Orange juice prevents inflammation

KARACHI: Drinking orange juice along with a high fat meal prevents the marked increase in inflammatory agents, thereby preventing blood vessel damage.

Free radicals, or reactive oxygen species, are known to induce inflammation in blood vessel linings and contribute to the risk of heart attack and stroke.

To investigate the effect of orange juice on diet induced inflammation; researchers recruited 30 participants and divided them into three groups, with 10 participants each.

Along with the breakfast, the first group drank 300 calories of orange juice, the second group drank a 300-calorie glucose drink and the third group drank an equal amount of water.

All participants were given 15 minutes to finish their food and drink. Blood samples were collected before the meal and at 1, 3 and 5 hours afterwards.

There was no significant difference in inflammatory mediators among the groups before the meal. Analysis of the samples after the meal showed that free radicals increased an average of 62 percent with water, 63 percent with the glucose and 47 percent with orange juice.

There was also an increase in blood components known as toll-like receptors, which play an important role in the development of inflammation, atherosclerosis, obesity, insulin resistance, and injury to heart cells than can occur after a blocked vessel is reopened.

Orange juice also prevented a significant increase in SOCS-3, an important mediator of insulin resistance, which contributes to development of type 2 diabetes.

The findings show that orange juice prevented meal-induced oxidative and inflammatory stress, suggesting it is better to have orange juice instead of other sugary drinks with heavy meals.

The findings appeared in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.