Orange juice is a healthy beverage. However, if you’re on a specific diet or counting macros, you may be wary of its carbohydrate content.
Among the things you probably want to know is whether your orange juice has starch. I did some digging and here’s what came up!
Does Orange Juice Have Starch?
Neither freshly squeezed nor store-bought orange juice contains starch but they have similar carbohydrates in the form of sugar and dietary fiber. Moreover, no form of sugar present in orange juice is starch-based.
If you want to discover more about the starch content of orange juice, continue reading below!
Does Orange Juice Contain Starchy Carbohydrates?
Orange juice contains carbohydrates but they are not sourced from starch.
Since this beverage comes from citrus fruits, it is proven not to contain even trace amounts of starch. However, it has another type of carbohydrate called dietary fiber, specifically the pectin variety.
Does Freshly-Squeezed Orange Juice Have Starch?
Freshly squeezed orange juice does not contain any traces of starch.
The glucose and fructose in orange juice which is classified as natural sugars differ from starch in terms of complexity and are identified as simple carbohydrates.
Does Store-Bought Orange Juice Have Starch?
Store-bought orange juice, whether 100% orange juice that is pasteurized or with added sugar in the formula, does not contain starch.
Added sugar in commercial OJ is formulated just like naturally occurring sugar. This means that aside from being chemically made, they have the same composition as simple ones.
For reference, starch is a complex carbohydrate that is the opposite of organic sugars you can find in orange juice.
How Many Carbs Are In Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice?
There are a total of 25.79 grams of carbohydrates in a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. The main carbohydrates present are dietary fiber and sugar.
Dietary fiber amounts to about 0.5 grams of the OJ and can help in maintaining digestive health. On the other hand, sugar makes up almost all carb counts measuring 20.83 grams which provides you with an energy boost.
Does Tropicana Orange Juice Contain Starch?
Tropicana orange juice is 100% orange juice and does not contain starch. What it does have is natural sugar amounting to 22 grams and is classified as another main carbohydrate like starch.
Does Florida’s Natural Orange Juice Contain Starch?
Florida’s Natural orange juice does not contain starch or any added sugar. Its calories are made from 93% carbohydrates composed of dietary fibers and organic sugars.
Why Does Orange Juice Not Have Starch?
Starch is mainly found in grains and vegetables and is manufactured to store glucose and energy vital for plant growth. It is a complex carbohydrate that is not present in pulpy fruits such as orange and naturally, it is not present in orange juice either.
How Much Carbs In 8-Ounce Orange Juice?
An 8-ounce glass of freshly squeezed orange juice contains 25.8 grams of carbohydrates, most of which are simple sugars in the form of fructose and glucose. Fiber only makes up 0.5 grams of the carb content.
How Many Carbs Are In Simply Orange Juice?
Simply Orange juice contains 45 grams of carbohydrates. Forty-one percent of this content is sourced from sugar. In particular, 22 grams of carbs in an eight-ounce serving of Simply Orange is made up of glucose.
Additionally, Simply Orange does not contain fiber which means that all the carb content is sourced from the sugar in the formula.
If you want to learn more about orange juice, you can see our related posts on whether orange juice has added sugar, whether orange juice is vegan, and what pasteurized orange juice is.
Conclusion
Starch is a complex carbohydrate that is mainly found in grains and wheat instead of pulpy, acidic fruits.
Orange juice does not contain starch because it is sourced from citrus, known to be a non-starch fruit. Instead of starch, it has sugar and fiber as its main components of carbohydrates.