Oranges Nutrition
Once the fruit of Gods, referred as the ‘Golden Apples’ that Hercules stole, oranges are one of the most popular fruits in the world, mainly due to their great taste and nutritional value and health benefits.
• Oranges and orange blossoms have been the symbols of love for a long time.
• Oranges are used as a seasoning at the dinner table in Afghanistan to help cut the grease in food.
• Brazil is the largest producer of orange juice in the world.
• About 25 billion oranges are typically grown in the United States each year.
• Spain has over 35 million orange trees.
• An orange cut in half is used to clean floors in Jamaica.
• Eating an orange or drinking a glass of orange juice after taking medication helps your body absorb it better.
• Orange leaves can be boiled to make tea.
Oranges Nutritional Profile:
An orange- typically 131g contains:
• 62 calories
• 3g of fiber
• 70 mg vitamin C
• 237mg of potassium
• 0 g of fat
• 1.5 g of protein
In addition, oranges are a good source of vitamin A, the B vitamins, amino acids, beta-carotene, pectin, folic acid, calcium, iodine, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, manganese, chlorine and iron.
Oranges Health Benefits:
• With more than 60 flavonoids and 170 phytonutrients, oranges helppromote overall health.
• Flavonoids and vitamin C in oranges are shown to lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Liminoid helps combat lung, skin, mouth, colon, stomach and breastcancers.
• Vitamin C helps with fighting infection and building a good immune system.
• Oranges help relieve constipation as they help stimulate the digestive juices.
• They protect the skin from free radicals and may give you a young andglowing skin.
• Drinking orange juice daily can significantly drop the risk of formation of calcium oxalate stones in the kidney.
• Folate helps to prevent neural tube birth defects, and guards against anemia oranges are a good source of folate.
• Oranges have good content of dietary fiber and this has a positive effect on the cardiac health.
Glycemic Index of Oranges:
Oranges have an average glycemic index of 42 and an average glycemic load of 4, so they are low glycemic index / load fruits and do not cause a sudden spike in blood glucose levels. Digestion of oranges is slow.. which means they are good for health and weight control.
Selection and Storage:
• Choose heavy, firm and smooth oranges as they are higher juice content and more antioxidants.
• Smaller or those with thinner skins will also be juicier.
• You should not be able to feel space between the peel and the fruit.
• Skin color does not really determine the freshness of the inner orange, though bruised or shriveled skin should be avoided.
• They can be stored in room temperature for a few days and in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• Don’t expose them to moisture by putting them in a plastic bag as they can easily develop mold.
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References:
Ensminger AH, Ensminger, ME, Kondale JE, Robson JRK. Foods & Nutriton Encyclopedia. Pegus Press, Clovis, California 1983.
http://whfoods.com/ genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=37.
Wood M. Citrus Compound, Ready to Help Your Body!. Agricultural Research, February 2005.
Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988. PMID:15220.
Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996: Oranges Nutrition.
Oranges Nutrition Facts, http://health.learninginfo.org/ nutrition-facts/ oranges.htm.
