What is orange good for?

What is orange good for

A glass of orange juice contains as much sugar as a glass of cola. But what about a fresh orange? Is this not healthy or is it? And why? Read on to discover how healthy oranges really are.

Is orange healthy?

Are you now asking yourself: ‘Is an orange healthy?’ The answer is: yes, oranges are great. Not only are they deliciously juicy and refreshing, but they are also packed with nutrients that are good for our body.

But that is not everything! Oranges are also high in fiber, which is good for our digestion and intestinal health. Have you now become curious about all the health benefits of oranges? Then don’t wait any longer and read on!

What is an orange?

Oranges, who doesn’t know them? They are those delicious fruits that belong to the citrus family. They come from different countries, such as Spain, South Africa, Egypt, Argentina and Morocco.

Did you know that oranges are actually yellow-green when they hang on the tree? Once the nighttime chill hits, their color changes to that beautiful orange we love so much. Sometimes there are even oranges that remain green later.

There are so many different types of oranges to choose from depending on your taste preference! There are sweet oranges and sweet and sour varieties, such as the regular orange, the navel orange and the blood orange.

Would you like to know more about the blood orange? Then read our article about blood oranges and their health benefits. In addition, there are also special hand oranges and special press oranges.

But be careful, if you want to make orange juice, you should not choose hand oranges. They have less moisture and more soft flesh, so you don’t get a nice juice from them.

But that makes them perfect for simply eating out of hand. After all, less juice means less mess!

And did you know that you can do much more with oranges? You can use them in all kinds of meals. How about adding orange segments to fried fish? Or grilling orange slices and serving them with a delicious ice cream?

So, the next time you see oranges, be creative!

RESUME
Oranges belong to the citrus fruits. There are many types of oranges, such as blood oranges and navel oranges. The orange is also suitable for use in various meals, such as with ice cream or in a bowl.

What is the nutritional value of an orange?

A medium-sized orange (130 grams) contains the following nutritional values.

  • Energy 62 kcal
  • Fat 0.3 g
    – of which saturated 0.3 g
  • Carbohydrates 10.3 g
    – of which sugars 10.2 g
  • Fiber 2.6 g
  • Protein 1.0 g
  • Salt 0.0 g

What nutrients do oranges contain?

Below you can read which and how many nutrients a medium-sized orange (130 grams) contains.

Nutrient Quantity Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
Potassium 230mg 3500 mg
Calcium 30 mg Men and women 18-24 years: 1000 mg
Men 25-69 years and women 25-49 years 950 mg
Women 60-69 years 1100 mg
Magnesium 13 mg Men 350 mg
Women 300 mg
Iron 0.1mg Men and women who do not menstruate 11 g
Women who do menstruate 16 mg*
Selenium 0 µg 70 µg
Zinc 0.2 µg Men (>18 years) 9 ug
Women (>18 years) 7 ug
Pregnant women 9.1 ug
Breastfeeding women 11 ug
Vitamin A 10ug Men 800 μg
Women 680 μg
Vitamin D 0 µg 10 μg
>70 years
People with tanned skin
People who rarely go outside and/or cover their hands and face 20 μg
Vitamin E 0.5mg Men 13 mg
Women 11 mg
Thiamine (vitamin B1) 0.08mg 0.1mg
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) 0.04 mg 1.6mg
Vitamin B6 0.08mg Men and women 1.5 mg
Men >50 years 1.8 mg
Folic acid 42 µg 300 μg
Pregnant and lactating women 400 μg
Vitamin B12 0 µg 2.8 μg
Niacin 0.5mg 16 mg
Vitamin C 66 mg 75 mg
Iodine 3 μg 150 μg
Pregnant and/or lactating women 200 μg.
Phosphorus 31mg [2] 550 mg (>18 years) [3]

What is orange good for?

Oranges are really great when it comes to health! They are packed with fiber, which is good for your heart and digestion. But wait, there’s more! Below you will find the most notable health benefits of this orange, cheerful fruit.

Packed with nutrients such as vitamin C

First of all, let’s talk about vitamin C. The orange is known as a vitamin C bomb. With a medium-sized orange you get no less than 88% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C.

Vitamin C is not only important for your immune system, but also plays a role in the production of collagen, which keeps your skin beautiful and healthy.

But that’s not all oranges have to offer. They are also high in thiamin and niacin, which is important for proper energy metabolism.

RESUME
Oranges are packed with vitamin C, which is good for your resistance and helps keep your skin firm.

Supports good heart health

Now let’s talk about heart health. With an orange you get 230 mg of potassium, which is essential for healthy blood pressure [6]. Together with sodium, which is part of normal salt, potassium helps to maintain your blood pressure.

A good balance between potassium and sodium is important because too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, an orange contains no salt, so that’s a bonus!

The fiber in the orange probably also has a blood pressure-lowering effect. Sufficient fiber in your diet also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as stroke. So the fiber in oranges is really great for your heart!

RESUME
With just one orange you get a good amount of potassium, which, together with the fiber, contributes to your heart health.

Packed with fiber

Wait, fiber has even more health benefits. Fiber contributes to good heart health, good digestion, healthy intestines and can possibly lower blood pressure.

The bioactive substance naringenin is also said to contribute to healthy bowel movements in people who suffer from constipation through a laxative effect, according to research in mice. Further research must show whether this is also the case in humans.

There are also smaller oranges (approximately 100 grams) and larger oranges (approximately 160 grams). With a large orange you already get almost the recommended daily amount of fruit.

