Introduction: 

Orange, also known as santra or naranga, is a famous fruit. We all know that Orange is rich in vitamin C and has several health benefits. Let’s get some deep insight into how enjoying a glass of fresh orange juice or munching on some of these delicious slices can help us and shields our body from various diseases.^1,2 Santra/naranga is a round citrus fruit. It is orange in colour, same as its pulpy flesh, and has fine-textured skin.¹ 

The botanical name of orange is Citrus sinesis and it belongs to the family Rutaceae. More than 130 countries cultivate oranges, including Spain, China, US, UK, Holland, Brazil, India, Germany, France, etc. There are numerous species of orange, such as Citrus aurantium, Citrus grandis, Citrus tangerine, Citrus aurantifolia and many others.¹  

The whole orange plant has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal benefits. The vernacular names of orange are kamla, musambi, nembu in Bengali; naranga in Oriya; nagarukam in Tamil; naranga, kittalu in Kannada; nagaranga in Malayalam; mosambi in Marathi; Malta in Punjabi; santra, naringi in Gujarati.¹ Traditionally, orange has been used in treating cramps, constipation, diarrhoea, colic, cough, tuberculosis, colds, bronchitis, menstrual problems, obesity, depression, anxiety, stress, anxiety, hypertension, and angina.² 

Nutritional Value of Orange: 

The nutritive values of oranges are:³ 

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Therapeutic Uses of Orange:  

The therapeutic uses of oranges are as follows: 

• Antioxidant activity 
• Anti-inflammatory property 
• Anti-arthritic activity 
• Anticancer activity 
• Anti-ulcer activity 
• Antityphoid activity 
• Anti-anxiety activity 
• Heart protective property 
• Anti-bacterial property 
• Anti-fungal property 
• Anti-diabetic activity 
• Larvicidal (insecticidal) activity 
• Antiparasitic (kills parasite) activity 
• Anti-obesity activity 
• Anti-osteoporotic activity (strengthens bones and prevents osteoporosis) 
• Relaxant property 
• Sedative property^1,2 

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Benefits of Oranges  

1. Benefits of Orange for Heart 

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), citrus fruits lower the homocysteine (an amino acid) level and protect the heart from heart disease. Orange has constituents like vitamin C, flavonoids, and carotenoids that are heart-protective agents. Orange peel contains PMFs (polymethoxylated flavones) that help lower cholesterol. To enjoy its cholesterol lowering benefits along with its tangy taste, you may grate some orange peel in food items like soup, salad, rice, yoghurt, and flavour your teas.¹ 

2. Benefits of Orange for Cancer 

Orange contains limonene, one of the chief constituents, reported to lower the risk of skin, mouth, breast, lung, colon, and stomach cancer. The anti-cancer activity in orange depends on its antioxidant activity¹. 

3. Benefits of Orange for Ulcer 

Regular consumption of orange juice is reported to reduce the incidence of infection due to Helicobacter pylori (bacteria) that causes stomach ulcers. Therefore, enjoying a glass of fresh orange juice daily might just prevent ulcer development.¹ 

4. Benefits of Orange for Anxiety 

Many researchers have observed that sweet orange oil acts as an anxiolytic (lowers anxiety) agent. Several aromatherapists utilise orange oil to reduce anxiety as it act as a tranquilliser  and eases anxiety/tension.¹ 

5. Benefits of Orange for Diabetes 

Orange peels have bioflavonoids (vitamins) that have blood glucose lowering activity. The peels were tested on animals with diabetes, where it was found to regulate the glucose regulatory enzyme and this might be helpful for persons with diabetes. Both orange juice and peel help in converting complex carbohydrates to glucose, stimulate the secretion of insulin, increase glycogen content in the liver, and repair the secretory defects in the pancreas.¹ 

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6. Benefits of Orange for Typhoid 

A bacteria, Salmonella typhi, causes typhoid fever. Certain constituents found in oranges such as flavonoids (citbrasine, citacridone) and saponin are responsible for its anti-typhoid activity.¹ 

7. Benefits of Orange for Arthritis 

The phytonutrients (zeaxanthin, carotenoids, beta-cryptoxanthin) alleviate the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. In a human study, people consuming cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin exhibited 52% fewer chances of progressing rheumatoid arthritis.¹ Therefore, oranges might show benefit in persons with arthritis, but more studies are needed to confirm the same.  

