The Health Benefits of Oranges
As a child in the 1950's and early 1960's, I never heard much said about "health foods". However, I certainly remember apples and oranges being praised as healthy, and whenever there were colds around people were talking of eating oranges to ge the vitamin C.
In fact, my first ever experience of a health or food supplement was Haliborange tablets, and it is interesting to see that the company is still around today. It was well over a decade later before I took a real interest, as an adult, in nutritional supplements, although even then most doctors scowled at the idea.
There is little disputing the goodness of oranges from a nutritional point of view. It is generally agreed that fruits, with vegetables, are an important part of our diet. Oranges and other citrus fruits have, for a very long time, been associated with a high vitamin C content. An average sized orange can supply over 90% of the vitamin C a person needs each day, which means an orange can be a valuable source of this very important vitamin.
Vitamin C has long been studied for various possible health benefits, from its ability to prevent and treat the common cold, to its value as a cancer fighter. While there is still some controversy over the anti-cold and anti-cancer properties of vitamin C, there is little doubt that vitamin C is an extremely valuable nutrient and a strong antioxidant. Vitamin C is the main water soluble antioxidant vitamin in the body, and has the ability to reduce the cell damage caused by free radicals.
As well as its possible role in fighting everything from colds to cancer, the vitamin C found in oranges and other foods is thought to have an impact on the proper functioning of a healthy immune system. It is this effect on the immune system which may be responsible for the reputation of oranges and other citrus fruits to prevent colds and other common illnesses.
In addition to vitamin C, research has shown that oranges contain over 170 phytochemicals, including over 20 compounds from the carotenoid family. Carotenoids have shown some promise in fighting cancer, and other common illnesses, and oranges are one of the best dietary sources of caratenoids.
Also, oranges contain compounds called limonoids. It is liminoids that give oranges, and other citrus fruits, their tangy and slightly bitter flavor. These limonoids are thought, by some, to be highly effective anti-cancer agents also, and oranges are rich sources of these chemicals.
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