Citrus fruits : rich in vitamins
Sweet, brightly colored citrus fruits
bring a burst of sunshine into winter days. But citrus fruits are not only
flavorful and pretty — they're also good for you.
This class of
fruits includes lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit, as well as many more hybrids
and varieties.
They have a bunch
of health benefits, from boosting immunity to fighting cancer.
Read on to find out
7 reasons to eat citrus fruits.
What Are Citrus Fruits?
Citrus fruits grow
on flowering trees and shrubs. They are characterized by a leathery rind and
white pith that encases juicy segments.
They're native to
Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and possibly Southeast Asia (1).
Nowadays, they are
cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates all over the world. Major
production hubs include Spain, Brazil, China, the US, Mexico and India (1).
Interestingly,
nearly a third of all citrus fruits are used to make juice (1).
You can find all
kinds of citrus fruits year round. The peak season for oranges and grapefruits
in the Northern Hemisphere is between mid-December and April.
Here are some
popular varieties of citrus fruits:
- Sweet oranges: Valencia, navel, blood orange, cara cara
- Mandarins: Satsuma, clementine, tangor, tangelo
- Limes: Persian, key lime, kaffir
- Grapefruit: White, ruby red, oroblanco
- Lemons: Eureka, Meyer
- Other kinds: Citron, sudachi, yuzu, pomelos
Read on for 7 reasons to add these
fruits to your diet.
1. They're Rich in Vitamins and Plant Compounds
Citrus fruits are
an excellent source of vitamin C, a
nutrient that strengthens the immune system and keeps your skin smooth and
elastic (2, 3, 4, 5).
In fact, just one
medium orange has all the vitamin C you need in a day (6).
Citrus fruits also
have good amounts of other vitamins and minerals that your body needs to
function properly, including B vitamins, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and
copper (7).
Additionally, they
are rich in plant compounds that have various health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and
antioxidant effects.
These compounds
include over 60 varieties of flavonoids, carotenoids and essential oils, and
they are responsible for many of citrus fruit's health benefits (7, 8).
SUMMARY:Citrus fruits are very nutritious,
offering a host of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that help keep you
healthy.
Citrus fruits are a good source of fiber.
Just one cup of orange segments contains four grams of fiber (6).
To put that in perspective, it's recommended that you
consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you eat. It's estimated that
only 4% of men and 13% of women in the US get that amount (9Trusted Source).
Fiber has several health benefits, including improving
digestive health and aiding weight loss.
Oranges are particularly high in soluble fiber, the
kind of fiber that helps lower cholesterol levels (10Trusted Source).
Compared to other fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits
are unique in that they have a higher ratio of soluble to insoluble fiber (11Trusted Source).
SUMMARY:Citrus fruits
are good sources of soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and aids
digestion.
If you're watching your calorie intake,
citrus fruits are a good choice.
They're low in calories, yet their water and fiber
contents help fill you up.
- 1 small clementine: 35
- 1 medium orange: 62
- 1/2 pink grapefruit: 52
- 1/2 white grapefruit: 39
- Juice from 1 lemon: 12
What's more, a 2015 study that looked at people's
eating habits and weight over 24 years found that eating citrus fruits was
linked to weight loss (16Trusted Source).
SUMMARY:Citrus fruits
are low in calories, making them a smart choice for people seeking to lose or
maintain their weight.
Kidney stones are painful mineral
crystals.
They can form when your urine is very
concentrated or when you have higher-than-normal amounts of stone-forming
minerals in your urine.
One type of kidney stone is caused by
low levels of citrate in urine.
Many fruits and vegetables, especially
citrus fruits, can raise the levels of citrate in your urine, lowering the risk
of kidney stones (17Trusted Source).
Drinking citrus juices and eating these
fruits can offer a natural alternative to potassium citrate supplements.
According to data on American eating
habits over the last 40 years, kidney stones are more common in people who eat
fewer citrus fruits (18Trusted Source).
SUMMARY:Eating citrus
fruits may help lower the risk of kidney stones in some people by raising
citrate levels in urine.
Many studies have linked citrus fruits
to a reduced risk of certain cancers (1).
In one study, people who ate one
grapefruit or drank one serving of grapefruit juice daily had a lower risk of
lung cancer (19Trusted Source).
Other studies have suggested that citrus
fruits may also protect against esophageal, stomach, breast and pancreatic
cancers (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).
These fruits contain a host of plant
compounds, including flavonoids, that may help protect against cancer (8Trusted Source).
Some of these flavonoids act as antioxidants and may block the expression
of certain genes that are responsible for some degenerative diseases, including
cancer (8Trusted Source).
