Citrus Juices Have The Highest Nutrient Content
A new study shows citrus juices provide more nutrients per calorie than other common 100% fruit juices. Ruby Red grapefruit and orange juices earned the highest nutrient-density scores because compared to other juices in the analysis they are lower in calories and higher in essential nutrients. Co-funded by the University of Florida and the Florida Department of Citrus, the study used six methodologies to quantify the nutrient density of seven commonly consumed 100% juices including apple, grape, orange, pineapple, pink grapefruit, prune and white grapefruit. Ruby Red grapefruit juice had the highest nutrient-density score based on all methods except one, where orange juice had a slightly higher score. Orange juice ranked second in all other methods. White grapefruit juice ranked third in all six methods.

The USDA 2005 Dietary Guidelines encourage consumers to eat more nutrient-dense foods because they offer important benefits such as reduced risk for a number of chronic diseases, normal growth and development of children, and health promotion for people of all ages. For more information, click here.

Fresh grapefruit as part of a heart healthy diet may help lower cholesterol
An experimental study on 57 coronary bypass patients with elevated blood lipids indicates that the consumption of fresh grapefruit as part of a heart-healthy diet may help reduce blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels to fight against heart disease. Conducted by the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, the study reported significant reductions in total cholesterol (range 8% to 15%), LDL cholesterol (range 11% to 20%), and triglycerides (range 5% to 17%) after 30 days in those consuming a generally accepted diet for heart disease patients. This group had a diet that consisted of fruits, vegetables, limited fat as well as one white or red grapefruit every day while the control group consumed the same diet but without grapefruit. For more information, click here.

Vitamin C may help maintain eye health
In a large study of more than 35,000 Japanese men and women, higher intakes of dietary sources of vitamin C (not supplements) were associated with lower risks for developing cataracts. This protection was associated with daily median vitamin C intakes between 212 and 259 mg/day, or more than three times the Daily Value for vitamin C. Although this research was done in a Japanese population, similar research studies have reported this association in other population groups, including several in the United States. This study underlines the importance of including foods high in vitamin C in the diet, such as citrus fruits and juices. For more information, click here.

Phytonutrients in citrus may help protect against esophageal cancer
The intake of a class of phytonutrients commonly found in citrus, called flavanones, has been associated with a reduced risk for esophageal cancer. Flavanones are compounds found primarily in citrus fruits and juices that may act as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and/or anticancer agents. In this study, risk for esophageal cancer was reduced by 62 percent in individuals with the highest amount of flavanone intake compared to the lowest intake. For more information, click here.

Drinking juice may reduce Alzheimer's risk
Vanderbilt University researchers have found that people who drank three or more servings of fruit and vegetable juices per week had a 76 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those who drank juice less than once per week. The study appears in the September issue of The American Journal of Medicine. The benefit appeared particularly enhanced in subjects who carry the apolipoprotein E ?-4 allele, a genetic marker linked to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease - the most common form of the disease, which typically occurs after the age of 65.   For more information, click here.

Orange and Grapefruit Juice May Help Protect Against Osteoporosis
Regular servings of orange and grapefruit juice helped prevent lab rats from getting osteoporosis, an aging disease in which bones become more likely to break, according to researchers from Texas A&M University's Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center. An article detailing the findings was published earlier this year in Elsevier's Nutrition journal. Osteoporosis affects about 2 million men and 8 million women in the United States, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. For more information, click here.

Study Shows Citrus Fruit May Help Protect Against Oral Cancer
Recent research combining the results of seven studies that included 5,600 participants showed the consumption of citrus fruit was associated with a 62% lower odds for oral cancer. The results indicate citrus has a strong protective effect.  For more information, click here.     

Above are summaries of recent published studies on citrus products or nutrients contained in citrus products. The Florida Department of Citrus is making these summaries and links to their abstracts available for information purposes only. Publication is not intended to state or imply that citrus products or their nutrients are effective in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of a disease or health-related condition.