Orange juice is widely celebrated as a vitamin C powerhouse and a staple of "healthy" breakfasts (sugar content aside), yet emerging evidence reveals it contains bioactive compounds that, under certain conditions, can directly damage the cornea and contribute to cataract formation. This post examines the key study and substance responsible, explores its presence in other common vegetables, and places the finding in a larger context: many fruits and vegetables produce defensive chemicals to deter being eaten—chemicals that can harm human tissues—while most animal-based foods lack these toxins entirely. The result is a provocative irony: the very plant foods long touted as dietary ideals may carry hidden risks that animal foods do not.

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