8. Benefits of Orange for Malaria 

Orange extract was studied for its antimalarial activity and was found to exhibit moderate antimalarial activity. However, further studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of oranges in fighting malaria.² 

9. Benefits of Orange for Weight Loss 

In recent years, various studies have tested the beneficial effects of oranges in managing weight and obesity. Orange peel, seed, and flesh extract were tested for anti-obesity activity in animals. They were found to lower body weight, total cholesterol, glucose, and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels. These promising results suggest that orange extract can improve metabolic disease and obesity. However, large scale human studies are required to confirm its effectiveness.² 

10. Benefits of Orange for other diseases 

An orange a day fulfils 116% of the daily vitamin C requirement. Vitamin C is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system and helps prevent recurrent ear infections, coughs, and colds. When orange juice is taken without sugar and salt, it lowers the severity of inflammatory diseases like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma.¹ In the British Journal of Nutrition, a study reported that a woman who drank orange juice daily had higher excretion of citric acid and urinary pH value, thus alleviating the risk of stone formation in kidney.¹ Roasted pulp of orange is used to make a poultice and applied to skin diseases. In France and Italy, the dried flowers and a decoction of leaves is used as heart-protective, antiemetic (treat vomiting and nausea), and antispasmodic (relieve muscle spasm) agent. Fresh orange peels are rubbed on acne and also used against fungal infections.¹ 

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How to Use Orange: 

You can use oranges in various forms such as: 

• Ripe and unripe fruit 
• Orange juice 
• Leaves 
• Flowers 
• Orange peels 
• Orange oil 

Various dishes can be made using oranges, such as custard, salad, jellies, curd, blossom water, ice cream, chocolate, biscuit, and orange chicken.¹ 

Side Effects of Orange: 

Allergic reactions are reported in sensitive people after eating oranges like sleepiness and yellowing of the skin of arms or legs.¹ 

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Precautions to Take with Orange: 

• While drinking orange juice, use a straw, as the acid in the juice may erode the tooth enamel.¹ 
• You can drink orange juice during pregnancy⁴, but you must take it in moderation. Also, it is better to consult your doctor and get detailed information before taking orange juice. 

Interactions with Other Drugs: 

Orange juice show interaction with the following medicines. 

• Aluminium-containing antacid: orange juice boosts the absorption of aluminium and can help combat aluminium toxicity. 
• Ferrous fumarate: orange juice lowers the absorption of ferrous fumarate and increases its iron absorption. 
• Orange juice decreases the absorption and effectiveness of drugs such as high blood pressure medicine (aliskiren, celiprolol, atenolol), montelukast (asthma treatment), clofazimine (medicine for treating leprosy), alendronate (helps in osteoporosis), fluoroquinolones (treats bacterial infections).⁵ 

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Frequently Asked Questions: 

Is orange good for the immune system? 

Yes, orange is good for the immune system. Orange is rich in vitamin C, which is known to be a powerful natural antioxidant that helps build the immune system.² 

Does orange help in diabetes? 

Yes, orange is helpful for diabetes. Orange peels were tested on animals for diabetes, where they were found to be beneficial for diabetes.¹ However, human studies are required to evaluate its diabetic effect on humans.  

Is orange good for weight loss? 

Yes, orange might help in weight loss. Orange peel, seed, and flesh extract were tested for anti-obesity activity in animals. They were all found to lower parameters like body weight, total cholesterol, glucose, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. This indicated that the orange extract might improve metabolic disease and obesity. Nevertheless, its testing on humans is needed to prove its usefulness.² 

Does orange improve anxiety? 

Yes, orange might help improve anxiety. Lots of researchers have observed that sweet orange oil aids in lowering anxiety. Quite a few aromatherapists use orange oil to reduce anxiety, as orange is a tranquillizer.¹ 

Can I drink orange juice during pregnancy? 

Yes, you can drink orange juice during pregnancy⁴, only in moderation. Additionally, it is essential to consult your doctor and get detailed information before taking orange juice during pregnancy. 

Can all the parts of the orange plant be taken? 

Yes, different parts of orange plants can be taken, such as orange juice, ripe and unripe fruit, leaves, orange peels, flowers, and orange oil.¹ 

Orange is rich in which vitamin? 

Orange is rich in Vitamin B (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9) and C. It also contains other nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, fats, water, fibre, energy, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc.³ 

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References: 

1. Milind P, Dev C. Orange: Range of Benefits. Irjp [Internet]. 2012;2012(7):3–4. Available from: https://www.irjponline.com/admin/php/uploads/1212_pdf.pdf 

2. Favela-Hernández J, González-Santiago O, Ramírez-Cabrera M, Esquivel-Ferriño P, Camacho-Corona M. Chemistry and Pharmacology of Citrus sinensis. Molecules. 2016 Feb 22;21(2):247. Available from: http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/21/2/247 

3. Oranges, raw, navels [Internet]. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2019. p. 1–3. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/746771/nutrients 

4. Pregnancy : Nutrition [Internet]. Cleveland clinic. 2018. p. 1–12. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12593-pregnancy-nutrition 

5. Chen M, Zhou S, Fabriaga E, Zhang P, Zhou Q. Food-drug interactions precipitated by fruit juices other than grapefruit juice: An update review. J Food Drug Anal. 2018 Apr;26(2):S61–71. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfda.2018.01.009 

Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.

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