Lemonade vs orange juice: which is healthier?

Orange juice is more nutrient-dense, scoring 82/100 against 2/100 for lemonade. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Lemonade

2/100Low nutrient density

40 kcal per 100 g. 1 glass (8 oz): 248 g

Orange juice

82/100Excellent nutrient density

45 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup (240 ml): 248 g

Higher score

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesLemonade40 vs 45 kcal per 100 g
More proteinOrange juice<0.1 vs 0.7 g per 100 g
More fiberAbout even0 vs 0.2 g per 100 g
Less sugarOrange juice10 vs 8.4 g per 100 g
More potassiumOrange juice15 vs 200 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatAbout even<0.1 vs <0.1 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Lemonade, 100 g	Orange juice, 100 g	Lemonade, 248 g	Orange juice, 248 g
Calories	40 kcal	45 kcal	99 kcal	112 kcal
Protein	<0.1 g	0.7 g	0.2 g	1.7 g
Carbohydrates	10 g	10 g	26 g	26 g
Sugars	10 g	8.4 g	25 g	21 g
Fiber	0 g	0.2 g	0 g	0.5 g
Fat	<0.1 g	0.2 g	<0.1 g	0.5 g
Saturated fat	<0.1 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g
Vitamin C	3.9 mg	50 mg	9.7 mg	124 mg
Vitamin A	0 µg	10 µg	0 µg	25 µg
Potassium	15 mg	200 mg	37 mg	496 mg
Iron	0.2 mg	0.2 mg	0.4 mg	0.5 mg
Calcium	4 mg	11 mg	9.9 mg	27 mg
Magnesium	2 mg	11 mg	5 mg	27 mg
Sodium	4 mg	1 mg	9.9 mg	2.5 mg

Last updated November 12, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

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