The best time to drink a glass of orange juice for weight loss is in the morning or before/after exercise. Sugar in orange juice is stored as muscle glycogen, whereas vitamin C protects from oxidative stress.
Orange juice at breakfast for weight loss
An 8 oz glass of orange juice has about 110 calories. Most calories of orange juice come mainly from sugar. A glass contains about 26 g sugar and 2 g protein. It has negligible amounts of fat.[1]
The best time of the day to drink orange juice is at breakfast. In the morning, the body has increased insulin sensitivity. Hence, more sugar of orange juice is stored as muscle glycogen. This can be used as an instant source of energy during the day.
Moreover, it’s better to drink orange juice in the morning because it hydrates the body. It’s 88% water. Also, it’s rich in electrolytes. The body has to be well-hydrated for increased fat metabolism!
Most noteworthy, drinking orange juice in the morning is good for weight loss because it’s packed with vitamin C. Vitamin C is necessary for weight loss. It helps the body burn more fat for energy!
In addition, it’s better for the body to increase its antioxidant capacity first thing in the morning. Vitamin C and other antioxidant compounds fight oxidative stress in the body due to air pollution, sun radiation, smoking etc.[2,3,4]
How to drink orange juice in the morning to lose weight?
However, you shouldn’t only drink orange juice at breakfast. Drinking only a glass of orange juice for breakfast won’t help you lose more body weight because it has no dietary fiber. Fiber is vital for controlling energy intake. You have to drink orange juice only after consuming a fiber-rich meal, such as oatmeal or whole cereals.
Otherwise, orange juice can make you gain weight. You’ll feel hungry after drinking orange juice on an empty stomach. Sugar spikes make you crave fattening foods. You have to keep your cravings under control in order to follow a long-term hypocaloric diet for weight loss.
Moreover, you could add some protein to your oatmeal for increased satiety. Foods high in protein, fiber, and water are the most filling.[5]
You can find a wide variety of whey or plant-based protein powders on iHerb.
Drinking orange juice before or after exercise is good for weight loss
Also, you could drink orange juice before or after exercise for weight loss.
The muscles need high amounts of sugars to function properly. Orange juice is an excellent source of sugars. It’s about 30% glucose, 30% fructose, and 40% sucrose.[6]
Glucose can instantly be used for energy by muscle cells. On the other hand, fructose has to be metabolized in the liver. Therefore, it’ll be used for energy when glucose will have been depleted. So, drinking orange juice before a workout provides steady levels of energy during exercise.
Furthermore, orange juice is a great post-workout beverage. Sugars in orange juice can quickly replenish the depleted glycogen stores. This is crucial for fast muscle recovery.
In addition, athletes should drink orange juice after exercise because vitamin C in orange juice can neutralize exercise-induced free radicals. Vitamin C is beneficial for muscle recovery as well.
How many glasses of orange juice can I drink a day without gaining weight?
As a rule of thumb, we lose weight when we’re on a caloric deficit. A glass of orange juice has only 110 calories. But, we shouldn’t drink too much. A glass of orange juice a day is more than enough for most people who want to lose weight. Only athletes could drink higher doses.
You should be very cautious with portion sizes. It’s pretty easy to consume too many calories from drinking orange juice or any other fruit juice. Most people don’t realize how many calories do they actually consume from fruit juices and soft drinks.
The worst time to drink orange juice is in the evening
Certainly, the worst time of the day to drink orange juice is in the evening or late at night. The human body can’t store sugar as muscle glycogen as efficiently in the evening. Thus, a high percentage of sugars in orange juice is stored as body fat when consumed at night! Especially, if we drink orange juice with a fatty meal.[7]
You could drink a glass of orange juice a couple of hours before bedtime, though. It supports sleep.
Can I drink orange juice every day?
Drinking a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice every day, as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet, is good for your health and for losing weight.
