| Orange Nutrition Content |
| Health Benefits of Eating Oranges |
| Benefits of Orange Juice vs Benefits of Eating Oranges |
| Risks and Side Effects |
| Conclusion |
We all love eating oranges! The juicy, citrus fruit packs a wholesome of flavours ranging from sweet and sour to tarty. But whatever the taste, its highest Vitamin C content emerges as one of the major benefits. The various health benefits of eating oranges are the reason why you must add this fruit to your diet.
The main varieties of Indian orange include Nagpur orange, Darjeeling orange, Kinnow mandarin, Khasi mandarin, and Coorg mandarin. While each variety of orange differs in taste, all contain more than 100% of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C.
Orange Nutrition Content
Orange is naturally sweet with a high citrus content. While they are particularly hailed for their high Vitamin C content, they pack a range of plant compounds and antioxidants.
One medium sized orange (150 gm) contains:
- Calories – 70
- Water – 129 gm
- Fibre – 3.6 gm
- Sugar – 14 gm
- Protein – 1.4 gm
- Vitamin A – 16 mcg
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) – 0.13 mg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – 0.06 mg
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin) – 0.42 mg
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) – 0.37 mg
- Vitamin B6 – 0.09 mg
- Vitamin B9 (Folate) – 45 mcg
- Choline – 12.6 mg
- Vitamin C – 80 mg
- Vitamin E – 0.27 mg
- Calcium – 60 mg
- Iron – 0.15 mg
- Magnesium – 15 mg
- Manganese – 0.03 mg
- Phosphorus – 21 mg
- Potassium – 270 mg
- Zinc – 0.1 mg
Health Benefits of Eating Oranges
Thanks to the sweet, tangy taste, oranges are already a part of our daily diet. From jams, juices, marmalades, cakes, and desserts to simply peel and eat, oranges are consumed differently. But in every case, the orange health benefits galore. Let’s check out the health benefits of eating oranges:
1. May Help Reduce Cancer Risk
The high levels of vitamin C present in oranges act both as a vitamin and an antioxidant. The antioxidant vitamin C helps combat the free radicals that cause cancers. It also protects the cells from damage. Moreover, optimum intake of Vitamin C reduces oxidative stress, blocks the metabolic activity of carcinogens and stimulates immune function.
2. Boosting Immunity
Vitamin C along with the goodness of Vitamin A and D and a handful of plant compounds like carotenoids and flavonoids, work wonders to boost the body’s immunity. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in the production of white blood cells, which fight off infections. As an antioxidant, it clears free radicals and supports various cellular functions that strengthen the immune system.
3. Promoting Heart Health
Orange is a low-calorie fruit. It contains no fat or sodium. But it packs a range of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals along with lots of dietary fibre. This provides a unique combination of nutrition to boost health. Also, potassium is important to maintain a regular heartbeat. It also helps lower blood pressure, cutting down the risk of heart ailments.
4. Lowering High Cholesterol
High cholesterol levels clog arteries, putting pressure on the heart. Healthy orange vitamins like B9 and C along with potassium and pectin, a type of soluble fibre, help clear clogged arteries. This brings down the LDL or the bad cholesterol, and boosts the HDL levels or the good cholesterol.
5. Promising Glowing, Vibrant Skin
Oranges contain a perfect concoction of antioxidants, skin-benefiting vitamins and minerals and natural oils. The antioxidants cut down on free radicals, preventing premature ageing. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in the development of collagen and elastin, two important structural proteins in the body. Skin that is high in collagen and elastin is more supple, soft, elastic and youthful. The citric acid helps exfoliate the skin, reducing acne eruption.
6. Expediting Wound Healing Process
With higher production of collagen in the body, the body’s ability to heal wounds increases. While orange vitamins, especially C and A, help your way to a speedy recovery, minerals like copper and zinc are equally important.
