Sweet, refreshing and one of your five a day - there are tons of reasons why so many people love orange juice.
I'm certainly one of them and have been known to start my day off right with a healthy swig of the stuff.
I have no loyalty to a particular brand - call me a maverick, but I just get my Vitamin C hit wherever I can. That's not to say, though, that I'm not aware of the big boys of the juice game - namely Tropicana and Innocent.
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Between them, the drinks giants sell millions upon millions of cartons and bottles of orange juice every year and are often the go-to for customers, who can overlook own-brand products in supermarkets.
But is this oversight justified? Does clever advertising and a higher price tag really mean you're getting a better product? Or do you get better value for money with the less flashy own-brand options of the likes of Asda and Sainsbury's?
To find out, I loaded up the fridge, grabbed myself a glass and got sipping in the name of science. (Oh and, before you ask, I'm only comparing smooth juices - whether it's better with bits or no bits is a story for another time.)
Innocent - 1.35L - £2.50
It may be really popular, but I'd never tried Innocent orange juice until now. I don't know why - maybe it's the fact it comes in a big plastic bottle rather than a carton that unsettles me. I searched for a smaller receptacle than this, but couldn't find any, meaning I lugged this 1.35L 'family size' beast back home with me.
On offer for £2.50 in Sainsbury's (down from £3.30), it works out at roughly £1.85 per litre, which I thought was a bit on the pricey side. I've always enjoyed their rather expensive smoothies, however, so I was hoping this would also be worth the money.
Unfortunately, I was left really underwhelmed. While it was very aromatic and smelt really fresh, the juice itself was really weak and tasted like it had been watered down.
It was refreshing, but really lacked the sweetness and flavour that you want from a glass of orange juice. They may have cutesy branding and a strong reputation - but Innocent's offering here really didn't impress.
Score: 2/5
Tropicana - 950ml - £2.45
A wise man once said that, at Club Tropicana, drinks are free. This wasn't - it was nearly £2.50 (Sainsbury's) for less than a litre!
It's quite frankly, an extortionate price to pay - a quick bit of mental maths tells me it works out at just over £2.63 per litre. The penny-pinching side of me was fuming as I headed to the checkout, but I still held out hope that, as the undisputed king of OJ, there would be good reason for the hefty price tag.
It was an improvement on Innocent's juice, for sure. But I still wasn't that impressed. Rather than being too weak, it was really full-on and incredibly sweet, to the point where it made my teeth feel weird by the time I'd got to the bottom of the glass.
There were still points to be scored for overall refreshment and of course, it tasted really good, but the sheer sweetness was quite off-putting after a while.
Score: 3 /5
Asda - 1L - 79p
At less than a third of the price of Tropicana's juice, I was already a big fan of Asda's effort before I'd even tasted a drop - although I was fairly sure I would be able to taste the savings.
The sweetness of this juice to Tropicana was as much a contrast as the price, but I only noticed it after a few sips. The initial taste was very pleasing, and not too sugary or overpowering - but it soon gave way to a bitter aftertaste that none of the other juices had.
For the price, I can't have too many complaints, and I would probably buy it again - it may have just been a bad batch after all.
Score: 3/5
Sainsbury's - 1L - 90p
In an experiment that had so far mirrored the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears - just with more citrus juice - would Sainsbury's understated OJ be my Baby Bear's porridge?
While Innocent was too weak, Tropicana too sweet and Asda too bitter, this juice was just right. There was a definite sugary taste, but it wasn't sickly, with a faint tartness helping to balance the flavour out.
It was silky smooth and really, really refreshing. Overall, it's great value for money.
Score: 5 /5
If this juicy experiment had discovered one thing, it's that you don't necessarily need to spend a lot to get the best (zest?) product.
Tropicana and Innocent may look the most 'a-peel-ing', but I found Sainsbury's juice to be the nicest of the lot in terms of taste and refreshment.
Of course, it all comes down to personal preference, and you may choose to ignore the fruits of my labour - but if you did concentrate, orange you glad for my research?
I'll stop now.
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