Orange facts

Orange is known to have several health benefits and is among the most popular fruits around the world.

Oranges can be had not only as a snack but also as a major recipe ingredient in various dishes. Nowadays orange juice is an integral part of a healthy breakfast thus promoting a healthy start to the day. They're mainly available in two categories — sweet and bitter, with the former being the type most commonly consumed. Generally an orange should have smoothly textured skin and be firm and heavy for its size. These will have higher juice content than those that are either spongy or lighter in weight.

Benefits of eating oranges

High in Vitamin C
Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C. One orange offers 116.2 per cent of the daily value for vitamin C. Good intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer as it helps to get of free radicals that cause damage to our DNA.
Healthy immune system
Vitamin C, which is also vital for the proper function of a healthy immune system, is good for preventing colds and preventing recurrent ear infections.

Prevents skin damage
Anti-oxidants in oranges help protect skin from free radical damage known to cause signs of aging. An orange a day can help you look young even at 50!

Keeps blood pressure under check
Oranges, being rich in Vitamins B6, help support the production of haemoglobin and also help keep blood pressure under check due to the presence of magnesium.

Lowers cholesterol
According to a study by US and Canadian researchers, a class of compounds found in citrus fruit peels called Polymethoxylated Flavones (PMFs) have the potential to lower cholesterol more effectively than some prescription drugs without side effects.

Controls blood sugar level
Fibre in oranges help by keeping blood sugar levels under control thereby making oranges a healthy snack for people with diabetes. Moreover, oranges have simple sugars. The natural fruit sugar in oranges, fructose, can help keep blood sugar levels from rising too high after eating. Its glycemic index is 40 and normally whatever foods fall under 50 are considered to be low in sugar. However, that does not mean you go about eating too many oranges in one go. Eating too much can spike insulin and may even lead to weight gain.

Lowers the risk of cancer
Oranges contain D- limonene, a compound that is touted to prevent cancers like lung cancer, skin cancer and even breast cancer. Vitamin C and antioxidants present in oranges are both important to build body’s immunity – they help in fighting cancer. The fibrous nature of the fruit also makes it cancer protective. According to a study, up to 15 per cent of cancer cases happen because of mutations in the DNA, which can be prevented with Vitamin C.

Alkalizes the body
While the basic nature of oranges is acidic before you actually digest them, they have a lot of alkaline minerals that play a role in the process of digestion. This property of oranges is similar to that of lemons, which are without doubt among the most alkaline foods.

Good eye health
Oranges are a rich source of carotenoid. The Vitamin A present in them play an important role in keeping the mucus membranes in the eyes healthy. Vitamin A is also responsible to prevent age-related mascular degeneration, which in extreme cases can lead to blindness. It also helps eyes to absorb the light.

Safeguards against constipation
Oranges have both soluble and insoluble fibre. This helps in keeping your intestines and stomach function smooth, preventing irritable bowel syndrome. Additionally, the fibre helps treat constipation to a greater extent.

Orange peels: edible or poisonous?
Orange peels are not poisonous and, as many cooks know, orange zest can pack a big flavor punch. While orange peels are edible, they are not nearly as sweet or juicy as the pulp. They can also be difficult to digest and, unless you're eating an organic orange peel, covered in chemicals.
If you do eat the peel, you'll get a good amount of nutrients. "Orange peel actually has more fiber then the fruit inside contains," Flores said. "It also has flavonoids in it that contain nutritious benefits." Flavonoids are compounds found in many foods. They are known to have antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory effects, which relieve pressures on the heart.
Additionally, orange peels contain vitamins A, C, B6 and B5; calcium; riboflavin; thiamin; niacin; and folate. One way to get some of the nutrients is by eating the inner part of the peel and leaving the tough outer part. "The pith of the orange — the white part between the skin and fruit — can be sour or bitter but actually contains just as much vitamin C as the fruit itself, with a good deal of fiber," Flores said.

