✓ Evidence Based

10 Health Benefits Of Oranges

Oranges are known to have existed in China as early as 4000 years ago. They’re an important fruit to include in your diet, as they can help you stay healthy. The reason for this is that oranges are a great source of Vitamin C.

In addition to their health benefits, oranges are one of the most popular fruits in the world. This is because they’re so versatile. They can be eaten raw or cooked and used in desserts or salads.

Orange Benefits

Oranges are one of the best sources of vitamin C, an essential nutrient for healthy skin, gums, and blood vessels. Eating oranges daily helps prevent eye disease, high blood pressure, and tooth decay.

1. Rich in nutrients

Vitamin C (1) found in oranges is an essential nutrient that’s required for the growth and repair of our body tissues. Adults need about 65 to 75 milligrams of vitamin C per day. Eating just one orange will give you 80% of your recommended daily dose of vitamin C.

If you’re not getting enough vitamin C through your diet and don’t take it you might develop symptoms of the scurvy disease. This disease may appear after just two weeks without enough dietary intake of this vitamin.

One of the first signs of scurvy is fatigue and lethargy, followed by joint pain and bleeding gums. Other symptoms include skin problems such as inflammation and ulcers on legs or arms and even trouble with vision!

Vitamin C is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. It’s also essential for regulating mood, memory, and our thought processes.

Apart from vitamin C, oranges are rich in many other vitamins and minerals. They contain nutrients such as beta-carotene (2) and lycopene (3). These are essential antioxidants that help your cells stay healthy.

Oranges are also high in fiber. Eating one orange will provide you with 4 grams of fiber which can help prevent constipation and hemorrhoids. Doctors recommend eating at least 5 servings of fruits each day to meet your daily fiber needs.

Oranges are also high in vitamin A (4), which helps maintain healthy eyes and skin. Vitamin A also promotes bone growth and development during pregnancy.

2. A great source of antioxidants

The antioxidants present in oranges help protect your body from free radicals.
To better understand this, free radicals (5) are molecules in our body that have lost an electron. This makes them unstable, which causes them to react with stable molecules and steal one of their electrons.

When free radicals attack healthy cells and damage their DNA, they can lead to illness and even cancer. Antioxidants fight free radicals by donating an electron to unstable molecules in our body.

The antioxidants in oranges are called flavonoids (6). Researchers have studied flavonoids for their potential role in preventing chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Orange juice is high in flavonoids, especially hesperidin and naringenin.

These compounds have been shown to help lower blood pressure, lower your risk of heart disease and reduce the risk of developing certain cancers.

3. Improves gut health

The gut contains billions of bacteria that help with digestion and immunity. If these bacteria don’t get enough nutrients from their environment, they can become unhealthy and cause inflammation or even disease. Eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables can help improve the health of these bacteria by providing them with the nutrients they need to thrive.

A new study suggests that eating oranges could improve your gut health. The research shows that organic orange peels contain the same type of bacteria that are present in the gut. When they are consumed, they help to boost the immune system and promote better digestion.

The study examined the effects of orange peel on mice that had been infected with salmonella. These mice were also given antibiotics to treat their infection.

As expected, the antibiotics killed off many of the microbes found in their guts. However, those who were fed orange peels saw a significant increase in beneficial bacteria. The results suggest that eating oranges may help to protect against infections by boosting our natural defenses against germs.

4. Helps slow the aging process

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It’s found in connective tissues such as skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. It makes up about 30 percent of the protein in your body by weight.

The main function of collagen is to support other tissues in the body such as bone, muscles, and blood vessels. In the skin, it provides strength and elasticity to keep the skin plump and wrinkle-free.

Vitamin C is extremely important for the production of collagen, which keeps our skin healthy and young looking. Collagen is constantly breaking down as we age, so it’s important to get enough vitamin C in your diet.

Oranges are one of the easiest ways to get your daily dose of vitamin C! Eating one or two oranges daily will slow your aging process visibly.

5. Boosts brain function

Oranges are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted by the body into vitamin A. Having a deficiency of vitamin A (7) can lead to brain fog and a lack of concentration.

Oranges are also high in folic acid, which helps reduce homocysteine levels (8). Elevated homocysteine levels have been linked to cognitive decline in older adults and Alzheimer’s disease in people over 65 years old.

Flavanols present in oranges have also been shown to boost brain function. Flavanols are a class of flavonoids, which is a type of antioxidant found in many fruits and vegetables. They enhance cognitive function in healthy people and those with Alzheimer’s disease. It’s thought that this may be because they improve blood flow to the brain by increasing nitric oxide production.

6. Prevents hair loss

Eating oranges can slow down the process of hair loss. Not only do they supply iron and vitamin C, but they also contain the compound hesperidin.

This compound helps to prevent hair loss by increasing the blood flow to the scalp and nourishing the follicles. This will not only help with hair growth but it can also make your hair look shinier and healthier.

The pulp of the orange contains folic acid (9) which plays an important role in the maintenance of normal hair growth. This is because it promotes healthy cell division in the scalp. It also helps in keeping your scalp moisturized by preventing dryness.

7. May support weight loss

There are several ways that oranges can help you lose weight. For instance, they’re high in fiber, which helps you feel full. They also contain pectin, which is a soluble fiber that can help lower cholesterol levels and control blood sugar levels.

The American Chemical Society reported that research participants who ate two cups of orange sections daily for six weeks lost an average of 3 pounds more than those who didn’t eat the fruit. Hesperidin found in orange peel has also been shown to suppress appetite and increase metabolism.

8. Helps with better vision

Eyeballs are small and full of water, so they are easily affected by changes in temperature and pressure. Eating oranges helps to protect the eyes from these effects. This fruit gives the eyes a boost of vitamins and nutrients that help to keep them healthy.

Vitamin C found in oranges also helps to protect against cataracts and glaucoma, which are both caused by damage to the eye’s optic nerve. It also keeps the cornea clear by preventing the buildup of debris on the surface of the eye.

Eating oranges regularly can even help you gain better vision as it improves blood circulation in the eye area. This reduces eye strain which is commonly caused from computer use or reading books for long hours at night.

9. Supports heart health

Oranges are a great source of potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral that helps your heart and body function properly. It also helps lower blood pressure and blood sugar, reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack.

Studies have shown flavanones found in citrus fruits such as oranges may help prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing, which could contribute to plaque buildup in arteries and increase heart-disease risk. The phytonutrients found in oranges may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

10. Strengthens your bones

Oranges have a high concentration of vitamin C, which is essential for the body’s absorption of calcium.

Calcium is an essential nutrient for building and maintaining healthy teeth and bones. It strengthens the bones and helps prevent osteoporosis as we age.

Vitamin C helps your body absorb calcium better by increasing its amount in blood plasma. In addition, it neutralizes the acids produced during digestion, which are toxic to bones.

Vitamin C also plays an important role in building strong bones by helping the body produce collagen. Collagen (10) forms part of the bone matrix. It helps regulate bone remodeling and repair processes, and it aids in preventing bone loss by promoting new bone growth. Other nutrients such as folate, potassium, and magnesium found in oranges contribute to bone health.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you appreciate oranges more now that you realize they are an antioxidant powerhouse. If you didn’t already love oranges before, you may now have found a reason to start.

It turns out that oranges have a multitude of benefits. Not only are they a good source of fiber, but they also contain potassium, Vitamin C, and calcium, to name a few. And the best part? They taste great!

Whether you like them fresh or juiced, oranges offer up a surprisingly medicinal punch that can help stave off sickness and disease. So if you’re feeling under the weather, reach for an orange as soon as possible. You’ll be glad you did!