Top 10 Orange Benefits
Orange is perhaps one of the most recognized fruits in the world. Almost everyone loves a delicious and juicy Orange, especially if the weather is too hot. This citrus fruit is a great snack and it can be used as the main ingredient in many dishes. Nowadays, nutritionists and doctors recommend orange as an important part of a healthy breakfast to give you a quick nutritional boost at the start of the day. Plus, there is a long list of orange benefits that can help keep you healthier and stronger against diseases. This juicy citrus fruit is loaded with vitamin C that can improve your immune system and provide you with a younger and smoother skin. It can also reduce the risk of respiratory disease and heart disease.
Nutritional Facts
The orange benefits are attributed to its high level of nutritional value. Orange contains only a few calories but it is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In one large orange, which is about 184 grams, it contains the following amounts of nutrition:
- 21 grams of carbohydrates
- 5 grams of fiber
- 98 mg of vitamin C
- 330 mg of potassium
- 55 micrograms of folate
- 414 IU of vitamin A
- 74 mg of calcium
- 18 mg of magnesium
- 5 mg of pantothenic acid
This nutritional info is for a large raw orange. Orange juice has a different nutritional value because it contains sugar and it has higher calories with lower fiber content. Here are the top ten orange benefits that can help improve your overall health.
Orange Can Enhance Your Immunity
One of the best orange benefits is its ability to enhance your immune system. Orange is known for being a great source of vitamin C. With just one serving, this fruit can already provide you with 163 percent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C.
Vitamin C plays a huge role in producing white blood cells, which can destroy bacteria and viruses that cause diseases. Orange also contains essential nutrients such as copper, folate, and vitamin A, which supports the vitamin C in boosting your immune system. One study found that consuming enough vitamin C every day can get rid of the symptoms and shorten the duration of common colds and other respiratory tract infection. Consuming oranges regularly can also lower the risk of developing pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria.
Orange Can be a Rich Source of Fiber
Orange benefits can provide you with healthy amounts of soluble fiber, but they also contain some insoluble fiber. Both soluble and insoluble fibers are very important for your health. One large orange can provide about 17 percent of your daily requirement of fiber. When you include fiber-rich foods in your diet, it can improve your digestive health. Fiber adds more bulk to the stool and increases stool frequency. Fiber is also considered as a prebiotic, which activates the good bacteria in your gut.
Fiber allows your digestive system to function smoothly and prevents irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. Fiber can help you lose weight by reducing hunger and food cravings. By eating the orange and other fiber-rich foods, you will always feel full. You can easily avoid overeating and control your daily calorie intake. Orange juice contains some fiber, but it loses most of the insoluble fiber. If you like drinking orange juice, you should choose the ones that contain a lot of pulp to gain more fiber.
Orange Can Improve the Health of Your Heart
If you are at risk of developing heart disease, it is recommended to add orange to your diet. Several studies have found that consuming more citrus fruits like orange could significantly improve the body’s cholesterol level and protect you against severe heart diseases.
In one study, people with high cholesterol were given citrus flavonoids for several weeks. Daily intake of these flavonoids helped reduce their cholesterol level by up to 30%. It reduced both the LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Orange Benefits are packed with fiber, choline, potassium, and vitamin C, which are all good for your heart health. You need potassium to prevent the irregular beating of the heart called arrhythmia. According to one study, consuming high amounts of potassium daily can lower the risk of heart disease. Aside from potassium, orange is also rich in folate, which helps in reducing the levels of homocysteine, a big risk factor for heart disease.
Orange Can Keep Your Skin Looking Young and Flawless
Orange benefits are effective in improving your skin health. Perhaps you’ve noticed that there are many skin health products that use orange as one of their main ingredients. There are even certain types of oranges that have the ability to slow down and reverse skin aging. Oranges are rich in beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant that protects the skin cells from damages caused by free radicals. This helps in fighting the signs of skin aging such as wrinkles, fine lines, skin blemishes, and age spots. Orange is also loaded with vitamin C that prevents skin damage caused by pollution and too much exposure to the sun. Vitamin C boosts the production of collagen, which improves the overall texture of the skin, making it look younger and smoother. So if you want to have better-looking skin, you should take advantage of these amazing orange benefits.
Orange Benefits Can Help Maintain Better Brain Function
Orange benefits are powerful enough to boost cognitive functions and stop the onset of neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. According to one study, the flavonoids found in orange, namely the tangeretin and nobiletin, offers protection and treatment of dementia among older people. Although more studies and tests are needed, the results and findings of the preliminary tests are very promising. Eating more fruits can really help improve overall health, including your brain and cognitive functions.
Orange Benefits Can Help Fight Cancer
Orange benefits include high levels of antioxidants that can prevent the development of cancer. Citrus fruits, especially orange, are considered the best cancer-fighting fruits. Health experts recommend eating more oranges and citrus fruits because it is associated with lowering the chances of developing breast cancer by ten percent.
Other research has found that oranges may be helpful in reducing the risk of stomach, prostate, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer. Oranges contain beta-cryptoxanthin, which is a phytonutrient that can lower the risk of lung cancer. Orange contains D-limonene, which is a compound known to fight lung cancer, breast cancer, and skin cancer. Plus, orange is loaded with vitamin C, which is an important nutrient for boosting the body’s immune system. Vitamin C also helps in preventing the mutations in the DNA, thus lowering the chances of cancer. Another study has found that children under two years old, who consumes oranges and banana, are less likely to develop leukemia.
Orange Benefits Improves Eye Health
Orange benefits contain high amounts of vitamin A that helps prevent macular degeneration. Orange has essential carotenoid compounds such as zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and lutein, which are all beneficial in improving eye health. Vitamin A is also helpful in improving your vision at night. Furthermore, studies have shown that vitamin C is capable of lowering the risk of cataracts and prevent the progression of macular degeneration. How To Improve Eyesight: 8 Ways To Improve Eyesight Fast
Orange Can Control Blood Sugar Level
Oranges are loaded with fiber, which helps keep your blood sugar under control. Orange benefits can be perfect for people with diabetes. Fiber lowers blood sugar level in type 1 diabetes and improves the insulin level and blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. Orange contains simple sugars or fructose, which is a natural sweetener that keeps your blood sugar from going up. This is why orange and other fruits are recommended for those who want to keep their blood sugar at a normal level. However, it is still not good to eat a lot of oranges in one sitting. Consuming too much orange can still spike up the insulin level and it may also lead to weight gain.
Orange Can Help Prevent Ulcer
Aside from being beneficial for digestive health and lower the risk of stomach cancer, orange can also prevent ulcers from developing. Stomach ulcers are very painful sores that develop in the stomach and disrupt the normal digestive process. Eating oranges can help prevent these stomach ulcers from developing. One study has found that people consuming fruits that are rich in vitamin C are less likely to develop an ulcer, compared to those who are vitamin C deficient. Orange benefits are rich in vitamin C, which will have a positive impact on your overall health.
Orange Can Prevent Kidney Stones
Orange benefits can stop kidney stones from forming. One study has found that drinking orange juice can prevent the formation of kidney stones. Orange contains high amounts of potassium that flushes out free radicals from the body, thus preventing kidney stones. Although orange benefits can be very helpful to your health, this fruit should be enjoyed in moderation. Too much fiber in your system can have negative side effects such as diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Excessive vitamin C in the body can also lead to nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, vomiting, insomnia, and migraine.
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