2 Cups of Orange Juice a Day May Help Lower Blood Pressure, Study Shows

Drinking about two cups of orange juice a day may help control your blood pressure, according to some research.

Many people associate orange juice solely with immune support, but this refreshing drink contains potassium and antioxidants that may help prevent high blood pressure. However, consider the sugar content before adding multiple glasses to your daily routine.

What the research shows

Research suggests that compounds in orange juice impact blood pressure in part through gene expression.

A 2025 study published in the journal Molecular nutrition and food research included 20 healthy adults who drank 500 ml of orange juice, or about 2 cups, per day for 60 days. Analysis of participants’ blood samples showed that specific genes associated with high blood pressure and inflammation were suppressed, potentially due to orange juice consumption.

“Genes are like instruction manuals, and gene expression tells us which instructions the body uses more or less. Orange juice appears to change how certain instructions are read, but that doesn’t necessarily mean those changes will lead to better health,” said Katie Ellison, PhD, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and postdoctoral researcher at the Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Further research is needed to verify the results, especially since this was a small study that did not include a group of participants who did not drink orange juice. Deleting or activating genes involved in regulating blood pressure also does not automatically mean that a person’s blood pressure will change, Ellison told Verywell in an email.

Orange juice contains potassium, but lacks fiber

Beyond its potential influence on genes, orange juice provides potassium and other nutrients that support heart and blood vessel health.

“Orange juice contains several potentially useful components like potassium, flavanones, especially hesperidin, vitamin C, and other antioxidants and citrus metabolites. Together, these help reduce inflammation, may influence blood vessel function, and help blood vessels relax, thereby reducing blood pressure,” said Melissa Mroz-Planells, DCN, RDN, assistant professor and internship director of dietetics at the University of Bastyr and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Consuming between 3,500 milligrams (mg) and 5,000 mg of potassium daily, while reducing your sodium intake, is important for blood pressure control.

However, a medium orange and a 4-ounce (oz) serving of 100% orange juice contain about the same amount of potassium. This amount of 100% orange juice also contains 12 grams (g) of natural sugars and no fiber, while a medium orange contains the same amount of sugar and 2.8 g of fiber.

Too much sugar, especially in artificially sweetened and sweetened sodas and other drinks, increases the risk of developing high blood pressure.

“With 100% orange juice, the sugar is not added sugar, and the juice provides beneficial nutrients and plant compounds. So it’s nutritionally very different from drinking soda. But drinking large amounts of juice each day makes it easy to consume a lot of calories and sugar without getting the fiber and fullness you’d get from whole oranges,” Mroz-Planells told Verywell in an email.

Orange juice is part of a balanced blood pressure lifestyle

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet recommends eating four to five servings of fruit per day. Fruit is important, but it’s only one part of a heart-healthy diet.

“If you like orange juice, a small serving of 100% juice can fit into a healthy diet, but I would place much more emphasis on whole oranges, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and the overall DASH diet,” Mroz-Planells said.