Fruits and vegetables are essential to a well-rounded diet. They provide you with the vitamins, minerals, nutrients and fiber your body needs to stay energized and in shape. Are oranges healthy? Yes, absolutely. There is no better fruit for health and wellness than the orange. But, more specifically, what are the health benefits of oranges? Read on!
1. Lose Weight
Looking for a delicious food to support your weight loss goals? Look no further than oranges and the many orange benefits.
Each orange comes with about 60 calories, depending on its size. Oranges are also cholesterol-free and good sources of fiber and protein. Oranges can prevent you from bingeing, too, as they are a high-density food that fills you up. In fact, studies show that oranges are 4 times more filling than croissants. So, next time you find yourself at the continental breakfast buffet, prevent yourself from getting hungry later in the morning when you grab an orange instead of a pastry or another baked good.
Finally, oranges taste like a treat. Instead of baking brownies or cookies for dessert, grab a fresh orange. Oranges can satisfy your sweet tooth without packing an inordinate amount of sugar.
2. Keep Your Skin Young
You should definitely keep moisturizing, but know that eating oranges is another great way to improve your skin.
Everyone knows that oranges are full of vitamin C. But many don’t realize that vitamin C supports collagen synthesis in your body, which makes your skin look younger and healthier. Oranges also offer beta-carotene, which boosts vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A helps promote skin cell growth.
So, if you want skin that looks deceptively young and unbelievably healthy, grab an orange for your next snack — and make oranges a habit.
3. Lower Your Blood Pressure
Citrus fruits in general are known for lowering blood pressure, and the orange is king of all citrus fruits. Oranges are a fantastic source of the vitamins mentioned above, plus plant compounds and minerals — like potassium. Everyone knows that too much salt can spike your blood pressure — but few know that potassium has the opposite effect, making it an essential part of a heart-healthy diet.
4. Boost Your Heart’s Function
The fiber and potassium included in oranges promote overall heart healthiness. A 2017 study demonstrated that fiber can play an important role in reducing the risk of heart disease. High potassium intake can also lessen the risk of stroke and other heart-related diseases.
5. Boost Your Immunity
As noted above, oranges are one of the best sources of vitamin C for your body. One of the benefits of vitamin C is the protection of bodily cells, plus the production and effectiveness of immune cells. The vitamin D in oranges also promotes wellness, as vitamin D helps regulate the body’s immune response to bacteria and viruses.
6. Detoxify Your Body
You may think of water when you think about detoxification. But remember that most fruits are high in water content, oranges included, and they can be used to detoxify the body while also delivering an abundance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Oranges are particularly juicy fruits, and they promote detoxification by delivering antioxidants, vitamin C and a host of other components that are great for your body.
7. Prevent Cancer
Oranges can play a role in preventing certain kinds of cancer, including colon cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer. Oranges’ ability to help prevent different types of cancer can be attributed to their phytocompounds and other nutrients.
8. Improve Digestion
Your digestive tract works best when lubricated by water. Because oranges have so much water inside them, they are great for your digestive system. Also, as noted above, oranges are a good source of fiber — soluble fiber, more specifically. Soluble fiber improves the digestive process, while also working to lower your cholesterol.
9. Streamline Your Blood Circulation
Citrus fruits in general include antioxidants that reduce inflammation. One of the outcomes of reduced inflammation is improved blood flow and circulation — which means less blood clotting and a reduced risk of stroke. Vitamin C, which is plentiful in oranges, is also known as a natural blood thinner that builds up capillary walls and reduces plaque accumulation. These are great things for your heart and your body.
10. Enhance Your Vision
Vitamin C also works to improve eye health. Specifically, vitamin C promotes health among eye cells, which in turn reduces the chances you will experience macular degeneration and cataracts. There is no cure for macular degeneration, which heightens the importance of vitamin C (and consumption of the fruits like oranges that deliver it).
11. Relieve Constipation
You now know that citrus fruits in general and oranges specifically are high in fiber. That fiber plus compounds like naringenin and pectin can help prevent or relieve the symptoms of constipation. Of course, preventative treatment is always better, so consider a daily orange to help prevent constipation and to take advantage of all the health benefits related to oranges.
12. Lower Your Cholesterol
Pectin, the same citrus compound that alleviates constipation, also lowers your cholesterol levels. You should always regulate the amount of cholesterol-rich foods that you consume. But you can also indulge moderately in cholesterol-heavy foods if you balance them out with foods like oranges that lower your cholesterol levels.
13. Protect Your Cells
Vitamin C is a nutrient found in citrus fruits like oranges. It is a water-soluble nutrient that detoxifies your body and works to protect your body’s cells from damage. More specifically, vitamin C protects cells from damage created by “free radicals,” which are compounds created during the conversion of food into energy. It’s fascinating to know what goes on inside your body — it’s important to remember that the nutrients found in oranges help our bodies general health and wellness.
14. Heal Your Wounds
Above, we noted that vitamin C helps create collagen, which can make your skin look younger and healthier. The same collagen-creating benefits mean that oranges and their vitamin C can help wounds heal faster. If you’re looking to heal faster and minimize the risk of scar formation, consume some vitamin C while recovering from a wound.
15. Strengthen Your Bones & Cartilage
Collagen isn’t just important for your skin health. It also serves as the foundation for bone growth. When you consume a healthy amount of vitamin C, your bones and cartilage are able to absorb more calcium, which strengthens them over time. This is especially important as you get older and start to experience bone loss. A few oranges (and a little bit of vitamin C) can help your bones stay younger and healthier.
Grab an Orange Today
The health benefits of eating oranges everyday are clear. Given these compelling health benefits of oranges, you should be getting into your car to drive to the grocery store right now. Just remember that whole oranges are better for you than drinking orange juice. Add a few oranges into your weekly rotation, and check to see how you look and feel in the coming months.
Do you have any other healthy fruits that you live by? If so, tell us about them in the comments section below — or send us a message via our contact form.
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