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Low-Carb Diets Hurt Florida O.J. Sales

A worker picks oranges in Polk County, Florida.
Jeff Rogers, NPR /
A worker picks oranges in Polk County, Florida.

The popularity of low-carb diets is taking its toll on orange juice sales. Florida citrus growers hope to counter the drop with a new ad campaign promoting O.J.'s health benefits. NPR's Snigdha Prakash reports.

For a half century, Florida's orange growers have marketed the healthfulness of orange juice. They've made the citrus industry the No. 2 source of revenue for the Sunshine State, second only to tourism.

Over the years, the citrus industry has tackled its share of problems, including devastating freezes and competition from Brazil. But now it faces a new challenge: low-carb diet advocates are comparing orange juice to sugar water.

"We find ourselves for the first time defending orange juice from a standpoint of health," says Andy Taylor, chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission. "This is hallowed ground. We really haven't been here before and sales are down 6 percent over a two-year period."

A new $7-million national ad campaign promotes orange juice for its vitamin content and other nutrients.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Snigdha Prakash
Pieces by National Desk reporter Snigdha Prakash can be heard on NPR's All Things Considered and Morning Edition. The majority of Snigdha's past reports have focused on topics related to entrepreneurship, business, banking and the economy.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.