After sipping one, then two, then three glasses of orange juice a day for 4 weeks, paricipants in a Canadian study gave researchers a surprise: Their levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs)---the "good" cholesterol that ushers artery-clogging lipids out of the bloodstream---increased by 21%. After the study ended, HDLs kept going up, rising by a total of 27%. (Presented at the Nov 1999 meeting of the American Heart Asslociation in Atlanta)

"We're not completely sure why orange juice raised HDLs, but we know that it contains hesperidin, a flavonoid less common in other citrus fruits," says lead study arthor Elzbieta Kurowska, PhD, research associate at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada. Because of the small study size (25 subjects) and the possible delayed effect of the juice, it's difficult to say what the best "dosage" might be.

Dr. Kurowska doesn't recommend that everyone start drinking three glasses a day just yet. But here's how to make the OJ/HDL connection work for you:

Grab a glass. "People with high total cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol could certainly try to incorporate more orange juice into their diet and see whether it improves their cholesterol profile," Dr. Kurowska says. Note: Eating whole oranges probably won't work as well, since it takes about four medium oranges to make one glass of juice.

Watch your calories. Orange juice is a high-calorie drink---there are 110 calories in an 8-ounce glass. If you do decide to add some orange juice, you'll have to watch calories in other parts of your diet. Dr. Kurowska recommended that subjects in the study eat less of other foods to allow for juice calories. (For a refreshing alternative, try splitting your OJ intake: Mix 4 ounces with seltzer for midmorning and midafternoon pick-me-ups.)
[Prevention Magazine, "Love Your Heart with Orange Juice", by Teri Walsh]