With so many fruits to choose from these days, has the humble orange been forgotten as one of nature’s best all-rounders? I have to admit that oranges have taken a backseat to many of my favourite fruits in the test kitchen. That is until we harvested our first orange from the test kitchen garden! Oranges have amazing versatility in cooking–desserts, sauces, salads. But what are the real health benefits of an orange? We’ve all heard “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, but surely the orange wields it’s own super powers? Well, as a matter of fact it does!
Yes, the orange is often known as the poster child for vitamin C, but did you know that it also contains liminoids that have been shown to guard against certain cancers? Oranges are also a great source of soluble fibre, which can help control glucose and cholesterol levels, and are high in potassium–great for assisting in blood pressure regulation and overall heart health.
Now back to that vitamin C…oranges provide 53.2 mg of vitamin C per 100 g (about 90% of DRI), which is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and help scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals. If all that wasn’t enough, oranges are packed with healthful carotenoids that help protect against lung and liver cancers and even arthritis. Fully ripened oranges provide the highest amount of antioxidants, something which may be difficult to find at the grocer, so when you’re planning your own kitchen garden leave a spot for this fabulous superfood!