Burst of health benefits from oranges and other citrus fruit

NEW YORK – Oranges, grapefruits and other members of the citrus family are at their sweetest and juiciest in winter, when weather conditions are ideal for them to ripen. And they are bursting with nutrients that support your immune system and help your body heal.

Here are the top health benefits of citrus fruit.

Their vitamin C content is worth the hype

Citrus fruit are famous for their high vitamin C content – and for good reason. One navel orange contains 83mg of vitamin C and one half of a red grapefruit contains about 46mg. Both can go a long way in helping you meet the 75 to 90mg recommended daily.

Vitamin C plays an important role in your immune system, said dietitian and clinical associate professor of nutrition Natalie Allen at Missouri State University.

The vitamin – considered an essential nutrient because your body cannot make it itself – helps to form the cells that make up your immune system, she said. It also aids those cells in locating and fighting infections.

Vitamin C contributes to wound healing and tissue growth too, so it keeps your skin, muscles and blood vessels healthy, she added. And the nutrient helps your body absorb “non-heme iron”, which is iron from plant-based foods like lentils and spinach.

They will not cure your cold, but they might shorten it

There is no evidence that vitamin C can cure seasonal illnesses, said professor of nutritional sciences Alex Kojo Anderson at the University of Georgia.

“If you have a cold now and you take vitamin C, it’s not going to have much impact,” he said.

But regularly meeting your recommended daily dose of vitamin C – including on days when you are healthy – can help your immune system do its job, which could shorten the length of a cold when you do get one.

One 2013 meta-analysis found that consuming at least 200mg of vitamin C daily helped people kick the common cold about 8 per cent faster.

The analysis focused on vitamin C from supplements, not from citrus fruit, but Prof Anderson said it is best to get your vitamin C through whole fruit.

When you eat a whole fruit, you are also getting other nutritional benefits – think gut-friendly fibre, hydrating water and other micronutrients – that you will not find in powders, gummies or tablets.

They may help lower inflammation

Chronic inflammation can raise your risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The vitamin C in citrus is an antioxidant that helps limit this inflammation, said dietitian and clinical associate professor Christiane Meireles in the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Citrus fruit also contain other compounds, like carotenoids, that may act as antioxidants. This adds to their anti-inflammatory benefits, she added.

How to enjoy them

Choose oranges over OJ: Whole fruit are your best bet when it comes to maximising nutrients. When you juice a citrus fruit, you end up losing much of its beneficial fibre, Prof Meireles said. And because it takes several pieces of fruit to produce a glass of juice, you typically consume more sugar and calories when you drink it.

Be wary of medication interactions: Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can interfere with some medicines by blocking an enzyme that helps metabolise certain drugs. As a result, more of the drug enters your bloodstream, increasing the risk of side effects. In other cases, including with common thyroid medications, grapefruit can have an opposite effect, blocking the drug’s absorption. If you take prescription medications, Prof Allen recommended asking your doctor before consuming grapefruit.

Do not ditch the peel: Some research suggests that the citrus oils in the peel’s outer layer contain their own antioxidants that may benefit your health, Prof Meireles said. Adding citrus zest to a dish can help you tap these potential benefits. NYTIMES

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