Did you put citrus fruits every time you are going shopping? If you didn’t perhaps it is the time for you to consider replace your juice box with natural orange juice you squeeze from fresh orange, buy some lemons to make some lemon water since warm lemon water in the morning could replace your addiction to coffee, besides that lime is also able to reduce the odor smell of fish and could enhance the flavor of some foods so you could reduce the use of salt, instead of fruits that are rich in sugar grapefruit could be your choice of sweet fruit you could consume daily.
Speaking of the nutrients contained in citrus fruits could be different in each type of the variant but each of citrus variety must be rich of certain nutrients listed below:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Folate
- Dietary Fiber
- Carbohydrate
- Potassium
- Copper
- Magnesium
- Phosphorous
Below is the list of health benefits of citrus fruits that will change your mind that citrus fruits are not only fruits you could easily find in the market everyday but also easy source of nutrients and substances that are beneficial for your health:
Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits
- Natural Weight Loss Booster
The reason why citrus is good for your weight loss program is because citrus is rich of fiber and water. It is due to fruits which are rich of fiber and water will take time a bit longer to be digested and it means your stomach will be full longer as well. So, consuming the whole fruit could help you controlling your hunger. Besides that Vitamin C contained in citrus will produce a certain hormone called cortisol which main function is storing your fat away from the system and turning them into energy instead.
- Lower the Risk of Stroke
Stroke happened when arteries used to distribute blood to the brain are clogged. Heperidin, a phytonutrient found in citrus has significant role in increasing the flow of blood throughout the body. Furthermore, together with flavonoids which have important role in improving the function of blood vessels the risk of stroke could be reduced just by consuming citrus juice daily.
- Prevent the Development of Cancerous Cells
The fact that all citrus varieties are powerful source of antioxidant and rich of vitamin C means they are good to prevent the cancer. The development of cancerous cells initially is caused by the damaged cells which affect the healthy cells and lead to the rapid growth of cancerous cells. Damaged cells are mostly caused by free radicals and antioxidants’ main function is removing all free radicals for human body before they could be harmful.
- Maintain Better Eyesight
Vitamin A is what your eye sight is needed to maintain its optimal function. Citrus contained high carotenoid compound which combined together will vitamin C will produce Vitamin A that prevents macular degeneration which one of the effects is blindness.
- Reducing the Risk of Cataract
The development of cataract is due to the oxidation of eye’s lens. One of the reasons why the oxidation happened is due to vitamin C deficiency. According to some studies that have been conducted, people with high blood pressure history will have higher risk to suffer cataracts. That’s how citrus has important role in reducing the risk of cataract, by consuming citrus you could make sure that you get enough vitamin C and at the same time get your blood pressure under controlled.
- Optimizing the Iron Absorption
Citrus might be not rich of iron but it is so rich of vitamin C. One of the amazing functions of vitamin C is its ability to make sure that the absorption of iron is optimal. Though you have consume iron supplement or consume a lot of foods contained of iron but if the absorption is not optimal then you will not get all the benefits you’ve been looking for of iron.
- Maintaining Blood Sugar Level
Consuming citrus regularly could maintain the blood sugar level. It is due to citrus is so rich of fiber and lignin. They could reduce the uptake of glucose by promoting longer satiety and preventing the surge of blood sugar level.
- Lowering Cholesterol Level
The same fiber that controls the blood sugar level also has similar role in cholesterol. Fiber is gel-like substance that could bind excess cholesterol particle in the intestine to be washed away from body system and the same fiber also interfere the bile acids reabsorption that could affect the level of cholesterol as well.
- Good for Digestive System
Citrus is rich of soluble fiber. Fiber is one of the substances that cannot be broken down; its main function is passing your intestine and during the passing fiber will make sure to bring all the unnecessary substances to be washed out from your digestive system. So, by removing all unnecessary substances that could be harmful, your digestive system could function optimally by producing bile acid that will process the nutrients required by body only.
