Is orange juice good for diabetics?
Orange juice is a low-glycemic food: its glycemic index is 48 (median of 2 lab tests, range 41 to 54). A serving of 1 cup (8.8 oz, 249 g) has 27.4 g of carbs and 0.7 g of fiber, a glycemic load of about 13.
This page is for people with diabetes or prediabetes. The glycemic index compares foods, and the glycemic load on this page adjusts it for a real serving. If you follow a meal plan from your care team, use these numbers within it.
Carbs in a serving
| Per 1 cup (8.8 oz, 249 g) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total carbohydrate | 27.4 g |
| Fiber | 0.7 g |
| Sugars | 21.8 g |
| Carbs minus fiber | 26.7 g |
| Glycemic load (GI × carbs minus fiber ÷ 100) | 13 |
USDA FoodData Central, Orange juice, canned, unsweetened. Glycemic load uses the median GI below.
Glycemic index tests
| Food as tested | GI | Category | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange juice | 41 | low | New Zealand |
| Orange juice, unsweetened, reconstituted concentrate, Mr Juicy brand (Berri Ltd, Australia) | 54 | low | Australia |
Glucose = 100. Categories from the International Tables: low 55 or less, medium 56 to 69, high 70 or more. Only tests that met the ISO 26642:2010 method (Supplemental Table 1).
Compared with similar foods
| Food | Portion | GI | Carbs | Glycemic load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange juice | 1 cup (8.8 oz, 249 g) | 48 | 27.4 g | 13 |
| Watermelon | 1 cup, balls (5.4 oz, 154 g) | 50 | 11.6 g | 6 |
| Apple | 1 cup, quartered or chopped (4.4 oz, 125 g) | 44 | 17.3 g | 6 |
| Banana | 1 banana, peeled (4.1 oz, 115 g) | 52 | 26.4 g | 13 |
Same food group in the International Tables, each at its usual US portion (USDA).
How much the glycemic index matters
Studies and guidelines do not agree on how much weight to give the glycemic index.
- Level C A year after the World Health Organization set the glycemic index aside, a meta-analysis of cohorts each over a hundred thousand people linked high glycemic index diets to more diabetes, heart disease and death. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2024
- Level E The World Health Organization examined the glycemic index, found it inconsistent, and refused to build guidance on it. Carbohydrate intake for adults and children: WHO guideline, 2023
- Level C Glycemic index and glycemic load, the other two ways of judging carbohydrate, held up far worse than fiber in the same analysis. Reynolds et al., The Lancet, 2019
What studies found about orange juice
- 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
- 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
- Level B In a crossover trial in healthy young men, 10 fl oz (300 mL) of 100% orange juice gave a lower glucose peak than a sugar-matched drink without the fruit matrix, though total glucose response did not differ significantly. Food Funct, 2026
Levels: A is a meta-analysis of trials, B a randomized trial, C an observational study, D lab or animal work, E an expert position. How we grade evidence.
In practice
A cup of orange juice has 27.4 g of carbs, 21.8 g of them sugar, and 0.7 g of fiber. The two ISO tests in healthy adults gave a GI of 41 and 54, and a cup has a glycemic load of about 13.
A low GI does not make juice a free drink. The load per cup is about double that of a cup of apple or watermelon.
One pooled analysis of 10 trials in adults found orange juice lowered fasting glucose by about 3 mg/dL, a small change, mostly at 17 fl oz (500 mL) a day or more. That is about 2 cups and 57 g of carbs. A second pooled analysis of 15 trials found no change in fasting glucose. People who use juice to treat a low blood sugar are a different case, and their care plan sets the amount.
Evidence behind this note
- 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
Written from the agency positions and data on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Sources
- Atkinson FS et al. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr 2021;114(5):1625-1632, Supplemental Table 1, PMID 34258626, doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqab233 (accessed 2026-10-12)
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Orange juice, canned, unsweetened, FDC ID 169099
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Watermelon, raw, FDC ID 167765
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), FDC ID 171688
- USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (release 2025-12-18): Bananas, ripe and slightly ripe, raw, FDC ID 1105314
- Evidence cards: each study above links to its source. Card review dates are listed in our methodology.
Sources checked 2026-10-12. Bioma Learn provides information, not medical advice.