Oranges are cultivated all around the world in abundance, which is why they are readily available to us. Winter season is almost in, and it is the perfect time to indulge into some juicy oranges. They are popular due to their natural sweetness and they have plenty many uses which keep them in demand. Every average sized orange contain around 85 calories without fat, sodium and cholesterol. They are famous for their vitamin C content. They are used for various reason for both health and beauty purposes. In this article, we will go through some of best health benefits we obtain from this rich fruit.
Health benefits of Oranges
Boosts immunity
A medium sized orange can fulfill about 72% of your vitamin C requirement for the day. Vitamin C plays an important role as an antioxidant. It protects your body from free radicals which can damage the cells of your body. This in turn reducing inflammation in your immune system and lead to cases like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Vitamin C is known to strengthen our immune system and protect from cough and cold.
Better vision
Oranges also have vitamin A which helps maintain the mucus membrane of our eyes. It is available in forms of carotenoid compounds like beta carotene, lutein or zeaxanthin – vitamin A protects the eyes from macular degeneration. This is a common condition due to ageing. Finally, it also allows your eyes to absorb specific amount of light.
Prevents heart diseases
This is another benefit due to the attribute of vitamin C content. When the free radicals generate to our cells, it can trigger the oxidation of cholesterol. This alternatively causes oxidised molecules to expand and stick to outer part of our arteries. They then turn into plaques and block our arteries. With regular consumption of oranges, you prevent conditions like strokes, heart attacks and coronary artery diseases. Other than this, oranges also content flavonoids like hesperidin which lowers our cholesterol level and prevents blockage in arteries.
Brain development
Vitamin B9 also referred as folic acid is present in oranges for promoting better brain development. Doctors highly recommend oranges for pregnant women, as it prevents the baby from neurological disorders later. Oranges also include polyphenols which help us learn better and have an increased memory retention power.
Prevents cancer
Oranges have a compound named D-limonene which has been proved to play a vital role in preventing lung cancer, skin cancer, breast cancer, etc. On the other hand, the antioxidants fight free radicals and which might also contain cancer cells. Oranges have a lot of fiber and they contribute to the cancer protecting process. In a study researchers revealed that 10 to 15% of colon cancers are caused due to mutation in DNA. You can prevent such condition with regular consumption of vitamin C sources.
Prevents constipation
Oranges have soluble and insoluble fibres and they help you keep your intestine healthy. You are free from irritable bowel syndromes and that relieves you from stress too! Due to the fibre content, bulks of food can get disgusted within time. So, it reduces transit time of feces and prevents the constipated feeling.
Improved fertility
Antioxidants in oranges can improve sperm quality and improve fertility. It also includes folic acids which is an important nutrient to maintain healthier sperms. Protect your sperms from genetic damages (if any) so that it doesn’t hinder the reproductive cycle.
Good for diabetic patients
Oranges help you maintain the sugar level of your body. Prevent worse diabetic conditions with juicy oranges. Being a diabetic patient, you might crave for sweets. This is one such source which doesn’t have sugar and is sweet enough to meet your demand.
Prevents hair fall
Vitamin C improves our collagen level and keeps the tissues in our hair together. Eat regular oranges to promote the condition of your hair. It will help you have healthier strands and look more lustrous.
Skin
You can eat or apply it externally to get a natural glow in your skin. Vitamin C content helps you prevent from damages of UV rays and pollution. Oranges are also known to reduce wrinkles and improve the texture of your skin in an overall.
Oranges are carbohydrates
Like most other fruits, oranges have sugars in them. But its glycemic index is of 40, which is considered low because any edible element below 55 is considered low. This alternatively means that eating oranges will not increase your blood sugar which causes problems with insulin or increase weight. This is a smart carbohydrate which you can have instead fatty foods.
Nutritional efficiency
After all the above benefits, you might agree that oranges are beneficial enough to be termed as power-foods. They are wealthy with additions of vitamin C and A, along with potassium, calcium and pectin. Having an orange a day is just like having an apple a day, that too with astringent properties which reflects through you skin.
How to Enjoy the Benefits of Orange?
After knowing all the miraculous benefits of oranges, it is time to know ways to can consume them:
- The most common and easiest way it is peel it off and enjoy the slices. You have to make sure to take out the seeds and upper layer of vein to avoid stomach upset.
- Add oranges to salad which would also include other fruits like strawberries and bananas. Make a post-lunch practice so that you have more of fruits and less of rice.
- Orange juice is definitely other way to consume oranges. You simply have to peel them off and add them to the juicer. It’ll turn out to be more refreshing and tasty.
- If you have oats or cornflakes for breakfast, you can add oranges to brighten up the dish a little more. Plain oats aren’t tasty so adding a fruit would be a better idea and healthier too.
- Cheese, cherries and oranges are another idea to consume these tasty treats. When you want to have some snacks and you’d rather try healthier stuff, take toothpicks to add three of these and serve them in a platter. The combination is sure to taste yum!
