An Orange a Day Keeps the Virus Away!

Until recently, I used to cherish eating oranges simply because they taste good, and also that they are really affordable! But a few days back, I came across Blood Oranges in the farmer's market, and that got me trying to find how different types of oranges can actually provide invaluable health benefits to our body. Juicy and sweet and renowned for its concentration of vitamin C, oranges make the perfect snack and add a special tang to many recipes. But besides the flavor and fragrance, they are a powerhouse of immunty, acting as antibiotics in more ways than one! Here's a brief look into what makes Oranges the "Numero Uno" fruit!



Increasing Immunity (Vitamin-C)
We already know that oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C; a single orange supplies 116.2% of the daily value for vitamin C, which is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body, disarming free radicals and preventing damage to the body cells. A good intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer, inflammation, osteoarthritis, infections, common cold and asthma.

Lower Bad Cholesterol
A study by U.S. and Canadian researchers that was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry stated that a class of compounds found in citrus fruit peels called polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs), as well as water-soluble fiber called pectin have the potential to lower cholesterol more effectively than some prescription drugs, and without side effects. By reducing the free radicals in the body, Oranges prevent prevent the oxidation and build-up of bad cholesterol.

Medicinal Properties
In recent research studies, the healing properties of oranges have been associated with a wide variety of phytonutrient compounds. These phytonutrients include several citrus flavanones, but the one that stands out the most is the herperidin molecule; Herperidin has been shown to lower high blood pressure as well as cholesterol in animal studies, and to have strong anti-inflammatory properties. But it should be known that most of this phytonutrient is found in the peel and inner white pulp of the orange, rather than in its liquid orange center, so drinking orange juice may not provide you with this beneficial compound.

So you see, there's much more than just color, flavor and aroma to this fruit. Oranges are as important as apples, or perhaps more, in providing helpful immunity to your body against attacks of virus and bacteria. There's already enough research suggesting they play a key role in prevention of several cancers too, and most of all, just one large orange a day will keep you energetic and less prone to infections. And blessed with the sweet and sour taste, eating oranges is not very difficult to keep up with, right!!

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This Post was written by Mansi from Fun and Food