I am a big believer in what we consume plays a big role in our overall nutrition and wellbeing. To me, an element of self-care means consuming products with your health in mind. Being mindful and intentional about your nutrition means you are truly taking care of yourself.
March is National Nutrition Month and I’ve partnered with Florida Orange Juice to educate you on the numerous nutritional and health benefits of incorporating 100% orange juice into your daily routine. I think there is a perception out there that orange juice is mostly beneficial for Vitamin C, and although that is true, 100% orange juice has so many other benefits that goes beyond helping to support your immune system and keeping you hydrated.
So, whether you treat yourself to breakfast in bed, serve Florida OJ to yourself and your children for a snack, or drink on the run, you are doing your body a big favor that will influence your overall nutrition with so many health benefits!
Oral Health
Did you know that drinking Florida OJ may help support oral and dental health? In addition to brushing and flossing regularly, maintaining good oral health, and having regular dental cleanings, maintaining a healthy diet that includes nutrients like vitamin C found in Florida OJ helps, too, since vitamin C can help develop and maintain healthy gums. Magnesium, which is also found in Florida OJ, helps with bone formation and oral health. And if you drink a fortified Florida Orange Juice with calcium and vitamin D, the calcium can help with jaw-bone strength and the vitamin D helps absorption of the calcium!
Respiratory Health
Florida Orange Juice contains nutrients like vitamin C, flavonoids, and vitamin D (if it’s fortified) that may help support your immune system and lung health, reduce inflammation, and may even help minimize asthma and allergy symptoms! Florida OJ does not naturally contain vitamin D but drinking 8 ounces of fortified Florida OJ contains 15% of the recommended Daily Value.
Bone Health
Our bones may be hidden on the inside of our body but having strong bone health is extremely important to our overall body functioning and shouldn’t be overlooked! Florida OJ contains potassium, which plays a role in acid base balance that can affect bone mineral density, and also offers magnesium, which is an imperative mineral in the structure of the bones. And did you know that Florida OJ also contains phytonutrients that also may play a factor in the processes that influence bone structure and formation? As already mentioned, a fortified Florida OJ with calcium and Vitamin D will also have added bone health benefits.
Cognitive Function
As a mental health clinician and educator, brain health is very important to me. I loved learning that Florida Orange Juice contains nutrients like thiamin, folate, vitamin B6, and flavonoids such as hesperidin that may help support cognitive function. Did you know that Florida Orange Juice not only provides a variety of key nutrients to help support a healthy immune system but is also a source of bioactive nutrients that may also help support cognitive function, too? It’s so fascinating to me and makes me so happy to hear these benefits of drinking Florida OJ!
Cardiovascular Health
Did you know that cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths a year? Statistically, that’s approximately one woman every minute. So, as a woman, maintaining cardiovascular health is extremely vital to me. I love that Florida Orange Juice is heart health friendly because it contains no added sugar, no fat or cholesterol, it’s sodium free, and contains essential minerals and vitamins that support heart health like folate, vitamin B6, potassium, and vitamin C. Some clinical studies have even shown that drinking 100% OJ may help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.
Skin Health
Florida Orange Juice contains vitamins and nutrients that can affect your skin health. For example, vitamin C helps the skin by supporting collagen production and helps maintain elasticity. There are also colorful plant pigments found in Florida OJ called carotenoids that are a source of antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals that can damage your skin. Plus, drinking Florida OJ helps with hydration since it naturally is almost 90% water content, which is also important for preventing wrinkles! This is a big benefit for me!!
Kidney Health
100% orange juice is associated with a reduced risk for developing kidney stones. That’s right, Florida OJ contains citrate, which may prevent kidney stones. Staying hydrated with Florida OJ also helps kidney stone prevention. And as I mentioned earlier, hydration comes easy when drinking Florida OJ because it contains a high level of water content! And if you drink a fortified Florida OJ that contains calcium, that may also help reduce the risk for kidney stones. An 8-ounce glass of Florida OJ contains 350 mg of calcium, which is about 30% of the recommended Daily Value.
I know I learned a lot about the hidden nutritional benefits of Florida Orange Juice when writing this post. Which one surprised you the most? For more information on the benefits of Florida Orange Juice, please visit the Florida Orange Juice website or visit FLOJ on Instagram or Facebook!
This post is sponsored by Florida Orange Juice but all photos and opinions are my own!
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