changes in genes involved in fat metabolism, while leaner volunteers showed stronger effects on inflammation.
A systematic review of controlled trials involving 639 participants from 15 studies found that regular OJ consumption lowered insulin resistance and blood cholesterol levels. Insulin resistance is a key feature of pre-diabetes, and high cholesterol is an established risk factor for heart disease.
Another analysis focusing on overweight and obese adults found small reductions in systolic blood pressure and increases in high-density lipoprotein, often called the good cholesterol, after several weeks of daily OJ consumption. Although these changes are modest, even slight improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol can make a meaningful difference when maintained over many years.
MORE THAN SUGAR IN A GLASS
Altogether, the evidence challenges the idea that drinking citrus fruit juice is simply consuming sugar in a glass. Whole fruit remains the better choice because of its fiber, but a modest daily glass of pure OJ appears to have effects that build up over time.
These include easing inflammation, supporting healthier blood flow and improving several blood markers linked to long-term heart health.
Source: The Conversation.com
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