Natural, vitamin-rich, this creamy drink reassures. However, behind its healthy image lies a much less flattering reality: consumed daily, it clogs the liver and promotes fat storage.
In the department of everyday drinks, this one is one of the basics. We serve it early in the day, we slip it into a brunch, we consider it a healthier option than a soda. Its image is simple: natural, vitamin-rich, almost essential. In supermarkets, it takes up entire linear meters. However, behind this very dietary positioning, its metabolic impact is very different: “There is not much positive in this drink: there is no fiber, as much sugar as a soda, so it will be inflammatory“, immediately warns Audrey Vergès, naturopath.
Fibers normally serve as a shield against aggression. Without these ramparts, the sugar, which is liquid, reaches the liver massively. Overwhelmed, the latter has no choice but to transform excess sugar into fat. This process of fat storage in liver cells is identical to that caused by alcohol, making this habit a major risk factor for excess weight and metabolic diseases. Studies (such as those published in Nature Metabolism and by the University of Barcelona) demonstrate that a massive flow of liquid fructose saturates the liver’s capacity. Additionally, our brains do not count liquid calories the same way as solid foods. We can therefore consume these drinks more than necessary without even realizing it.
We are talking here about commercial orange juice, including that labeled “no added sugar”. Some “no added sugar” juices use grape or apple juice concentrates as natural sweeteners, which significantly increases the fructose content without this clearly appearing on the label. In addition, even “100% pure juice” juices undergo an industrial process which degrades their nutritional qualities. During pasteurization at high temperature, necessary for their preservation, vitamin C – yet the number 1 health argument – is largely destroyed. This is why manufacturers often have to add it artificially after the fact.
Every morning, millions of people start their day with a large glass of industrial orange juice, convinced they are making a healthy choice. After all, it’s full of vitamin C, it’s natural, and advertisements sell it as the perfect ally for a balanced breakfast. Obviously, a drink from time to time, during brunch or a special occasion, is no problem. “It is the daily morning habit, often on an empty stomach, which becomes problematic for the liver and blood sugar levels.“Moreover, this rarely mentioned detail: a glass of orange juice requires 3 to 4 squeezed oranges. No one would spontaneously eat so much fruit in one go, yet we ingest this quantity of sugar in a few sips.
Instead, Audrey Vergès offers more liver-friendly alternatives. “You can possibly drink a juice pressed yourself and immediately drunk: this will preserve a minimum of fiber and better nutritional quality.“. She also notes that grapefruit juice can be interesting, because it is naturally less sweet than orange juice. But be careful with taking medications, because grapefruit can interact with many molecules, such as statins, certain treatments for hypertension, heart disease and immunosuppressants.
