Surely you've heard it a hundred times but what is true in this statement? We tell you if the orange juice really loses its vitamins if you don't drink it fast.
You will not only have heard it, but you may also have surprised yourself saying it or it has resonated so much that you end up drinking your orange juice quickly. With the fall in temperatures in autumn, colds and traditional orange juices return to minimize symptoms. We explain everything about the myth about juice and its vitamins.
Orange juice and vitamins
It is a phrase that has remained in the collective unconscious and that makes us drink the juice in a hurry, drink it quickly that loses vitamins! Is this true? Does vitamin C in our orange juice leave so quickly?
In the Spanish Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetic, it is explained that "there is a false belief that vitamin C of homemade orange juice is not very stable", hence our mothers and grandmothers persecuted us to take the juice as much as possible. quickly as possible. It is also stated in the publication that “in order to produce a considerable decrease in this vitamin, extreme conditions such as heating the juice to 120º should be used”. As for the preservation of the juice and its properties, experts point out that "vitamin C is perfectly preserved in the juice for up to 12 hours, although the taste may become more bitter."
Does vitamin C oxidize?
You will have heard this too many times. Dr. Patricia Murphy said in the Journal of The American Dietetic Association that “although vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, oxidizes quickly if you leave the orange juice at room temperature, the substance that is generated, called dehydroascorbic acid, still has the same properties as vitamin C ”.
So as you will see, vitamin C does oxidize but results in a derivative compound that has the same properties, so you could store your juice 12 hours in the fridge without suffering a loss of vitamins and essential properties for the body, more than a possible alteration in taste, you know that a freshly squeezed juice always tastes better but you can do it in advance and reserve it without thinking that you are taking a food that has been blown away all the vitamins.
Is orange the food with the most vitamin C?
Although many people quickly identify oranges, or citrus in general, with vitamin C, the truth is that many other foods have more vitamin C than oranges, for example, red peppers, parsley, broccoli or kiwi. Generally, having a healthy diet achieves good levels of vitamin C without resorting to supplementation. So how much juice would it be advisable to drink? Experts recommend a glass a day, consuming more would increase the risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes and/or weight gain because of the fructose that the fruit contains and that quickly passes into the blood.
Orange is an antioxidant fruit that helps alleviate cold and flu symptoms and fights the effects of free radicals that cause premature cell aging. Its flavonoids and phytochemicals make it a bit to reduce inflammation, asthma, osteoporosis and even anti-cancer properties are attributed to it. In any case, orange is one of the favorite fruits in the autumn-winter season, so you know that you can enjoy a glass of daily juice without having to drink it in a hurry, they keep their vitamins intact for much longer than what our mothers and grandmothers thought.
