[gdw2]

> the health effect would be equally detrimental.

From the article:

> High doses of rapidly digested glucose also activate insulin and other regulatory pathways...

Orange Soda (i.e. Fanta), an SSB, and Orange Juice have glycemic indexes of about 68 and 48 respectively. I assume that's a material difference in that OJ doesn't spike your insulin as abruptly and therefore is not as harmful. Thre's more to it than simply grams of sugar.

[Zobat]

The diabetics I know say OJ is worse than (sugared) sodas.

[Der_Einzige]

Maybe because they can drink it faster. Glycmic index's and the equivalent index's around insulin response are literally the gold standard for deciding what's okay to eat. "Vibes" or "My opinions" do not matter. OJ is marginally "healthier", significantly because the fiber in the drink (more pulp the better) slows down (slightly) the insulin and glycemic responses.

Source: Family of diabetics who have actually lost limb to the poison that is refined sugar.

[devmor]

I have no idea if this might be related, but citric acid is known to speed up mixed absorption of non-protein sources by inhibiting proteolytic enzymes in the digestive tract (it is even used in some medicines that require faster absorption because of this).

To that effect, perhaps the glucose in OJ is absorbed faster than the glucose in other SSBs specifically when consumed with other foods, leading to this anecdotal understanding that OJ is "worse" than other SSBs among diabetics?