Study links daily orange juice to blood pressure and inflammation benefits amid FDA rule shift

A Brazilian-led study found that drinking roughly two cups of orange juice each day for two months can favorably alter genes tied to blood pressure, inflammation and blood sugar, while the FDA recently eased the natural-sugar standard for pasteurized juice.

An international team from the Food Research Center and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of São Paulo conducted a two-month trial in which participants consumed about two cups of pure pasteurized orange juice daily. Gene-expression analysis showed reduced activity of markers associated with high blood pressure, kidney salt retention and inflammation, with stronger effects on fat metabolism in heavier individuals and on inflammation in those of normal weight.

The findings, appearing in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, reinforce the notion that orange juice can contribute to cardiovascular health beyond its sugar content. In parallel, the FDA announced a revision of the natural-sugar standard for pasteurized orange juice, permitting a slight reduction in sweetness and raising the allowable blend of other citrus juices from 10% to 15%, a move intended to ease supply pressures and lower prices.

The regulatory change follows years of crop losses due to disease and severe weather, which have driven U.S. orange-juice consumption down by roughly half over the past two decades. Experts such as David C. Gaze highlighted that compounds like hesperidin may underlie the observed metabolic benefits. Together, the research and policy shift suggest a renewed role for orange juice in both nutrition and the domestic citrus industry.