Health risks
Oranges are great for you, but you should enjoy them in moderation, Flores warned. "Eating too many oranges has some uncomfortable side effects," she said. "When eaten in excess, the greater fiber content can effect digestion, causing abdominal cramps and could also lead to diarrhea."
Though oranges are relatively low in calories, eating several of the fruits in a day can add up and may lead to weight gain. It is also possible to have too much vitamin C (more than 2,000 mg a day). An excess of this nutrient may lead to diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, bloating or cramps, headaches, insomnia, or kidney stones.
"Because they are a high-acid food, [oranges] can contribute to heartburn, especially for those who already suffer [from heartburn] regularly," said Flores. People with
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD, also called acid reflux disease) may experience heartburn or regurgitation if they eat too many oranges.
People who are taking beta-blockers should be careful not to consume too many oranges. These medicines increase potassium levels and, if mixed with too many potassium-rich foods like oranges and bananas, can lead to an excess of potassium in the body. This is a significant concern for people whose kidneys are not fully functional, as the additional potassium will not be effectively removed from the body.

Useful tip
Oranges like most citrus fruits, produce more juice when warmer — juice them when they are at room temperature. Rolling the orange under the palm of your hand on a flat surface will also help to extract more juice. Vitamin C gets destroyed fast when exposed to air, so eat an orange quickly once cut up.

Some historical fun facts about oranges include:

Oranges originated around 4000 B.C. in Southeast Asia, from which they spread to India.

Oranges are unknown in the wild. They are a hybrid of the pomelo, or "Chinese grapefruit" (which is pale green or yellow), and the tangerine.

The orange tree is a small tropical to semitropical, evergreen, flowering plant. It grows up to 16 to 26 feet (5 to 8 meters).

Oranges are actually modified berries.

The fruit came before the color. The word "orange" derives from the Arabic "naranj" and arrived in English as "narange" in the 14th century, gradually losing the initial "n."

"Orange" was first used as the name for a color in 1542.

Oranges are classified into two general categories: sweet and bitter. The sweet varieties are the most commonly consumed. Popular varieties of the sweet orange ( Citrus sinensis ) include Valencia, navel and Jaffa oranges, as well as the blood orange, a hybrid species that is smaller in size, more aromatic in flavor and marked by red hues running throughout its flesh.

Bitter oranges ( Citrus aurantium ) are often used to make jam or marmalade, and their zest is used as the flavoring for liqueurs such as Grand Marnier and Cointreau.

The name "navel orange" comes from the belly-button formation opposite the fruit's stem end. The bigger the navel, the sweeter the orange.

Moorish, Portuguese and Italian traders and explorers introduced sweet oranges into Europe around the 15th century, after finding the fruits on voyages to Asia and the Middle East.

Renaissance paintings that display oranges on the table during "The Last Supper" are wrong. Oranges were not cultivated in the Middle East until sometime around the ninth century.

Christopher Columbus planted the first orange trees in the Caribbean islands in the late 15th century after he brought the seeds there on his second voyage to the New World.

Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon brought oranges to Florida in the 16th century, and Spanish missionaries brought them to California in the 18th century,
Commercial oranges are often bright orange because an artificial dye, Citrus Red Number 2, is injected into their skins at the level of 2 parts per million.

Oranges can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. They will generally last the same amount of time, two weeks, with either method, and will retain nearly the same level of vitamin content.

The best way to store oranges is loose rather than wrapped in a plastic bag, because they can easily develop mold if exposed to moisture.

In 2008, the top five orange-producing countries, by millions of tons produced, were Brazil (18.3), the United States (9.1), Mexico (4.3), India (4.2) and China (3.4).

In Spanish, "anaranjear" means, literally, to "orangicate" — to pelt something with oranges.

About 85 percent of all oranges produced are used for juice.
There are over 600 varieties of oranges worldwide.
A typical orange has 10 segments.

Orange peel sprinkled over a vegetable garden is an effective slug repellent.

The white orange blossom is the state flower of Florida.
(Sources: Top Food Facts, Science Kids & Florida Citrus Commission

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