7. Helping Control Blood Sugar Levels
Oranges have a low glycemic index. The fruit is naturally sweet, but the breakdown of sugar is slow, and it is released slowly and gradually into the bloodstream. Furthermore, the presence of pectin, a soluble dietary fibre, slows down the digestion process. This allows the body to break down food slowly and absorb carbohydrates gradually, cutting down sudden spikes in blood sugar levels.
8. Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Oranges are typically rich in Zeaxanthin, a type of carotenoid antioxidant. It helps reduce chronic tissue inflammation which can affect the heart, liver, eyes and other body organs adversely. Choline, another important nutrient found in oranges, also helps in reducing chronic inflammation.
9. Aiding Digestion
Oranges contain high amounts of fibre. A high-fibre diet is important for regular and adequate bowel movements. Moreover, the soluble fibre present in oranges serves as the food for good gut bacteria. This improves gut health which further improves digestive health. The presence of alkaline minerals in oranges further facilitates the process of digestion.
10. Helping Treat Anaemia
Anaemia, a condition marked by low haemoglobin, inhibits the blood from carrying adequate oxygen. Thus, with restricted oxygen supply to different body organs, the body feels tired and weak. Orange vitamins help correct this anomaly. While Vitamin B6 accelerates the production of haemoglobin in the system, Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron into the blood. High haemoglobin levels improve anaemia.
11. Promoting Eye Health
Oranges are an excellent source of carotenoid, the organic pigment that gives the characteristic orange colour to oranges. Carotenoids are beneficial antioxidants that enhance the body’s immune defence. Furthermore, provitamin A, present in carotenoids is converted into Vitamin A. This orange vitamin plays an important role in keeping the mucus membranes in the eyes healthy. Vitamin A also helps in preventing age-related macular degeneration and promoting eye health.
12. Promoting Bone Health
Oranges pack high amounts of calcium. The mineral is vital for strengthening bones and keeping internal organs and muscles strong. The vitamin C present in oranges improves collagen levels, a protein found in the body’s connective tissues and cartilages.
Benefits of Orange Juice vs Benefits of Eating Oranges
Oranges are a super juicy fruit. Every medium-sized orange weighing around 150 gm contains about 129 gm of water. Thus, orange juice is often seen as an easy way to get a quick dose of nutrients.
But are the benefits of orange juice the same as the benefits of eating oranges? Let’s find out:
Orange juice and whole orange will be nutritionally similar but the composition of the nutrients changes.
Every serving of orange juice is significantly low in fibre. As the fibre content goes missing, the orange health benefits too begin to drop down. Furthermore, orange juice packs twice the amount of carbohydrates – primarily all fruit sugar. This increases the calorie count and makes it a misfit in a weight-loss diet.
Moreover, processed orange juice contains significantly lesser amounts of Vitamin C and folate than freshly squeezed orange juice. Also, the presence of preservatives in packed orange juice leads to a 67% drop in antioxidant volume.
Thus, the benefits of eating oranges are far more pronounced. Also, the healthiest orange juice, if one has to consume, is the one that is freshly squeezed at home.
Risks and Side Effects
Orange fruit is high in citric acid. It can worsen the symptoms in people with gastroesophageal reflux disease. The side effects include heartburning and regurgitation, the action of moving up the swallowed food again into the mouth.
Conclusion
Oranges, the medium-sized juicy fruit, are fresh and refreshing. Packed with high amounts of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and plant compounds, it is one of the healthiest fruits for the human body. The key benefit of orange is its highest Vitamin C content. Vitamin C, along with other orange vitamins makes orange health benefits more profound.
The benefits of eating oranges include increased immunity, improved skin quality, better digestion and more. While some people prefer drinking orange juice, the benefits of orange juice are slightly compromised. Orange juice lacks fibre and packs twice the amount of calories and sugar. But consuming too much citrus fruit can worsen symptoms in people with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Thus, to enjoy the best orange health benefits, consume in moderation and eat fresh.
