Oranges, a healthy treat

An orange can provide a range of vitamins and minerals; and more important, boosting your vitamin C needs for the day. Eating higher amounts of Flavanones, a compound found in citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit may lower stroke risk for women.

Immune system
Amanda Tumwebaze, a nutritionist mentions oranges, tangerines and other citrus fruits as happy fruits and are known to strengthen your immune system. These are good remedies for preventing colds and preventing recurrent ear infections.
In addition, they help reduce the risk of respiratory diseases such as flu, certain cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcers and kidney stones.
Like most citrus fruits, oranges produce more juice when at room temperature. Also, Vitamin C gets destroyed fast when exposed to air, so eat an orange quickly once cut up.

Vitamin C
An ample intake of this citrus fruit daily is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer as it helps to prevent free radicals that cause damage to our DNA thereby causing cancer.
The fibrous nature of the fruit makes it cancer protective.”

Prevents skin damage
Fausta Akech, a nutritionist at Healthy U says the anti-oxidant elements in oranges help protect skin from free radical damage which is known to cause signs of aging. “The vitamin C in the oranges protects the skin from damage caused by the sun and pollution. It is vital to collagen production and may help reduce wrinkles and improve the skin’s overall texture,” says Akech.

Checks blood pressure
Oranges, being rich in Vitamins B6 which help in the production of haemoglobin and also help keep blood pressure under check due to the presence of magnesium.
“The sugar in oranges, fructose, can help keep blood sugar levels from rising too high after eating, says Akech. However, it is not good to eat many oranges at once because they can spike insulin and may even lead to weight gain.”

Good eye health
“Oranges are a rich source of carotenoid from Vitamin A which plays an important role in keeping the mucus membranes in the eyes healthy. Vitamin A is responsible preventing age-related macular degeneration, which, in extreme cases, can lead to blindness for elderly people,” she remarks.

Digestion
Oranges contain a soluble fibre which helps in proper digestion thereby controlling constipation. Normal digestion requires a steady supply of water, and oranges have a lot of it.
Freshly-squeezed orange juice can increase the acidity within your stomach and promote better digestion, but it should be consumed prior to eating and not combined with food.
She says, “Be careful however, if you suffer from heartburn to avoid orange juice because it may make this worse. This is due to the fact that there is already too much acid production by the stomach any further intake of acids can cause an inflammation of the stomach lining or a stomach ulcer.”