You Can “Reprogram” Your Genes by Drinking a Glass of Orange Juice Daily, Study Finds

If a glass of orange juice was part of the secret concoction that fueled Taylor Swift's boundless energy on the Eras Tour, perhaps it should be part of your healthful routine, too. (Just be sure to juice your own oranges, or support a brand that isn't under fire for containing "forever chemicals".)

So says a new study, which claims that consuming a glass of orange juice every day can fortify your health, reprogramming your genes in the process. Can it really, though?

Is consuming a daily cup of orange juice one of those must-do healthy habits that you should adopt in your life, especially as the new year approaches? What about the long-held belief that orange juice can raise your blood sugar levels to unhealthy highs?

We tackle these questions, and more, below. Continue reading to learn all about this fascinating new study, what the implications are for your breakfast routine, and why a cup of orange juice should probably have a place in your diet.

According to a research article published in the academic journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, volunteers were instructed to consume 500 mL of orange juice daily for 60 days. The researchers found that cultivating and sustaining this habit helped to lower volunteers' blood pressure as well as to reduce body fat percentage.

As the Conclusion section of the study notes, orange juice holds "therapeutic potential" to improve blood pressure, lipid metabolism, and inflammation.

"A review of trials from 15 studies found that regular orange juice consumption lowered insulin resistance and blood cholesterol levels. Insulin resistance is a key feature of pre-diabetes, and high cholesterol is an established risk factor for heart disease," according to a report in the UK-based Cambridgeshire Live.

Another study, per Cambridgeshire Live, noted that "drinking blood orange juice for a month increased the number of gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids."

"Regular orange juice consumption can influence the activity of thousands of genes inside our immune cells. Many of these genes help control blood pressure, calm inflammation, and manage the way the body processes sugar, all of which play an important role in long-term heart health," according to a summary of the study as reported in The Conversation.

It appears that several studies and systematic reviews of multiple studies all point to orange juice being a key driver of better overall health.

As the video above suggests, a glass of orange juice does indeed lack the fiber boost that you would enjoy from eating an actual orange, as opposed to solely drinking its juice. There are also some individuals with blood sugar concerns for whom drinking a glass of orange juice may not be advised.

Therefore, it is best to consult with your primary care provider to see if this routine is suitable for you before starting a regimen of drinking a glass of orange juice every day.