Could orange juice cut risk of heart disease?

DRINKING orange juice every day may lower the risk of heart disease, new research has found. Like other citrus fruits, oranges contain an antioxidant called hesperidin, thought to benefit the lining of the blood vessels.

In a study at Bordeaux University, men over the age of 50 with high cholesterol drank 200ml of orange juice or a placebo drink containing vitamin C, but no antioxidants, three times a day for four weeks. Those drinking the juice had significantly higher levels of hesperidin and lower levels of compounds linked to inflammation.

The researchers said: ‘These findings suggest that daily intake of orange juice may contribute a significant antioxidant effect and may have a significant effect on vascular functioning.’