Top 5 Health Benefits Of Eating Oranges Backed By Research

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Oranges are a sweet citrus fruit known to the science community as Citrus × Sinensis. They’re a tree fruit that is closely related to blood oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes. Oranges flourish in tropical and subtropical climates and are cultivated domestically in Arizona, California, and Texas, however, the greatest producer of this fruit is Florida. Oranges have an inedible peel and a sweet, tart pulp that is citrusy and refreshing. Best of all, oranges are packed with nutrients beneficial to your health. Take a look at some of the reasons you might consider adding oranges to your diet.

Important Note: All of the noted health benefits of consuming oranges are backed by the most current scientific research at the time of this publication.

Packed With Nutrition

For starters, oranges are packed with vitamins and minerals that are essential to your health. A whole orange is made up of 86% water and only 66 calories. Oranges have a decent concentration of protein, fiber, and folate, each of which plays its own role in your biology. In fact, oranges meet 10% of the daily recommended value of fiber. The folate content in oranges is integral to the functionality of your metabolism as well as fetal health. Best known for its vitamin C content, oranges contain a whopping 92% of the daily recommended value of this vitamin; notably, vitamin C is essential to immune health, collagen growth, and iron absorption. Moreover, oranges contain trace amounts of calcium and potassium.

General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. Without a doubt, oranges are fraught with powerful nutrients that play an important role in your overall health.

Loaded With Antioxidants

Of note, oranges are loaded with plant compounds that belong to a variety of antioxidant families. The plant compounds in oranges have antioxidative powers that fend off harmful free radicals that, if oxidized, could lead to chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Included in oranges’ antioxidant plant compounds are flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C. To begin, oranges are loaded with many phenolic compounds, the most important of which are flavonoids. Two such flavonoids include hesperidin and naringenin. While hesperidin helps with the management of blood pressure and inflammation, the naringenin enhances the function of blood vessels and acts as an antioxidant.

Furthemore, oranges contain the ever-powerful carotenoid family of antioxidants. Two important carotenoids found in oranges include beta-cryptoxanthin and lycopene. One study found an improved carotenoid level in the skin of subjects who regularly consumed orange juice; scientists suggest that this a good indicator of total body antioxidation. Of note, beta-cryptoxanthin protects cells from oxidation while lycopene protects against cardiovascular disease. Lastly, vitamin C is an essential antioxidant that leads to a reduced risk for some cancer types as well as cardiovascular disease.

General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. Oranges are loaded with several antioxidative plant compounds, the likes of which can lead to a reduced risk for certain diseases.

Promotes Heart Health

According to several scientific studies, regular consumption of oranges or orange juice may encourage heart health. A hearty number of nutrients contained in oranges are linked to a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. Some of these nutrients include vitamin C, flavonoids, and carotenoids that promote heart health when consumed at recommended levels. Another heart-healthy benefit of eating oranges is that they minimize some of the biological risk factors that many otherwise lead to heart disease. For instance, studies show that regular consumption of oranges can remediate blood sugar levels, bad cholesterol, and inflammation that may otherwise lead to cardiovascular disease.

General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. Several remarkable studies indicate that daily intake of oranges and orange juice can reduce your risk for heart disease.

Prevents Anemia

One obvious benefit of consuming oranges is that they can prevent the onset of anemic episodes. Of note, anemia is defined as the lack of sufficient iron levels in your blood. Vitamin C-rich foods such as oranges are essential to preventing this insufficiency; this is a surprising effect of oranges considering they’re not a good source of iron. One study revealed that by adding a serving of oranges at mealtime, subjects improved the bioavailability of iron by more than 10%. Furthermore, as much as a generous squeeze of fresh orange juice at mealtime can produce this same effect.

General Consensus: 4/5 and here is why. While there’s not a ton of research on this topic, the studies that do exist irrefutably conclude that oranges can easily prevent anemia.

Supports Immune Health

Not surprisingly, as a result of their high vitamin C content, oranges are linked to a healthy immune system. Not only does Vitamin C kill harmful, sick cells, but it also clears out old, damaged cells, thereby making space for new, healthy cells. Furthermore, as an antioxidant, vitamin C reduces oxidative stress that could reduce the functionality of the immune system and increase your risk for illness. What’s more, the antioxidants hesperidin and naringenin support the immune system by reducing inflammation; this is important because chronic inflammation can harm your immune system. Finally, fiber is another nutrient contained in oranges that are beneficial to your immune health; essentially, your immune system relies on a healthy gut to maintain proper immunity and your gut requires fiber to function properly.

General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. Oranges have long been a widely recognized fruit for their abundant nutrient base; they’re integral to immune health.

Unlikely Benefits: Further Research Needed

Helps Heal Wounds

General Consensus: 3.5/5 and here is why. While it’s true that the vitamin C content of oranges may aid in wound healing, ingesting an adequate daily serving of oranges would necessitate this benefit.


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