- Producing Collagen for Tissue Repair
Collagen has been well known to be powerful substances for skin health. However, its main function is not only for maintaining skin but much more general; it is repairing damaged tissue. Damaged tissue could be caused by several conditions and collagen has prominent role to make sure that those tissues will be optimally repaired so the regeneration of tissue cells could function optimally.
- Treating Anemia
The best way to treat anemia is by making sure that you are consuming foods contained enough iron. However, it is not the end of the solution because iron is easily interfered so sometimes the absorption is not optimal. Citrus is rich of vitamin C which one of the function is optimizing the absorption of iron. So, if you are taking iron supplement, combining it with a glass of orange juice is highly recommended.
- For Healthier and Younger Skin
Vitamin C has significant role in the formation of collagen. Collagen is an important substance that is good for skin. Its main role is keeping your skin healthy by repairing the damaged skin tissue caused by some skin conditions. Besides that the antioxidants contained in citrus is also making your skin wrinkle-free so you will look younger with glowing face skin.
- Powerful Antioxidant
There are a lot of types of antioxidants but the function is similar. Antioxidant has significant role in fighting free radicals to protect your cells from being affected that could cause the rapid growth of abnormal cells which well known as cancerous cells. All citrus varieties are rich of antioxidant that is good for your body.
- Rich of Folate for Pregnant Mother
The fact that folate is good for pregnant mother is already widely known and all citrus varieties are rich of folate so they are good and safe to be consumed by pregnant mother even in daily basis. Folate assists in the production of healthy DNA in the fetal as well as the development of vital organ like brain and nerve system. Folate is also having significant role in reducing the risk of baby born with birth defect.
- Controlling Blood Pressure
Citrus good for blood pressure because it is rich of potassium. Potassium could assist in removing excess sodium content in blood as the part of controlling mechanism of blood pressure. Besides that potassium is also the prominent electrolyte that could maintain the normal blood pressure by promoting the nerve impulses to the muscle.
- Getting Rid of Viral Infection
Unstable weather makes people easily infected by viral infection like cold and flu. A glass of warm lemon water could be a delicious and much more effective solution than drugs. However, recent studies found the opposite of what people have believed all this time that vitamin C contained in orange could prevent the cold is not really true but citrus just may shorten the length of the symptoms so you could heal faster.
- Immunity Booster
All fruits and vegetables which are rich of vitamin C are recommended for immunity booster. Just by consuming one medium size of orange you will be able to fulfill your daily requirement of vitamin C.
- Contributing in the Bone Density
Vitamin C which contained in citrus may not be able to directly affecting the density of bone health. Bone density is affected by whether your body is getting enough minerals or not. Citrus may contain several types of minerals however it is not enough. Vitamin C is actually the key role in this matter because it helps the absorption of mineral as the part of maintaining mechanism of the bone density.
- Prevent the Formulation of Kidney Stone
Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits for preventing kidney stone is one of best source. Excess salt content in your body system could lead to kidney stone. The salt will crystallize and the size will get bigger and bigger until it is impossible to pass the ureter. Citrate found in citrus could assist in reducing the formulation of crystal. Consuming citrus regularly is recommended to prevent kidney stones but don’t too much due to the acidic content that could make your stomach uncomfortable and the sugar content could cause tooth decay.
- Reducing the Risk of Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly
Folate and vitamin C are already proven to be significant in the role of developing nerve systems and improving cognitive function in the fetal. Recent studies also showed that the same substances also able to reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction in elderly.
- Lowering the Risk of Asthma
Vitamin C could do some wonders and one of them is lowering the risk of asthma. Vitamin C is one of the vitamins that have big contribution in producing some powerful antioxidants in the body. Studies have shown that vitamin C deficiency could lead to a higher risk of asthma.
- Source of Healthy Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate is essential substance to produce energy. However, most carbohydrates are associated with weight gain. Well, carbohydrate found in citrus is the healthier and simpler form which will not cause weight gain. Furthermore, together with citric acid which is rich in citrus will provide enough energy as the booster of your daily activity.
