Nutritional value of oranges and the benefits of eating oranges

Tangerine and mandarin have been called the same since ancient times. Because citrus is a huge family, it includes more than other fruits, including tangerines, tangerines, and grapefruits. Oranges and lemons are members of this family. They are not only sisters of the same family, but also very similar in appearance, just like twin brothers. Although they are similar, they still have their own characteristics. As long as you pay a little attention, you can distinguish tangerines from mandarin oranges. Tangerine, also known as yellow tangerine, lucky tangerine, red tangerine, honey tangerine, Dahongpao, etc., is named because of its different origins and varieties.

Nutritional value of oranges

Oranges have high nutritional value. In 100 grams of edible part, their protein content is 9 times that of pears, their calcium content is 5 times that of pears, their phosphorus content is 5.5 times that of pears, their vitamin B1 content is 8 times that of pears, their vitamin B2 content is 3 times that of pears, their niacin content is 1.5 times that of pears, and their vitamin C content is 10 times that of pears.

Orange pulp and juice are rich in glucose, fructose, sucrose, malic acid, choline, citric acid, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic acid, etc. The various organic acids and vitamins in oranges are beneficial to regulating physiological functions such as human metabolism, especially for elderly patients with cardiovascular diseases. Fresh juice extracted from oranges is rich in nutrition, unique in flavor, suitable for all ages, and is one of the most important fruit juice drinks in the world. One orange can almost meet the daily requirement of vitamin C for the human body. Oranges contain more than 170 kinds of plant compounds and more than 60 kinds of flavonoid compounds, most of which are natural antioxidants. The rich nutrients in oranges have the effects of lowering blood lipids and resisting atherosclerosis, which are very beneficial for preventing the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases.

Orange peels are rich in vitamin B, which can maintain the toughness of capillaries and prevent blood vessels from rupturing and bleeding. It can be combined with vitamin C to increase the therapeutic effect of vitamin C on patients with scurvy. Therefore, people with vascular sclerosis and vitamin C deficiency are very suitable to use orange peels to soak in water as a normal drink. Medical scientists have also discovered an antibiotic called "orange mold" from rotten oranges that are considered useless, which has a good inhibitory effect on many pathogens.

Benefits of eating oranges

Medical research shows that eating oranges regularly can prevent strokes in the elderly, which is related to the large amount of vitamin C in oranges. Taking this natural vitamin C is different from taking vitamin C in pills, because natural vitamin C has high bioavailability in the body and has a synergistic effect with other ingredients. Scientists believe that the antioxidant effect of vitamin C in the body plays an important role in reducing the absorption of cholesterol and other fats that cause atherosclerosis.

According to foreign research reports, there is an anti-cancer substance in oranges called "Nomi Ling", which can decompose some carcinogenic chemicals and work together with vitamin C to cut off the long carbon chain of viral nucleic acid and inactivate many viruses. However, this "Nomi Ling" will decompose and become ineffective at temperatures above 100°C. Nomi Ling is the bitter ingredient in oranges and belongs to the limonoid substance.

In a study conducted by Canadian researchers, 16 adult men and 9 adult women with higher than normal total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels drank 1 cup (250ml), 2 cups, and 3 cups of orange juice every day for 4 weeks. The results showed that drinking 1 cup, 2 cups, and 3 cups of orange juice every day can increase plasma vitamin C levels by 2.1 times, 3.1 times, and 3.8 times respectively after 4 weeks; drinking 3 cups of orange juice every day can increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels by 21%, folate levels by 18%, and reduce LDL/HDL ratio by 16% after 4 weeks. HDL can remove cholesterol from the arterial wall and prevent atherosclerosis. The study suggests that drinking 750ml of orange juice every day can effectively improve blood lipid metabolism in patients with hypercholesterolemia and is beneficial to cardiovascular health.

The World Health Organization proposed in its report "Diet, Nutrition and Prevention of Chronic Diseases" that citrus fruits can effectively prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. Folic acid in citrus fruits can reduce plasma homocysteine, which can damage arteries and is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Citrus fruits are rich in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure and maintain normal heart rhythm. Vitamin C, carotenoids and flavonoids all have anti-lipid oxidation effects and can prevent the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization of Australia reviewed and analyzed 48 studies on citrus fruits and diseases, and found that eating one fruit (non-citrus) a day can reduce the risk of stroke by 4%, while eating one tangerine fruit a day can reduce the risk of stroke by 19%. This fully demonstrates that citrus fruits have extraordinary cardiovascular protective effects.

Precautions for eating oranges

You can eat oranges often, but don't eat too many. It is recommended to eat 1-3 oranges a day. Eating too many at one time can easily cause "heatiness", which can promote stomatitis or periodontitis, and may cause yellowing of the skin.