National Orange Juice Day Date in the current year: May 4, 2024

Orange juice is produced by squeezing or reaming oranges. It can be produced from common oranges, navel oranges, Valencia oranges, blood oranges, clementines, or tangerines. Orange juice is a great source of vitamin C, flavonoids, and antioxidants. It also supplies thiamine (vitamin B1), folate (vitamin B9), and potassium.

People have been drinking orange juice for a long time, but it began to really gain popularity in the United States in the mid-20th century. During World War II, American soldiers didn’t like lemon crystals with vitamin C they received with their food rations to prevent scurvy because of their unappealing taste. The U. S. government partnered with the Florida Department of Citrus to develop a product that would be tasty, packed with vitamin C, and easy to transport.

It took scientists neatly decade to create a product that would be superior to canned orange juice; frozen concentrated orange juice was introduced in 1948, three years after the end of the war. By the end of the next year, over 10 million gallons of concentrated orange juice were produced in Florida. The beverage was so popular because it was easy to prepare, affordable, tasty, and high in vitamin C.

By the 1980s, food scientists developed reconstituted orange juice that tasted fresher and didn’t need to be prepared. Finally, pasteurized orange juice “not from concentrate” was developed in the 1990s. Modern commercial orange juice has a long shelf life thanks to pasteurization and oxygen removal.

Today, the United States is the second largest producer of orange juice after Brazil, the second largest exporter after Argentina, and the second largest consumer after Canada. Major orange juice brands in the United States include Tropicana Products, Minute Maid, and Florida’s Natural (by the way, orange juice has been the official drink of Florida since 1967).

Orange juice has been a breakfast staple for over a century; it is the most popular breakfast drink in the United States. A lot of people wake up to a glass of orange juice and enjoy its refreshing taste and health benefits first thing in the morning. However, you should be careful with drinking too much orange juice because of its high concentration of simple sugars and citric acid. Everything is better in moderation.

The best way to observe National Orange Juice Day is to enjoy a nice glass of orange juice with your breakfast. Don’t forget to snap a picture and share it on social media with the hashtag #NationalOrangeJuiceDay to spread awareness of the holiday!

If you’re feeling adventurous, have a mimosa at brunch or lunch because orange juice tastes even better with sparkling wine. The key to making the perfect mimosa is to mix chilled dry or semi-dry sparkling wine with the same amount of freshly squeezed orange juice. Pour the juice first and top off your glass with champagne or prosecco.