The Atlantic: Misunderstanding orange juice as a health drink
Last edited Fri May 30, 2014, 07:26 PM - Edit history (1)
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/02/misunderstanding-orange-juice-as-a-health-drink/283579/A tall glass of orange juice is the very image of refreshment, packed with vitamins and radiating with sunshine freshness. Its part of a balanced breakfast, after all. But Americas classic morning drink is in trouble: sales of commercial orange juice are down to their lowest levels in the last 15 seasons, according to the WSJ and the Florida Department of Citrus. The industry is facing growing competition from exotic fruit and energy drinks while its all-natural claims are being called into serious question.
Edit: After reading DU comments I remembered this: one way to drink oj while cutting down on the sugar is to drink it mixed with seltzer or mineral water. Kind of a homemade orange soda without the chemicals.
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)As I was reading the article I was thinking about frozen orange juice and then about simply buying a couple of oranges and squeezing them myself, and I realized that the two different juices would be totally different. Duh!
I've never really been much in the habit of orange juice, but I may experiment with squeezing my own one of these days.
lostincalifornia
(3,639 posts)already a major problem in this country, which is why obesity and type II diabetes are increasing at alarming rates
proverbialwisdom
(4,959 posts)Related ABC News report here, plus Vani Hari analysis, and Mother Jones article:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/orange-juice-moms-secret-ingredient-worries/story?id=15154617
http://foodbabe.com/2013/11/10/juice-labels/
http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/03/coca-cola-orange-juice-fanta-italy
Squeezed: What You Don't Know About Orange Juice (Yale Agrarian Studies Series) Paperback
by Alissa Hamilton
Close to three quarters of U.S. households buy orange juice. Its popularity crosses class, cultural, racial, and regional divides. Why do so many of us drink orange juice? How did it turn from a luxury into a staple in just a few years? More important, how is it that we dont know the real reasons behind OJs popularity or understand the processes by which the juice is produced?
In this enlightening book, Alissa Hamilton explores the hidden history of orange juice. She looks at the early forces that propelled orange juice to prominence, including a surplus of oranges that plagued Florida during most of the twentieth century and the armys need to provide vitamin C to troops overseas during World War II. She tells the stories of the FDAs decision in the early 1960s to standardize orange juice, and the juice equivalent of the cola wars that followed between Coca-Cola (which owns Minute Maid) and Pepsi (which owns Tropicana). Of particular interest to OJ drinkers will be the revelation that most orange juice comes from Brazil, not Florida, and that even not from concentrate orange juice is heated, stripped of flavor, stored for up to a year, and then reflavored before it is packaged and sold. The book concludes with a thought-provoking discussion of why consumers have the right to know how their food is produced.
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DJ13
(23,671 posts)There are too many alternatives to maintain high prices without damaging sales volume.
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)was $.79. Every time there's a freeze in Florida the price goes up. However, when the crop isn't damaged by weather, etc., the price doesn't go down. Only up up up.
Freddie
(9,265 posts)But yes, loaded with sugar. Naturally occurring sugar, but still far better to eat an orange and get the fiber as well. I allow myself 1 glass of orange juice a week at Sunday breakfast or if we go out to breakfast.
3catwoman3
(23,975 posts)Used to drink gallons of it, but now, like you, indulge as an occasional treat. Still miss it.
CTyankee
(63,910 posts)it's what I use to wake up...can't stand a morning without OJ...even just a sip...
bemildred
(90,061 posts)But if it's all you can get, I'll take some.
packman
(16,296 posts)man ever devised, the drink of the astronauts, the stuff we'd make by the pitcherful - TANG.
What killed it for my family was when there was a sugar crisis way back when and the price of a jar of it increased something like 400%. Then when the sugar shortage (probably a manufactured one) abated, the price still stayed the same. That's when we went to canned, frozen OJ and now drink supposedly fresh squeezed juice bought from the supermarket. I start off each day with about 4 oz. and plan to keep doing so.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)I love orange juice, no idea why but I always have to drop an ice cube in it..so great
with eggs and toast. yum.