Orange is a round citrus fruit with juicy flesh and pebbled orange skin. It is among the world's most popular fruits around the world, Dr. Magdy Badran says.
Nutrition
Oranges are low in calories and full of nutrients. One medium orange (approximately 154 grams) contains 80 calories, 0 grams of fat, 250 milligrams of potassium, 19 grams of carbohydrate (14 grams of sugar and 3 grams of dietary fiber) as well as 1 gram of protein.
One orange provides 130 % of your vitamin C needs for the day, 2 % of vitamin A needs, 12% of fiber needs and 6 % of calcium.
Oranges also contain choline, zeaxanthin, and carotenoids. Zeaxanthin and carotenoids have antioxidant effects and have been shown to have an inverse relationship with overall cancer rates and prostate cancer in particular.
Choline
Choline is an important nutrient found in oranges that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning, and memory.
Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation.
Recent studies show that choline supplementation during critical periods of neonatal development can have long-term beneficial effects on memory.
Choline helps support proper fetal development. High choline levels during pregnancy may increase the baby's lifelong memory function and lower the risk for neural tube defects.
Choline promotes optimal brain function and memory by acting as a precursor for a neurotransmitter that's responsible for memory, mood, and intelligence.
The role of choline in neuro development and cognition involves not only the synthesis of acetylcholine and components of cellular membranes but also gene expression.
The fatty livers resolved upon adding choline to the feeding regimen. There is 8.4 mg amount of Choline, total in 100 g, grams portion amount of oranges, raw natural, all commercial varieties.
Health Benefits
The nutrients in oranges offer a range of health benefits. They may give you better skin, and even help improve your heart and cholesterol levels.
Also, some evidence suggests that eating oranges may help reduce the risk of certain cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcers, and kidney stones.
Maintaining a low sodium intake is essential to lowering blood pressure, however increasing potassium intake may be just as important because of its vasodilation effects.
The fiber, potassium, vitamin C and choline content in oranges all support heart health. Eating higher amounts of a compound found in citrus fruits like oranges may lower ischemic stroke risk for women.
Oranges May Protect Respiratory Health
Orange juice may help promote lung health by providing vitamin C and bioactive plant compounds called flavonoids.
Studies have shown these compounds may be associated with supporting lung function and providing anti-inflammatory benefits by helping mitigate inflammatory mechanisms associated with respiratory illnesses.
The flavonoids hesperidin and naringenin are found in abundance in citrus. In adults, a 31 % decrease in asthma incidence and a 33% decrease in upper respiratory tract infection was associated with higher intakes of naringenin and hesperidin flavonoids.
Consuming foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in the highest amounts in oranges may significantly lower one's risk of developing lung cancer.
Those eating the most cryptoxanthin-rich foods showed a 27% reduction in lung cancer risk.
When current smokers were evaluated, those who were also in the group consuming the most cryptoxanthin-rich foods were found to have a 37% lower risk of lung cancer compared to smokers who ate the least of these health-protective foods.
In children, higher fruit juice consumption was associated with a lower risk of reported asthma and atopic wheeze, and increased frequency of 100% orange juice consumption tended to reduce asthma risk.
Recent studies support 100% orange juice consumption to not be associated with the risk of asthma in adults.
Vitamin C may be particularly beneficial in reducing inflammation and providing antioxidant support.
Vitamin C can support bronchodilation by modulating prostaglandin synthesis. Indeed, vitamin C significantly reduced exercise-induced asthma symptoms by 48 % in asthmatic adults and adolescents.
Histamine is involved in the asthmatic response of the lungs and the presentation of allergy symptoms, and since vitamin C is required to breakdown histamine, vitamin C is thought to have an anti-histamine effect.
Boosts Your Immunity
An orange has over 170 different phytochemicals and more than 60 flavonoids. Many of these have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and strong antioxidant effects.
Oranges also contain thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and copper.
Because of their high vitamin C content (over twice the daily need), oranges are associated with boosting the immune system. You need vitamin C to ward off damaging free radicals that destroy healthy cells throughout your body.
Vitamin C also keeps your immune system strong, helps wounds heal properly and aids the absorption of a certain type of iron.
As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C, oranges can also help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer.
Because of vitamin C's many roles throughout your system, meeting your daily intake is important.
You'll get nearly 70 milligrams of vitamin C from a medium orange. Vitamin C recommendations vary depending on gender, certain life stages and whether or not you smoke.
Men need 90 milligrams of daily vitamin C from the age of 19 and throughout adulthood. Women over age 19 require 75 milligrams per day. Smoking further ups your vitamin C needs by an additional 35 milligrams, since oxidative stress from free radicals increases when you smoke.
Vitamin A is required for the development of white blood cells, which are an essential component of your immune system.
Vitamin A is also known as the anti-infective vitamin because your body needs it for a healthy immune system. The cells lining your airways and digestive and urinary tracts serve as your body’s first defense against infection. Vitamin A keeps these cells healthy so you’re better able to attack foreign invaders.
Soluble fiber found in foods such as oranges may strengthen your immune system and reduce inflammation, which is often associated with chronic diseases.
Soluble fiber stimulates the production of the anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-4, which helps your immune cells switch from being pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory.
The result is that you recover faster from infection. High fiber intakes from fruits and vegetables are associated with a lowered risk of colorectal cancer.
Dietary Tips
Whether organic or not, oranges that are partially green or have brown russeting may be just as ripe and tasty as those that are solid orange in color.
Avoid those that have soft spots or traces of mold. Choose oranges that have smoothly textured skin and are firm and heavy for their size. These will have a higher juice content than those that are either spongy or lighter in weight.
Oranges can either be stored at room temperature, away from direct sunlight or in the refrigerator, depending upon your preference. They will generally last the same amount of time, two weeks with either method and will retain nearly the same level of their vitamin content.
The best way to store oranges is loose rather than wrapped in a plastic bag since if exposed to moisture, they can easily develop mold.
Eating an orange might seem simple, but there are different ways you can pair orange with other types of food to help enhance its flavor.
Studies have shown that keeping fruit in a bowl on the counter makes them more tempting to eat. Fresh oranges are an excellent snack, especially if you’re on the run.
Before cutting the orange, wash the skin so that any dirt or bacteria residing on the surface will not be transferred to the fruit.
When peeling the oranges, make sure to keep the inner white lining surrounding the orange because it is as nutritious as the fruit itself.
Add some orange slices to your salad at lunch or dinner or fruit salad. Squeeze oranges into juice if you don't like the texture of the flesh.
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