It is common to drink orange juice on an empty stomach, before breakfast, thinking that this increases its properties, but did you know that it is not so suitable? Find out why.
There is no doubt that orange juice becomes one of the quintessential breakfast drinks for many Spaniards, especially when we are in the middle of the season (that is, from November to June). Some accompany it with a good coffee -which can become a real time bomb for our intestines-, and others simply drink it on its own, along with toast with butter and jam.
Starting from a previous occasion in which we told you that it is better to eat whole oranges instead of juice, many nutritionists have long defended the advantages of consuming whole fruits over consuming them in the form of juice.
The reasons, as we have already seen (and which we advise you to know by reading the note cited in the previous lines, especially if you tend to consume orange juice very often), have to do fundamentally with: the contribution of fiber, which is much lower – almost nil-, the absorption of its sugars that will be absorbed more quickly, the amount of food eaten that will be much greater.
But orange juice also has an even more important contraindication, and that is related to the habit of many Spaniards: did you know that it is not so appropriate to take it on an empty stomach, as you have probably done on some occasion? We explain why.
The main contraindications of orange juice (or why it is not suitable to take it on an empty stomach).
Depending on the fruit we consume, it is true that some have a greater effect on our digestive system than others. Thus, for example, while some have a choleretic effect and increase the secretion of bile by fluidizing it, others have an obviously opposite cholagogue effect; that is, they tend to stimulate the emptying of the gallbladder.
In the case of both oranges and obviously orange juice taken on an empty stomach, it tends to cause the same effect. That is, it can cause a sudden emptying of the gallbladder, which can be accompanied by relatively uncomfortable symptoms such as an upset stomach, bloating, abdominal heaviness, and nausea.
For this reason there are also many people who fear consuming orange juice on an empty stomach, and avoid it, despite the fact that this type of discomfort is not serious and is actually the result of a truly beneficial action for our body.
However, as we will see below, the consumption of orange juice is not recommended in case of cholelithiasis, since there is a risk that it triggers a painful colic.
Not suitable in case of cholelithiasis.
Although medically it is known by the name of cholelithiasis, it is popularly known by many people as gallstones (or simply stones in the gallbladder).
Its causes are actually varied, although in most cases it is due to excessive consumption of fats. But it is not the only one: it can also arise as a consequence of being overweight and sedentary, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, bile duct infections and being a woman (since they have more possibilities than men).
In the case of suffering from cholelithiasis or having suffered it at some previous time, it is not advisable to consume citrus fruits on an empty stomach, much less its juice. That is, on an empty stomach, since by causing an emptying of the gallbladder it can end up triggering a painful colic.
In addition, we must not forget that citric acid acts as an acidifier, being a precursor of urinary oxalates.