That’s handy! It is recommended for women to consume at least 25 grams of fiber per day, and for men it is at least 30 grams.

Fun fact: the white of the orange and the peel of the orange contain a lot of fiber and antioxidants. For example, grate the peel on a salad.

RESUME
Fibers have even more health benefits: they ensure good bowel movements, healthy intestines and can possibly lower blood pressure.

Can reduce the risk of anemia

And now something special for the vegetarians and vegans among us (or those who eat little meat). Iron from plant foods (non-heme iron) is less easily absorbed than iron from meat and fish (heme iron).

But here the orange comes to the rescue! It is packed with vitamin C, and our body needs vitamin C to absorb iron from plant foods.

So by combining vitamin C-rich foods such as oranges with iron-rich foods, you reduce the risk of iron deficiency.

Green leafy vegetables and legumes are examples of plant-based foods high in iron. So try making a lentil salad with orange slices. Tasty and healthy!

An iron deficiency is not the same as anemia. You can get anemia due to iron deficiency, but this is not always the case.

So, pay close attention to symptoms of iron deficiency if you eat little or no meat or fish. This way you can have the iron in your blood tested in time and avoid anemia. Fatigue, quickly getting out of breath and pale skin are some of the complaints.

RESUME
The vitamin C in oranges is necessary for the absorption of iron from plant sources, which is extra important for vegetarians and vegans.

Supports good resistance

And let’s not forget that oranges also play a role in supporting good resistance. Vitamin C plays an essential role in this.

It is not only important for your immune system and healthy skin, but also as a powerful antioxidant.

It helps scavenge free radicals, which can damage our tissues and cells [10]. This can reduce the risk of (chronic) diseases. So an orange a day can certainly help keep your resistance up!

And remember, if you have a cold or flu, eating extra vitamin C is not the answer. Eating healthy and resting well are the best remedies. Supplements with high doses of vitamin C are also not recommended, because too much vitamin C can be harmful.

If you take too much water-soluble vitamin C, you excrete it, which puts a strain on your kidneys and can even be toxic.

The chance of a toxic effect is even greater with fat-soluble vitamins, because these vitamins are stored in your fat mass. Therefore, be smart and stick to a maximum of 200% of the recommended daily amount.

RESUME
Oranges are packed with healthy nutrients that are good for your resistance, such as the superheroes vitamin C and other antioxidants.

Are oranges healthier than apples?

I hear you thinking: ‘Is it better to eat an orange than an apple ?’ Let’s first say that every piece of fruit is healthy. However, if we compare them, the orange has certain advantages.

Oranges are richer in nutrients, where the content of vitamin C and potassium is particularly striking. But don’t forget: by varying your fruit choices, you stay healthy.

So, the answer to the question of which fruit is best depends on your taste preference and nutritional needs.

Are oranges good for weight loss?

Are you wondering if oranges are good for losing weight? The answer is: yes! You can definitely eat oranges if you want to lose weight. One orange contains only 62 calories, which makes it low in calories.

Eating low-calorie foods in particular makes losing weight a lot easier. This makes it easier for you to take in less energy than you burn. You can still eat a lot with low-calorie food. Win win!

Are you following a low-carb diet ? Please take the rules of your diet into account. With some diets you are temporarily not allowed to eat fruit and with other diets you are allowed to eat a maximum of one piece of fruit per day.

Does this diet seem right to you? Then try our free weight loss training now. Are you curious about what other benefits oranges have for weight loss? Then read our article about losing weight and oranges.

Is orange juice healthy?

I hear you thinking, ‘What about orange juice?’ Unfortunately, we have to disappoint you: this is much less healthy. Although you would think that you are getting exactly the same amount of nutrients, this is not true. For example, a glass of orange juice contains many more grams of sugar: namely 12.5 sugar cubes!

You quickly need five oranges for one glass of orange juice. Have you ever eaten five oranges in one sitting? No, neither do we!

In addition, many nutrients are lost by juicing this citrus fruit. Would you like to drink orange juice sometime? Then choose fresh orange juice, which contains more nutrients than the long-life variety.

RESUME
Orange juice easily contains 12.5 sugar cubes, which makes it not very healthy. Therefore, it is better to choose a whole orange.

How many oranges can you eat per day?

Okay, now you know that oranges are healthy, but how much of them can you eat? If you eat at least 200 grams of fresh fruit every day, you will be fine. No matter how healthy the orange is, variation remains important.

All types of fruit contain different nutrients. The different colors of fruit in particular differ greatly in terms of nutrients. ‘Eat the rainbow’.

For example, combine an orange with a bowl of blueberries, banana , blueberries or strawberries . Not crazy about oranges? Then you can choose another citrus fruit, such as mandarins or persimmons.

Conclusion

So, what is the conclusion now? Oranges are certainly healthy. Not only do you get a good dose of vitamin C, but also many other super healthy nutrients, such as potassium and fiber. As a result, oranges boost your heart and intestinal health.

Abbas Jahangir

I am a researcher and writer with a background in food and nutritional science. I am the founder of Foodstrend.com, our reputable online platform offering scientifically-backed articles on health, food, nutrition, kitchen tips, recipes, diet, and fitness. With a commitment to providing accurate and reliable information, we strive to empower our readers to make informed decisions about their health and lifestyle choices. Join us on Foodstrend.com's journey toward a healthier and happier lifestyle.

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