Hesperidin in 100% orange juice could be a key tool in fight against chronic diseases

Hesperidin, a polyphenol found in orange juice, may have a beneficial effect on blood markers of chronic disease, claims a study.

The narrative systematic review of 20 studies published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition aimed to set recommendations for how much and how often we should consume hesperidin from 100% orange juice.

Results showed that consuming it more often and in greater quantities and concentrations had an impact on brain function, heart, insulin, inflammatory, antioxidant, and oxidative stress outcomes compared to consuming it less often and in lower quantities and concentrations.

The authors also performed a gap analysis, which showed variations in how much and how often orange juice and hesperidin were consumed, as well as diet, genetics, and evaluation methods between the included studies. This made it difficult to work out exactly how much hesperidin in 100% orange juice we should be aiming for to help prevent chronic diseases, with the authors suggesting this should be clarified in future studies.

However, the authors said, “Results showed positive trends in improved disease biomarkers, with the strongest association in antioxidant and phenolic biomarkers.” For now, we can aim for our daily dose of hesperidin from 100% orange juice in line with UK dietary recommendations (150ml a day).

Reference

Tadros & Andrade. Impact of hesperidin in 100% orange juice on chronic disease biomarkers: A narrative systematic review and gap analysis. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.1927976