Oranges (orange fruit), or the Sweet Orange is part of the citrus Rutaceae family, a bright orange circular fruit that comes in a lot of sizes, and even colors depending on the country, region, and season. What is orange juice good for? This low calorie nutritious juicy, sweet and delicious fruit can contribute a lot to one’s health from being a rich source of Vitamin A and C, being a natural high fiber food it makes for a healthy gut, to helping lowering cholesterol, and decreasing the risk of heart diseases. A natural medicine that uses almost every part of the fruit from the peel, flesh and pulp, then using the seeds to plant another fruit tree.
Facts about Oranges
It all started in Asia, the first known tree that blossomed with this sweet citrus fruit is said to be the area we now know as modern Southeast China. Given the title ‘Wild Orange’, ‘Bitter Orange’ due to the taste, which made many uninterested in cultivating the said fruit. Though unsure who started the potential rise and breeding of the plant, someone has somehow created the ‘Sweet Orange’, a variety that from genetic testing was engineered in China by crossbreeding a pomelo and one of the earliest mandarin oranges. A fruitful partnership from both sides as it spawned (was the baseline of) many of the newer generations of orange varieties that have been consumed for hundreds of years. From the tree, to groceries and the market, to homes or restaurants ready to be made into traditional or more modern sweet and savory dishes, to juices, snacks, flavorings, candies, and jams. A familiar fruit to many all around the old, these have more than one circular ‘orange’ colored form and are actually seen as exotic in terms of its many different types.
The Orange (orange scientific name and family Rutaceae primarily the ”Citrus x sinensis”) or the oranges in the new world “Sweet Orange” is one of the most popular, though you can also find “Bitter Oranges” or “Citrus x Aurantium”, other oranges you can find around the world are the small mandarin oranges, blood orange, clementine, tangerine, tangelo, bergamot, Jaffa, sicilian red orange, ponkan, valencia orange, sweet lemon, with calamansi from the Philippines included in this family, and many more other oranges that are grown differently and come in different shapes, colors, and sizes depending on the country or even region. This range of fruits are one of the most cultivated trees around the world, especially grown in tropical and subtropical areas, with sweet oranges being the top most (70% of) citrus in production. Brazil produces 22% of the world’s oranges, with China and India following suit.
Do oranges grow on trees? Yes they do! The tree reaches a height of 20 feet with medium-sized evergreen leaves, bearing small white five-petaled fragrant flowers, that then becomes the fresh and deliciously juicy fruit we all know. The green to yellow-green, yellowish orange or dark orange thick or sometimes thin leathery smooth skin, depending on the variety, covering the pulpy flesh that are parted in segments or ‘carpels’, the flesh are colored in a bright orange to almost a bloody red, this also depending on the variety. One tree blooms at least 50 to 80 fruits or more a year, with even century old trees still bearing fruit. This fruit though seen as a dessert type of food, are more popularly added into drinks for an added Vitamin C boost, to salads and other dishes to help with acidity, freshness, and sweetness compared to its other citrus counterparts, not only drunk as a breakfast staple, or a summer iced sorbet or ice cream, but in many dishes including savory recipes, in edible and inedible oils, as a natural pectin, into candies, jams, and many more.
Orange benefits and side effects
What are the list of oranges’ health benefits? Or are oranges bad for you? Orange fruit calories are around 47 calories per a serving of 100 grams. This powerhouse of a fruit itself and the nutritional value of orange juice (freshly squeezed juice) contains 45 calories for 100ml of serving, has so much more to provide your body. It not only provides you with your daily recommended amount of Vitamin C. Find out more benefits of orange for skin, eyes, and the whole body from the examples :
- Boosts immunity and slows signs of aging. It protects the cells from damage and fights free radicals or toxins. Vitamin C also helps with collagen production that not only quickly heals wounds but helps reduce fine lines, keeps the skin elastic, and gives your skin a nice glow.
- For a healthier heart. One of the biggest causes of premature aging that this juicy fruit can help with. It Is rich in Vitamin C, Carotenoids, and Flavonoids, which eating the recommended serving daily is said to help reduce the risk of heart problems.
- It can also reduce the risk of other chronic problems such as diabetes and (head and neck, mouth, lung, and stomach) cancer. By adding this into your diet since these are rich in fiber and the said nutrients above, studies have shown that those who intake fruits are less likely to be diagnosed with cancer.
- Helps with ‘macular degeneration’ or the deterioration of one’s eyesight. New findings have shown that the consumption of foods that contain flavonoids are less likely to have eye problems like cataract and many more problems from aging.
- Helps the body absorb iron better. The consumption of Vitamin C rich foods are great for preventing anemia as it helps the body enhance the absorption of iron.
* Do note that due to oranges and most citruses being slightly or strongly acidic. Those with acid reflux, heartburn, or gastric problems might need to lessen their intake of this fruit, especially when eaten with an empty stomach. If not, do try to balance them out with high alkaline foods like bananas, apples, melons, and pears. (more information below)
Questions:
There is still a lot of orange fruit information to be known. Here are some more answers that you might be looking for:
- Benefits of eating oranges everyday for skin? Or are oranges good for your skin? This being one of the top questions asked for this deliciously refreshing fruit. Like most citrus but with less acidity, this is very much rich in Vitamin C which helps with collagen production that helps with keeping the signs of aging at bay. From less wrinkles to bringing back the elasticity of the skin, to a brighter complexion.
- Are there any benefits of eating oranges on an empty stomach? Similar to the benefits of oranges for weight loss, these are high in fiber and by eating these in an empty stomach it can help with getting the maximum benefit of its vitamins and nutrients. Though these are NOT RECOMMENDED FOR those with stomach problems (especially with ulcers) as these may increase acid production.
- Benefits of eating oranges at night ? It might be a great option for a midnight snack since it’s packed with fiber, Vitamin C, and antioxidants. But these are better digested in the MORNING. At night, it can trigger the digestive system and disturb your sleep.
- How to eat orange peel? You can eat just the white of the oranges as they are seen as stomach medicine or medicine to prevent getting sick. But for the peel itself, some do eat or add some pieces of it to smoothies or salads for color, not too much as these uncooked can cause stomach aches. Cooked versions of the peel that many do enjoy sometimes regularly are candied peels or in marmalade.
- Can dogs eat mandarin oranges? Yes, DOGS CAN eat these as the kinds of citruses are not toxic to them. Though they cannot eat raisins or grapes.
- Can cats eat oranges? No, CATS CANNOT eat this citrus fruit. These are toxic to cats as they cannot consume acidic foods.
Oranges Recipes:
- Orange Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Fish Filet
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- An alternative to other fruit recipes like Mango Jelly, Creamy Lemon Chicken, Fruit Jelly, Fruity Graham Float, or Fruity Maja Blanca.
- A great addition to Spicy Kani Salad with Mango, Macaroni Fruit Cocktail Salad, and Fruit Salad ( Filipino-style ).
