Orange juice is a breakfast table staple—recent estimates suggest Americans drink about 486,000 metric tons of orange juice annually. But what happens when you down a full glass of orange juice first thing in the morning? According to experts and research, there can be both pros and cons to drinking orange juice on an empty stomach. The Downsides of Drinking Orange Juice on an Empty StomachDespite the potential positives of drinking orange juice first thing in the morning, there’s a risk of some not-so-pleasant effects, too. To minimize these effects, Wei recommended drinking orange juice through a straw or following it up with a glass of water.