Orange juice is the most popular fruit juice in the world, with manufacturers estimated to produce 1.6 billion metric tons each year. While orange juice has been popular for a long time, the earliest records date back to the seventeenth century.

Here are 6 scientifically proven orange juice health benefits you can get from enjoying a glass of it today!

One of the health benefits of orange juice is that it contains a high amount of vitamin C, due to the fact that orange is one of its richest forms. Eight ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice contain approximately 125 milligrams of vitamin C. Orange juice diluted from frozen concentrate is estimated to contain 95 milligrams per eight ounces. Vitamin C is important because it can boost the body's production of collagen, a protein that is an essential building block for skin, bones and tissues. Studies also show that vitamin C may help lower blood pressure in the body because it can work to remove excess salt and water from the body.

Antioxidants are important because they can protect your body from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause disease. Orange juice contains many antioxidants that can protect your body from things like cancer and heart disease. One of the antioxidants in orange juice is hesperidin, which has been linked to improving vascular function. Another antioxidant that orange juice contains is carotenoids, which can boost the immune system and protect the body from disease.

Kidney stones are mineral deposits that can accumulate in the kidneys and cause pain and nausea. Orange juice has been shown to increase pH, which increases the alkalinity of the body in the urine and can prevent the formation of stones in the kidneys. A study of 194,095 participants found that those who drank orange juice regularly had a 12% lower risk of kidney stones compared to those who drank less than one serving per week. Researchers believe that orange juice had this effect because it is rich in potassium citrate, which can increase the body's citraturia (also known as citric acid) and raise the alkalinity of urine.

Orange juice has been shown to help improve heart health. LDL cholesterol, known as "bad" cholesterol, can build up along the walls of arteries and put you at risk of cardiovascular disease. Many reviews and studies have found that orange juice drinkers usually have lower LDL cholesterol than those who do not consume orange juice. Furthermore, meta-analysis of 19 trials studied the relationship of orange juice to blood pressure in the body. The conclusion was that orange juice was able to significantly lower the body's diastolic blood pressure, which is the blood pressure in the arteries when your heart relaxes between beats. High diastolic blood pressure can put you at risk of strokes, kidney disease and cognitive decline.

Orange juice has been part of many weight-loss programs because it can help curb cravings for sweets while filling the body with vitamins and minerals. Orange juice has a low glycemic index and low in fat, making it a great choice for anyone who wants to maintain a low-sugar diet. However, you should keep in mind that processed orange juice can be high in sugar. For best results, it is estimated that you drink 50-200 ml of orange juice. Naturally squeezed orange juice will bring more benefits than processed orange juice because processed juices may contain extra sugars and additives that can do more harm than good when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight.

Another health benefit of orange juice is that it can improve your vision. According to the American Optometry Association, orange juice can help your body maintain healthy eye vessels, which are essential to prevent nuclear cataracts. In one study of 2,000 Australian adults over the age of 50 who ate at least one orange once or drank orange juice a day, had a 60% reduction in macular degeneration later in life. One reason for this is that the flavonoids found in oranges can help protect the eyes, and researchers said one orange a week may be beneficial for eyesight. The vitamins C, E and A found in oranges were also found to help protect eye health during the study.

Now that you know some of the health benefits of orange juice, you should consider drinking more of it to reap these benefits.Some ways you can add more orange juice to your diet include:

• Plan a glass of orange juice with breakfast

• Drink water with orange juice added

• Make desserts with orange juice

• Make orange juice lollipops by freezing them in ice cube molds

• Squeeze orange juice into your yogurt

• Make a fruit salad with the constant presence of orange juice as an ingredient in it

• Drink tea mixed with orange juice

• Make a freshly squeezed juice mixture with orange as an ingredient

• Drink more orange juice today

Drinking more orange juice is a great way to get the health benefits of oranges.

• Consider drinking a glass of orange juice to reap the fruits today!