I have seen a lot of wonders in nature; these are the reasons I talk glowingly about it. I would like to share one of them with you. The chili pepper stem—the green part that you remove and throw away when washing your peppers—can be used to make yogurt because it contains bacteria that ferment milk and create a yogurt starter.
I have not stopped wondering why nature puts such useful bacteria in that part of a plant. This is why I keep saying that there are medicines in unlikely plant parts. Limes and lemons can also be used to make yogurt starters.
This week, I will be talking about oranges. They are botanically called Citrus sinensis and belong to the Rutaceae family. One of the most significant health benefits of oranges is their vitamin C content, which is about 70 milligrammes (or 93 per cent of the recommended dietary allowance) in a medium-sized fruit. All that vitamin C?
It can make you feel and look your best; there is a reason so many vitamin C skincare serums exist. It helps your body produce collagen, a protein essential for keeping your skin smooth, firm, and strong.
The fruit also contains a good amount of fibre, which can fill you up and aid in healthy digestion.
Notably, oranges have folate, a nutrient that helps make DNA, aids in cell division, and is essential for reducing the risk of neural tube defects (malformations of the spine, skull, and brain) that occur within the first three to four weeks after conception.
While bananas are known as the potassium superstar in the supermarket’s produce section, oranges can help you get your fill of this mineral too.
Oranges are packed with phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, which contribute to most of their antioxidant properties.
Hesperidin, one of the main antioxidants in oranges, may have blood pressure-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects in the body.
Naringenin is another citrus flavonoid that may help improve blood vessel function and enhance antioxidant defences in the body.
All citrus fruits are high in carotenoid antioxidants, which are responsible for their rich orange, red, and yellow colours. Beta-cryptoxanthin acts as an antioxidant in the body, protecting cells against oxidative damage.
Additionally, your body can convert beta-cryptoxanthin into the active form of vitamin A. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant found in high amounts in red-fleshed navel oranges. It has various health benefits, and getting enough in your diet may help protect you against heart disease.
Essential oils are concentrated oils derived from plants. Several types of oils are produced from citrus species, including oranges, lemons, and grapefruits. Orange essential oil is extracted from the rind of the sweet orange, Citrus sinensis. Sometimes, the leaves and flowers from the orange plant can be used as well.
Orange peels have about four times more health benefits than the actual orange fruit we eat. While on the series called “Medicines in Unlikely Plant Parts,” we mentioned that you can boil orange peels and drink the water as tea. If you have the peels in large quantities, you can dry them and grind them. Store them in an airtight container and use them to make tea.
Studies suggest that diets high in citrus fruits may help reduce the risk of several types of cancers, including lung, mouth, stomach, and head and neck cancers. One review of ten high-quality studies found that consuming orange juice reduced several heart disease risk factors, including blood sugar levels, LDL, also known as cholesterol, and the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein.
A study found that drinking fresh orange juice helped increase skin carotenoid levels, which are good indicators of total antioxidant status in the body. Oranges are rich in fibre (pectin). Studies show that foods rich in vitamin C, like oranges, can help prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol levels low. Participants who consumed oranges were found to have a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration.
A 2012 study looked at the effect of orange essential oil on E. coli isolates obtained from beef, which can potentially cause food poisoning. Results indicated that a one per cent or lower concentration of orange essential oil inhibited the bacteria at refrigeration temperatures after 24 hours.
Another study examined the effect of orange essential oil on strains of Staphylococcus aureus (staph bacteria) that are resistant to antibiotics. They found that when added to infected human cells in culture, low concentrations of orange essential oil killed the bacteria without harming the cultured cells. Orange essential oil may also prevent the growth of fungi that can spoil food.
One study found that orange oil provided some protection against four species of fungi.
In a 2015 study, women in labour reported less anxiety after inhaling orange essential oil than those in the control group who inhaled distilled water.
A 2019 study carried out on mice examined the inhalation of orange essential oils and its potential effect on depression.
The researchers found that the mice who inhaled the orange essential oil displayed fewer depression-like behaviours.
According to a registered dietitian and spokesperson of the British Dietetic Association, Clare Thornton-Wood, the peel contains more fibre and vitamin C than the flesh of the fruit, along with polyphenols linked to the prevention of many chronic diseases such as diabetes.
According to the founder of Greenletes, a plant-based nutrition blog for athletes, and author of the cookbook, Planted Performance, Natalie Rizzo, RD, “Oranges are a nutritious fruit packed with a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Not only are they beneficial for the immune system and heart, but they also play a role in regulating inflammation in the body. Plus, oranges are 86 percent water, helping to keep you hydrated.”
The health benefits of oranges go well beyond vitamin C. Oranges are rich in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure.
The fibre in oranges may promote satiety, keeping you full and potentially contributing to weight loss. Eating oranges can offer significant eye benefits, as the flavonoids in them help boost vision health.
They can also serve as an immunity booster. Oranges contain calcium, which may reduce the risk of kidney stones and promote iron absorption.
A study titled, ‘Anti-inflammatory Properties of Orange Juice: Possible Favorable Molecular and Metabolic Effects’, concludes that orange juice could be a dietary feature for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.
A study titled, ‘Vitamin C and Immune Function’, concludes that vitamin C contributes to immune defence by supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune systems.
Another study titled, ‘Dietary Intakes of Citrus Fruit and Risk of Gastric Cancer Incidence: An Adaptive Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies’, concludes that the intake of citrus fruit inhibits the development of cardia gastric cancer. This conclusion may serve as a primary prevention measure as the incidence of CGC rises.
Credit: Olufunke Faluyi