Orange juice is the most nutrient dense fruit juice commonly consumed in the United States. An 8 oz serving provides 110 cal and contains 72 mg of vitamin C.
Variability in the vitamin C (ascorbic acid) content of citrus fruit and their products is influenced by variety, cultural practice, maturity, climate, fruit quality, fresh fruit handling, processing factors, packaging, and storage conditions.
Vitamin C is known for its potent antioxidant properties and is lost during handling, processing and storage. Therefore, vitamin C content is widely considered as an appropriate marker for monitoring quality changes during processing and storage.
Citrus fruit juices provide an important source of vitamin C for human nutrition, even though only about one-fourth of the vitamin C content of citrus fruit is found in the juice. Vitamin C is usually considered the major antioxidant in citrus.
Vitamin C is important for the human body because it is needed in the production of collagen to make connective tissue. Vitamin C also helps the body to absorb iron, helps wounds to heal, helps red blood cell formation and helps to fight infections. Some studies say that vitamin C prevents cancer.
Vitamin C helps to enhance availability and absorption of iron from non-heme sources. Vitamin C also has antioxidant properties since it can easily lose the electron to neutralize and inhibit free radicals from being oxidized in preventing cell damage.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in orange juice
