Lemonade vs Orange Juice: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Lemonade and orange juice have distinct nutritional profiles.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Emily Torres, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

Lemonade contains 40 calories and 0.1 g of protein, while orange juice has 45 calories and 0.7 g of protein. Orange juice is higher in protein, but lemonade is lower in calories.

Lemonade and orange juice are popular beverages that offer different flavors and nutritional benefits. This comparison looks at their key nutritional components per 100 g to help you make informed choices.

What Is the Difference Between Lemonade and Orange Juice?

Lemonade is a sweetened beverage made from lemon juice, water, and sugar. It is often enjoyed as a refreshing drink, especially in warm weather. Orange juice is a liquid extract from oranges, typically consumed as a breakfast beverage. It is known for its vitamin C content and refreshing taste.

Lemonade vs Orange Juice: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the nutritional values of lemonade and orange juice.

Nutrient (per 100 g) Lemonade Orange juice (raw)
Calories 40 kcal 45 kcal
Protein 0.1 g 0.7 g
Carbs 10.4 g 10.4 g
Sugar 10.0 g 8.4 g
Fat 0.0 g 0.2 g
Fiber 0 g 0.2 g
Sodium 4 mg 1 mg

Which Is Better, Lemonade or Orange Juice?

For weight loss: Lemonade has 40 calories per 100 g, while orange juice has 45 calories. Therefore, lemonade is slightly better for weight loss.

For muscle and protein: Lemonade contains 0.1 g of protein, whereas orange juice contains 0.7 g of protein. Thus, orange juice is better for muscle support.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Both beverages have 10.4 g of carbohydrates, but lemonade contains 10.0 g of sugar compared to orange juice’s 8.4 g. Orange juice is lower in sugar.

How to Track Lemonade and Orange juice Accurately

Portion sizes and macro content can often be misjudged, leading to unintentional calorie intake. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. This comparison is based on a per-100 g basis. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Orange juice has 0.7 g of protein, while lemonade has 0.1 g. Therefore, orange juice has more protein.

Which has fewer calories?

Lemonade has 40 calories, while orange juice has 45 calories. Thus, lemonade has fewer calories.

What is the sugar content in lemonade?

Lemonade contains 10.0 g of sugar per 100 g.

What is the sugar content in orange juice?

Orange juice contains 8.4 g of sugar per 100 g.

How much fat is in lemonade?

Lemonade contains 0.0 g of fat per 100 g.

How much sodium is in orange juice?

Orange juice contains 1 mg of sodium per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

  • Lemonade has 40 calories per 100 g.
  • Orange juice has 45 calories per 100 g.
  • Lemonade contains 0.1 g of protein.
  • Orange juice contains 0.7 g of protein.
  • Lemonade has 10.0 g of sugar.
  • Orange juice has 8.4 g of sugar.

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