- Prevent Hair Loss
Hair loss may not a life threatening issue but experiencing the baldness could affect your confidence. So you have to make sure to not having even a single patch of bald in your scalp since it is the early symptom of hair loss. Collagen formed by Vitamin C will help you reducing the patch of bald in your scalp by repairing the damaged scalp tissue for healthier hair growth.
- Reducing Sodium by Replace Salt with Citrus
Sodium is one of the reasons why blood pressure is really difficult to be controlled. Sodium mostly found in salt and salt is one of the important ingredients to make foods much more delicious and flavored. So, it is hard for some people to avoid salt. Well, why don’t you replace salt with citrus? The taste might be different but citrus has similar function as salt to give your foods more flavor and tastier.
- Natural Detox
The ability of fiber which is relatively high found in citrus in binding unnecessary substances inside the intestine also functioning as detoxification mechanism. Since fiber cannot be broken down, it will be wasted away from your body along with the harmful substances bond by the fiber. Clean intestine means healthy digestive system, healthy digestive system will lead to healthier body metabolism where all substances and nutrients required by body will be absorbed optimally.
Side Effects of Consuming too much Citrus
Citrus fruits are one of the variant of fruits which are recommended to be consumed daily but speaking of how much and how effective this fruit in dealing with several medical conditions are still requiring deeper research. The list above provides you the information you need to know about the positive side of citrus fruits and the list below will guide you that consume too much citrus may lead to the negative effects of citrus fruits:
- Allergic Reaction
The allergic reaction is not common side effect but you have to be careful because some cases have been reported. The reason is not because of the substances contained in citrus fruits but because of molds that caused by the cultivation process. That’s why making sure that you are only consuming fresh and mold-free citrus fruits the allergic reaction could be avoided.
- Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is caused by the sugar contained in citrus fruits. That’s why making sure to brush your teeth after you consume citrus fruits is highly recommended. The citric acid may be good to kill the bacteria in oral organ but the sugar left could be harmful for your teeth.
- Stomach Pain
If you are consuming too much citrus fruits which are containing high acidic content the effect might be stomach pain. That’s why consuming it wisely is highly recommended besides one medium size of orange is enough to provide vitamin C required by your body, so why you need more?
Citrus on Dish and Beverages
The most famous recipe which is widely known made from citrus fruits is orange juice. Orange juice is not only delicious but also fresh beverage option which is rich of nutrients that are good for human body. So, is it the only recipe you know made from citrus fruits? Perhaps the list below will give you some ideas about the best way to serve citrus fruits for your family.
- Citrus fruits, the sweet variety could be used as the main ingredients of orange pudding. You could use the juice as well as the pulp to give the pudding texture.
- You could use the pulp as the mix of the salad and the juice as the flavor enhancer of the dressing.
- Citrus fruits could reduce the odor smell of fish. So, why don’t you put some citrus to be roasted together with salmon or tuna? Citrus will remove the odor smell and at the same time enhance the flavor to replace salt.
- Candy made from grapefruit. The sour and the sweet taste of grapefruit is the perfect choice flavor of candy. Healthy choice and loved by kids.
- Citrus fruits also could be used as the flavor enhancer or ingredients to make cake and cookies. The best choice is by gridding the peel of citrus fruits for stronger flavor.
- You are getting boring with your plain yogurt since it is the only type of yogurt recommended for you as part of weight loss program. Combining your plain yogurt with orange is not only able to make your plain yogurt taste better but also keep your body in shape.
Citrus fruits are available in a very wide choice of variant. However, generally they are only divided into two categories, sour and sweet. Sweet category could be consumed directly while sour category mostly used as part of cooking ingredients and beverages. Citrus fruits are not only limited by the juice or the pulp, the peel is also could be consumed and according to several studies, the nutrients contained in the peel is relatively higher if compared to the juice or the pulp. That’s why if you want to make cake with orange flavor, instead of the pulp or the juice, using the peel is much more recommended for stronger flavor.