Wednesday, May 4 is National Orange Juice Day, when we’re all encouraged to enjoy “liquid sunshine.”
Orange juice is packed with vitamin C, which has a range of health benefits – including, according to many studies, aiding your body’s absorption of iron. Every year, low iron levels is the most common reason people can’t donate blood.
So how does orange juice help? According to studies, having orange juice with food greatly helps your body better absorb what is known as nonheme iron, the type of iron found in foods other than red meat, fish or poultry. Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) reacts with that nonheme iron and helps it get into your system.
The vitamin C in orange juice also has been shown to counteract the iron-blocking effects of chemical compounds called tannins in coffee and red wine, as well as phytates, which are found in beans and nuts.
Learn more about the process for donating blood and make an appointment to give at SouthTexasBlood.org.
