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What is the health benefits of an orange – 8 proven facts

Oranges are among the most popular fruits in the world. They contain a lot of flavonoids, vitamins (especially vitamin C) and mineral components.

Oranges are good for humans, which is confirmed by many studies. Against the background of their regular use, the condition of the cardiovascular, endocrine, and urinary systems improves, the risk of anemia and colon cancer decreases, and there is also a tendency to decrease body weight.

8 proven properties

Below are 8 main facts about the health benefits of oranges, which have a scientific basis.

1. Rich composition

One small orange weighs about 100 grams and contains 47 calories. It contains the following substances:

  • Water – 87 grams;
  • Proteins – about 1 gram;
  • Carbohydrates – 11.8 grams;
  • Dietary fiber – 2.4 grams;
  • Fats – 0.1 grams.

Oranges are rich in simple sugars (glucose, sucrose and fructose), but they have a fairly low glycemic index – from 31 to 51. This is due to the high content of fiber and polyphenols, which slow down the absorption of carbohydrates from the lumen of the digestive tract.

According to the data French scientists, foods with a low glycemic index are good for humans. Oranges can be included in the diet of people with diabetes mellitus.

One medium-sized orange provides up to 10% of the daily need for fiber . Dietary fibers are mainly represented by lignin, cellulose, pectin and hemicellulose.

Is known , what fiber is good for the body , since it helps to maintain an adequate composition of the microflora (there is an increase in the number of beneficial microorganisms and inhibition of the growth and development of pathogenic representatives), improved digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Oranges contain many vitamins and trace elements, in particular:

  1. Vitamin C. Just one large fruit fully provides the body's daily need for this substance.
  2. Thiamine or vitamin B1.
  3. Folic acid.
  4. Potassium. Adequate intake of potassium helps to reduce blood pressure and maintain the functioning of the cardiovascular system as a whole.

Citrus fruits also contain a lot of antioxidant substances (phenols, caratinoids). Proven that phenolic compounds help to increase the elasticity of vascular walls and reduce blood pressure.

Caratinoids (beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene) are especially useful for maintaining the endocrine system (regulate blood glucose levels).

Thus, oranges are a rich source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, as well as some other compounds useful for the body.

2. Improving the health of the cardiovascular system

Various heart and vascular diseases are the leading cause of death in many countries. Oranges have a complex effect on the cardiovascular system, preventing many pathologies.

Proven that oranges, due to the content of hesperidin, reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure. They can be used to prevent the early manifestation of hypertension, as well as to treat this pathology in conjunction with medications.

Installed that oranges, when consumed for 4 weeks, reduce the level of total cholesterol and its individual atherogenic fractions (LDL, TAG), increase the level of "useful" (HDL) cholesterol. The described property prevents the development of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction, as well as stroke.

Regular consumption of oranges contributes to the prevention of a number of dangerous diseases of the cardiological profile.

3. Prevention of urolithiasis

Oranges are an excellent source of citric acid and citrates, which prevent the formation of stones in the lumen of the urinary tract (calyx-pelvic system of the kidneys, ureters, bladder).

American specialists recommend use orange juice to prevent urolithiasis.

Oranges are rich in citric acid and citrates, which reduce the risk of developing urolithiasis.

4. Prevention of anemia

Anemia is a serious disease in which the concentration of red blood cells and (or) hemoglobin decreases in the blood.

Iron deficiency anemia is most often found due to chronic blood loss (menstruation, malignant neoplasms in the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.) or insufficient consumption of iron-rich foods (meat).

According to information by French researchers, vitamin C contained in citrus fruits significantly increases the bioavailability of iron from food. The concentration of the macronutrient in the blood increases by about 10% against the background of systematic use.

A number of antioxidant substances contained in oranges also provide prevention of aplastic anemia.

Oranges prevent the development of iron deficiency and aplastic anemia.

5. Weight loss Assistance

Proven that vitamin C, which is present in oranges, initiates oxidative processes at the level of adipocytes, prevents the formation of new adipose tissue. The effect is most pronounced in relation to abdominal fat.

Also oranges depressing chronic inflammation and normalize metabolism in general, which also has a beneficial effect on the volume of fat depots in the body.

Fiber in citrus causes fast filling of the stomach and temporary "overload" of the digestive system, which reduces hunger and leads to lower calorie intake for several hours after eating the fruit. All this in combination contributes to weight loss with regular intake of oranges.

Oranges, due to many different mechanisms, contribute to weight loss and are especially useful for obese people.

6. Improvement of the skin condition

A significant set of organic acids, flavonoids and other nutrients causes hydration of the skin, increases elasticity, and prevents the early formation of wrinkles. To this conclusion scientists from Korea came.

It is noteworthy that oranges additionally protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet solar radiation and reduce the likelihood of developing melanoma, a formidable malignant neoplasm.

