What will happen to your body if you eat an orange every day? Is the white tangerine really worth eating?

Oranges are the most convenient fruit to eat in autumn. You don’t need to wash them when you are busy. You can eat them after peeling the skin. They have a fragrant smell, a sweet and sour taste, and rich juice. For those who love to eat fruits, they are simply irresistible.

Image source: unsplash.com What nutrients does an orange have? What changes will happen to your body if you eat an orange every day? Let's talk about it today~

What nutrients do oranges have?

Oranges have been cultivated in my country and India since ancient times, with a cultivation history of more than 3,000 years. The soluble sugars, organic acids, flavonoids and limonoids contained in them together give oranges a unique flavor. Oranges are nutritious. Although the content of dietary fiber is not very rich, the content of vitamin C and mineral potassium is good. The "Chinese Food Composition Table" lists the nutritional components of many oranges. Although there are differences between different varieties, they are not very large.

As can be seen from the table, among the common orange varieties, the one with the lowest calorie content is the small-leaf orange, the one with the highest dietary fiber content is the mandarin orange and kumquat, the one with the highest vitamin C content is the tangerine and kumquat, and the one with the highest potassium content is the Sanhu red orange. In addition, oranges are also rich in carotene and folic acid, with the folic acid content of 52.9 micrograms per 100 grams, which is 8.4 times that of apples. [1]

What changes will occur in your body if you eat an orange every day?

Oranges are sweet and sour, and you can eat them by peeling the skin. It is very convenient whether you are at home or traveling. If you can eat one orange a day, it will also have many health benefits.

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1. Promote skin health

The vitamin C content of oranges is usually between 20~40mg/100g. Eating 2 large oranges a day can basically meet the daily vitamin requirement. Sufficient intake of vitamin C in the diet not only helps the body maintain normal immune function, but also helps maintain skin elasticity and prevent dry skin and wrinkles.

2. Stabilize blood pressure

The potassium content in oranges is quite good. Consuming fruits with high potassium content can help us better stabilize blood pressure levels.

3. Protect your eyes

The carotene content in oranges is usually 370-5140 micrograms per 100 grams. Among the common orange varieties, the ones with higher carotene content are small-leaf orange and early orange, with contents of 2460 micrograms per 100 grams and 5140 micrograms per 100 grams respectively. Eating more foods rich in carotene is good for the health of eyes and skin.

4 is beneficial to the healthy development of the fetus

Among common fruits, oranges are a good choice for folic acid supplementation. Eating one large orange can meet nearly 13% of the folic acid needs of women preparing for pregnancy. The most valuable thing is that oranges can be eaten raw, which reduces the loss of folic acid during cooking and heating. my country's "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends that women before pregnancy need to continue to supplement folic acid for 3 months, 400 micrograms per day and continue during pregnancy, which helps prevent fetal neural tube defects. However, considering the important role of folic acid and the uncertainty of dietary intake, it is recommended that those preparing for pregnancy or pregnant women take folic acid supplements directly instead of relying on certain foods.

5. Protect cardiovascular system

In addition to women who are preparing for pregnancy and pregnant women, ordinary people should also pay attention to folic acid supplementation. Because ordinary people's lack of folic acid will affect the metabolism of homocysteine, which is easy to cause hyperhomocysteinemia, and then increase the risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and depression. In addition, ordinary people's lack of folic acid will also increase the risk of megaloblastic anemia.

Don't eat too much or you may get yellow and get angry

Although oranges are delicious and nutritious, you can't eat too much of them. Otherwise, it will not only cause temporary "yellowish" skin, but also "getting angry", resulting in symptoms such as swollen and painful gums, dry mouth and tongue.

This is because, first of all, oranges are rich in carotene, and consuming too much at one time will lead to "hypercarotenemia". The name sounds scary, but don't worry, it is not harmful to health, it just makes our skin temporarily yellow, as long as you stop consuming foods rich in carotene for about a week, your skin will gradually return to its original color.

Secondly, the reason why eating too many oranges can cause "inflammation" is because they contain a lot of sugar, usually more than 10%. A large amount of sugar can increase the osmotic pressure of cells, leading to dry throat and discomfort in the mouth, throat, gums and other parts of the body. Oranges also contain a large amount of organic acids that can cause oral damage, such as burning mouth syndrome. The fructose in oranges may also cause acute inflammation in the human body. [2]

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Therefore, you should eat oranges in moderation. If you plan to eat oranges all day, don't eat more than 4. Remember to rinse your mouth in time after eating to avoid the symptoms of "getting angry".

Is the whole orange a treasure?

1Is the white silk in oranges worth eating?

As for the white threads in oranges, many people may not like their taste. In fact, the white threads on the orange segments are called orange peels. Modern research shows that in addition to dietary fiber, orange peels also contain chemical components such as flavonoids and volatile oils. The main active ingredient is flavonoid compounds, among which hesperidin is the main flavonoid, which has antioxidant effects. [3]

However, there is very little orange peel on the orange, and even if you eat half a pound of oranges, the amount you consume is not much, so don't expect to get any special benefits from eating it. For those who don't hate it, it is recommended to eat it directly, which can help you supplement some dietary fiber. If you really don't like it, there is no need to force yourself.

2 Is orange peel the same as tangerine peel? In order to avoid wasting oranges, many people dry the orange peels and soak them in water to drink, thinking that this is the so-called "tangerine peel". In fact, the orange peels we dry ourselves are not real tangerine peels.

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Tangerine peel is the mature dried peel of the citrus plant and its cultivated varieties of the Rutaceae family, which was first recorded in Shennong's Herbal Classic. Tangerine peel is essentially made from tangerine peel, but people have given it different names because of different times.

Tangerine peel that is more than three years old is called dried tangerine peel. At this stage, the peel contains less water, sugar and volatile oil, is not easy to burn, get damp, moldy or be eaten by insects, is darker in color, and has no fresh fruit smell.

Orange peel that is no more than three years old is called tangerine peel or fruit peel. The tangerine peel at this stage contains more water, sugar and volatile oil, and is prone to burn, moisture, mildew and insect damage. It is lighter in color and has the smell of fresh fruit.

Therefore, the orange peels that we dry ourselves are not called "dried tangerine peels", but after you keep them for three years, they can be called tangerine peels. [4]

If you buy oranges on the roadside, it is best not to use the peels to soak in water or cook dishes, to avoid excessive pesticide residues on the peels, which is harmful to the body. If you like the smell, you can dry it and put it next to your pillow or make a sachet, which will emit an attractive fragrance.

Summarize

Oranges are a nutritious fruit in autumn. To protect their appearance, don't eat too many at one time. The oranges you buy can be stored in the refrigerator and eaten as soon as possible.

References

[1] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[2] Wu Jinlong. Establishment of citrus allergenicity evaluation method and study on its mechanism of adverse reactions in humans[D]. Huazhong Agricultural University, 2018.

[3] Yang Yan. Study on the chemical composition of orange peel and orange seed[D]. Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2015.

[4]DB4407/T 70-2021 Geographical Indication Product Xinhui Tangerine Peel

[5] Guan Xutao, Yang Henian, Zhang Jincheng, et al. Research progress on the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of dried tangerine peel [J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine: 1-14 [2023-10-02].

Author: Xue Qingxin Member of Chinese Nutrition Society Registered Nutritionist Health Manager Public Nutritionist

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center