Orange juice vs pineapple juice: calories compared

On sugar these two are close. A cup of orange juice carries about 22 g of sugars and a cup of pineapple juice about 25 g.

Vitamin C depends on the carton. The UK food table gives freshly squeezed orange juice 48 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g) and unsweetened pineapple juice 11 mg. The pineapple juice in our table has added vitamin C (ascorbic acid), so check the label. Orange juice from frozen concentrate lost about a quarter of its vitamin C after a week in the fridge.

Only orange juice has cholesterol trials. Two meta-analyses found small drops in total cholesterol, of 6.84 and 9.84 mg/dL, against control drinks. Neither juice was tested alone for iron, but in 15 trials in women and children, adding vitamin C rich fruits to meals raised ferritin, a measure of iron stores.

Be careful with medicines. A review of 51 drug studies found orange juice acts on certain blood pressure medicines, comparably to apple juice, though how much that matters is uncertain. Pineapple juice blocked a drug-clearing enzyme in lab tests only. On regular medicines, ask your pharmacist.

Pick by taste. For children, older adults, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system, choose pasteurized juice, as most US juice is. The FDA warns untreated juice can cause serious illness in those groups.

Evidence behind this note

1. Level E The UK composition table gives freshly squeezed orange juice 48 mg vitamin C and 8.1 g sugars per 3.5 oz (100 g), against 40 mg and 8.6 g for chilled carton juice. CoFID 2021 (Public Health England), codes 14-369 and 14-329, OGL v3.0
2. Level E UK composition data give unsweetened pineapple juice 41 calories, 10.5 g sugars and 11 mg vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g), while US survey data list 43.8 mg vitamin C. CoFID 2021 (PHE, OGL v3.0) code 14-286; USDA FNDDS survey food 2709329
3. Level B Juice made from frozen concentrate lost about a quarter of its vitamin C in a week in the fridge, 117 down to 89 mg per 8 fl oz, while chilled carton juice barely changed. J Am Diet Assoc, 2005
4. Level A A second meta-analysis of 15 trials in 639 people found only total cholesterol, down about 7 mg/dL, and insulin resistance changed with orange juice, and rated the evidence low to moderate. Phytother Res, 2021
5. Level A A meta-analysis of 10 randomized trials found orange juice lowered LDL cholesterol by about 9 mg/dL and fasting glucose by about 3 mg/dL, with the effects holding at 17 fl oz (500 mL) a day or more. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2022
6. Level A A meta-analysis of 15 RCTs found that adding vitamin C rich fruits or juices to meals raised serum ferritin by 9.4 ug/L and hemoglobin by 1.3 g/L. Am J Clin Nutr, 2026
7. Level A A review of 51 pharmacokinetic studies found fruit juices can raise or lower blood levels of some blood pressure drugs, and orange and apple juice acted comparably on certain medications. Complement Ther Med, 2025
8. Level D Laboratory data suggest pineapple juice strongly inhibits the drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP2C9, but this has not been confirmed in people. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem, 2008
9. Level E The FDA states that most juice sold in the United States is pasteurized (heat-treated) to kill harmful bacteria. US FDA, What You Need to Know About Juice Safety, content current as of 03/05/2024
10. Level E The FDA warns that pregnant women risk serious illness or even death from drinking untreated, unpasteurized juice. US FDA, What You Need to Know About Juice Safety, content current as of 03/05/2024

Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.

Read more about these foods

• Orange juice: small cholesterol effects, no effect on weight
• Pineapple juice: what a glass carries, and what it was tested for

What the studies say

• Does orange juice help with colds? One 1979 trial, and vitamin C's effect is small
• Is orange juice good during pregnancy? Pasteurized looks neutral, no trial shows a benefit
• Does pineapple juice help digestion and constipation? No trial has tested it
• Does pineapple juice reduce inflammation? Untested as juice, mixed as bromelain

Rankings and guides

• Calories: what it does and what the evidence shows
• Which foods give the most protein for the fewest calories?
• Dietary fat: what it does and how much you need

• Orange juice: USDA FoodData Central, Orange juice, canned, unsweetened, FDC ID 169099 · all forms of orange juice
• Pineapple juice: USDA FoodData Central, Pineapple juice, canned or bottled, unsweetened, with added ascorbic acid, FDC ID 168187 · all forms of pineapple juice

Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ; the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.