Eating oranges is associated with many benefits for the skin: hydration, increased elasticity, protection from sunlight.

7. Reducing the likelihood of developing colon cancer

Dietary fibers (hesperidin and flavanone glycoside) contained in fruits prevent malignant degeneration of epithelial cells of the large intestine.

Experiments by American scientists installed that rats who regularly consume orange juice have a 22% reduced risk of developing colon cancer.

An additional advantage of citrus fruits is the acceleration of the motility of the digestive tract due to the high fiber content. Fecal retention is one of the provoking factors of the appearance of a cancerous tumor.

Oranges (especially juice) reduce the risk of colon cancer by 22%.

8. Increased immunity

Getting enough vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system and increase the body's resistance to various external infectious agents (viruses, bacteria, protozoa and fungi).

Proven that against the background of eating oranges, the activity of T-killers increases, the proliferation of lymphocytic blood growth accelerates.

Oranges also effective with an existing infection in the body. They reduce the severity of clinical manifestations of respiratory tract infections.

It is recommended to include oranges in the diet in order to improve immunity in general and prevent infectious diseases.

Possible harm and contraindications

Oranges are an extremely useful type of fruit, however, against the background of consumption, a number of undesirable effects may develop:

  1. Allergic reactions. Citrus allergy is quite common and usually tends to be severe. In the presence of hypersensitivity to any product of the Citrus genus, oranges should be discarded.
  2. Dyspeptic disorders. Oranges irritate the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and digestive tract, therefore, they are prohibited in any active inflammatory pathologies of these departments (stomatitis, gastritis, enteritis, etc.). In chronic diseases in remission, they are allowed.
  3. Destruction of tooth enamel. It is not recommended to include oranges in the diet if there is a carious lesion of the teeth. It is allowed to take juice through a straw.
  4. Violation of intestinal motor activity. This disorder is observed only when eating large amounts of fruit (more than 5-6 fruits per day) and is manifested by diarrhea, spastic abdominal pain, increased gas formation.

Features of reception during pregnancy

Special attention is paid to the use of oranges during pregnancy. They contain a huge amount of nutrients valuable for the developing fetus, therefore, they are allowed to be consumed.

However, they should be introduced into the diet of a pregnant woman gradually. The maximum daily dose is 1-2 fetuses per day (neglecting this rule is fraught with a high risk of developing allergic or autoimmune diseases in a child after birth).

Oranges are characterized by contraindications and side effects. It is necessary to correctly approach the inclusion of fruits in the diet.

Answers to questions

The most common and controversial issues regarding the use of oranges are discussed below:

  1. How many pieces can I eat per day? Given the high content of vitamin C, it is recommended to consume no more than 1-2 oranges per day for adults and 0.5-1 for children.
  2. Which variety is the best? Moro red oranges are considered the most valuable. They contain the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
  3. The best reception time. Since oranges irritate the mucous membranes of the digestive system, they should not be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, otherwise gastritis and other inflammatory diseases of the digestive system may develop. It is also not recommended to eat oranges in the evening before going to bed, this causes an overload of the digestive system and disrupts the normal course of sleep. Nutritionists recommend taking the fruit 2-3 hours before bedtime.
  4. Which is healthier: orange, tangerine or grapefruit? Orange has the highest content of vitamin C and other biologically active substances, therefore, it can be considered the most useful.
  5. Is juice (fresh) useful? Orange juice has a significantly lower amount of fiber, and the sugar content is 2 times higher. It is recommended to give preference to a whole orange (with pulp).
  6. Application of crusts and zest. Orange peel is rich in fiber, vitamins, macro- and microelements. The peel is widely used in cooking (making jams or confections) and folk medicine (treatment of respiratory infections, insomnia and depression). They can be used to make tea or a decoction.
  7. Application of bones. The content of antioxidant components in the bones is about 1.5-2 times higher than in the pulp of an orange. They can be consumed whole or with a hammer. With the second option, the bioavailability of useful substances increases. They are usually used to reduce body weight, correct dyslipidemia and blood pressure.
  8. Properties of essential oil. Orange essential oil has anti-inflammatory, bactericidal and general ionizing effects. It can be used to treat inflammatory lesions of the gums, to enhance the aesthetic properties of the skin.

Conclusion

  1. Thus, oranges have many proven positive properties.
  2. One fruit provides almost the full daily requirement for vitamin C.
  3. Against the background of regular consumption, there is a decrease in body weight, prevention of malignant neoplasms of the large intestine, improvement of digestion, maintenance of the health of the cardiovascular and urinary systems.
  4. A special role is assigned to the use of orange tree fruits for cosmetic purposes (moisturizing the skin, preventing wrinkles).
  5. When using, it is important to take into account the presence of contraindications and the possibility of side effects.
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