Citrus fruits may also help fight cancer
by suppressing cancers, blocking the formation of new cancers and making
carcinogens inactive (8Trusted Source).
SUMMARY:Citrus fruits
have been widely studied for their protective effects on a variety of cancer
types.
Eating citrus fruits could be good for
your heart.
In fact, a Japanese study found that
people who ate higher amounts of these fruits had lower rates of heart disease
and stroke (24Trusted Source).
Furthermore, a 2017 review suggests that
grapefruits are linked to a decrease in systolic blood pressure (25Trusted Source).
Several compounds in citrus fruits can
improve markers of heart health.
For example, their soluble fiber and
flavonoids may improve cholesterol levels by raising "good" HDL
cholesterol and lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (7Trusted Source).
And many of the flavonoids in citrus
fruits, including one called naringin, are strong antioxidants that benefit the
heart in several ways (26Trusted Source).
SUMMARY:Many
compounds in citrus fruits can benefit heart health by improving cholesterol
levels and lowering blood pressure.
The flavonoids in citrus fruits may help
ward off neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which
result from the breakdown of cells in the nervous system.
In part, these diseases are caused by
inflammation.
Flavonoids found in citrus fruits have
anti-inflammatory capabilities that are thought to help protect against the
chain of events that causes the nervous system to deteriorate (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source).
Specific types of flavonoids, including
hesperidin and apigenin, have been shown to protect brain cells and improve
brain function in mice and test-tube studies (27Trusted Source).
Several studies in older adults have
also shown that citrus juices may boost brain function (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).
SUMMARY:Citrus fruits
and juices may help boost brain function and protect the brain from
neurodegenerative disorders.
While the overall picture of citrus is
pretty rosy, there are a few potential downsides.
High Amounts
Could Cause Cavities
Eating lots of citrus fruits or juices
could increase the risk of cavities. That's because the acid in citrus fruits
erodes tooth enamel (32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source).
This is a particular risk if you sip on
lemon water all day long, bathing your teeth in acid.
Interestingly, certain compounds in
citrus peels may combat the bacteria that cause dental cavities, although more
research is needed to see how that information could be used (34Trusted Source).
Fruit Juice
Isn't as Healthy as Whole Fruit
While orange and grapefruit juices
contain lots of vitamin C and other nutrients often found in whole citrus
fruits, they're not quite as healthy.
That's because a serving of juice delivers much more sugar and way
less fiber than a serving of whole fruit (6, 35).
There are a couple reasons why that's a
problem.
First, more sugar per serving translates to more
calories. Drinking fruit juice and other high-calorie beverages can cause you
to gain weight (36Trusted Source).
Second, when your body takes in large
amounts of fructose (the type of sugar in fruit juice), it is quickly absorbed
into your bloodstream and delivered to your liver (37Trusted Source).
If your liver gets more fructose than it
can handle, it turns some of the extra fructose into fat. Over time, those fat
deposits can cause fatty liver disease (38Trusted Source).
Getting fructose from whole fruit is not
a problem, given that you're getting a smaller amount at a time. Plus, the
fiber found in fruit buffers the fructose, causing it to be absorbed more
slowly into your bloodstream.
Grapefruit
Can Interact With Certain Medications
Eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit
juice can be a problem if you take certain medications.
There's an enzyme in your gut that
reduces the absorption of certain medications. Furanocoumarin, a chemical in
grapefruit, binds to this enzyme and keeps it from working properly.
As a result, your body absorbs more
medication than it's supposed to (39Trusted Source).
Furanocoumarin is also found in tangelos
and Seville oranges (the kind used for marmalade).
There are several prescription and
over-the-counter drugs that are affected by grapefruit, including (40Trusted Source):
- Some statins, for high cholesterol, including Lipitor and Zocor
- Some calcium channel blockers, for high blood pressure, including Plendil and Procardia
- Cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant drug
- Some Benzodiazepines, including Valium, Halcion and Versed
- Other medications, including Allegra, Zoloft and Buspar
SUMMARY:While citrus
fruits are generally healthy, they can have some drawbacks. Their acid can
erode tooth enamel and grapefruit can interact with some medications.
There are many reasons to eat citrus
fruits.
They're nutritious and contain plant
compounds that can protect against a variety of diseases, including cancer,
heart disease, brain dysfunction and kidney stones.
But aim to consume whole fruits, rather
than a lot of fruit juice, as its high sugar content can lead to problems.
Overall, citrus fruits are healthy, low
in calories and convenient to eat. Most people could benefit from adding more
citrus to their diet.
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