The orange is one of the most popular fruits in the world, and most people love the refreshing taste of its sweet juice. In addition to being an excellent source of vitamin C, it turns out that oranges also contain many other important nutrients that are capable of improving your health. Read on to discover ten fascinating reasons why you should be regularly snacking on orange slices and drinking orange juice.
1) They help to protect your lungs:
Oranges contain plenty of a carotenoid called beta-cryptoxanthin, which has been shown to substantially reduce your risk of developing lung cancer. Non-smokers who consume the most cryptoxanthin are 27% less likely to suffer from any form of lung cancer. When it comes to the smoking population, smokers who eat plenty of foods containing cryptoxanthin are 37% less prone to lung cancer.
2) They substantially improve the health of your digestive system:
First of all, oranges are linked to reducing your risk of developing certain cancers of the digestive system. For example, one study performed by Australian scientists found that people who regularly consume oranges are as much as 50% less likely to suffer from cancers of the stomach or the digestive tract. Secondly, a gram or two of orange peel can be simmered in hot water in order to make a tea that can help to reduce the discomfort of indigestion. Finally, oranges are a fantastic source of dietary fiber, with the fleshy portion of one orange providing you with over three grams of fiber. This means that oranges promote regular bowel movements and can help to prevent (or relieve) constipation.
3) They help to protect you against cardiovascular problems:
Oranges have several different properties that are linked to heart health. For one thing, the herperidin in oranges has been shown to lower cholesterol levels in animals. In addition, oranges are a source of potassium and magnesium, both of which help to regulate blood pressure. Finally (and perhaps most significantly), one particularly large and rigorous study has revealed that consuming one extra orange a day can lower your risk of stroke by close to 20%.
4) They reduce your risk of developing kidney stones:
Drinking orange juice can have a dramatic impact on your risk of suffering from calcium oxalate kidney stones. One recent study conducted on women showed that those who drank at least one liter of orange juice each day tended to excrete urine that contained more citric acid and was of a higher pH value. Both of these changes make a person much less likely to develop kidney stones.
5) They may help to prevent stomach ulcers:
One research project found that people who had the most vitamin C in their bodies were 25% less likely to be infected with H. pylori bacteria (which are responsible for peptic ulcers). It is currently unclear whether this is because having more vitamin C at your disposal helps to protect you or because being infected with H. pylori lowers your levels of vitamin C. While further investigations are in progress, drinking an extra glass of orange juice every day certainly won’t hurt, and it may well prove to protect you from gastric ulcers.
6) They boost the immune system:
Given that one orange contains 116% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, it is no surprise that eating oranges will improve your resistance to disease. In addition, oranges contain beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A. As well as improving the health of your eyes, vitamin A improves immune system function.
7) Orange oil is a good addition to your skincare routine:
Orange oil is a solvent, so it is capable of cleansing your skin. It is often added to soaps and cleansers, and it provides an excellent alternative to the more dangerous chemicals that are regularly found in personal care products. As a bonus, many people find that their complexion appears smoother and more youthful after using treatments that contain orange oil.
8) They are much more powerful than vitamin C supplements:
A study performed by Italian scientists has shown that vitamin C supplements are not nearly as good for your body as drinking a full glass of orange juice. Subjects who consumed orange juice had impressively high resistance to the DNA damage caused by free radicals, while subjects who took vitamin C supplements had merely average resistance to this damage.
9) They can help to prevent or treat anemia:
Oranges are a source of iron. This means that consuming them will help to prevent anemia from developing, as a lack of iron is one of the main causes of the condition (due to the fact that iron is a component of red blood cells). Your body depends on having an adequate amount of iron because iron impacts on how effectively your blood is able to provide your vital organs with oxygen.
10) They help to protect you against cancer:
Studies on oranges (and other citrus fruits) have shown that they appear to provide particularly strong protection against some specific forms of cancer. As it turns out, regular consumption of citrus fruits reduces your risk of developing mouth, larynx and pharynx cancers by up to 50%.
As is obvious from the above health benefits, oranges are an excellent choice if you want to improve your daily consumption of fruits and vegetables. Try adding orange segments to different recipes in order to add an exciting twist to the flavor, and remember that adding orange slices to yogurt can help to create a delicious and healthy dessert.