Fruits

37 Health Benefits of Kumquats (#1 Top Dietary Fiber Source)

Kumquats are another exotic fruit from the citrus family with so many benefits to human health that you should know. Among other citrus, kumquats are probably the least popular but don’t take the tiny size of kumquats for granted because this fruit is packed with a lot of nutrients like vitamin and minerals. That’s why kumquats deserve more attention because this small citrus is not only unique in appearance which is oval-shape but also unique in the way you consume it which is all parts of kumquats fruit are edible, including the skin. Unlike the other types of fruit from citrus family which skin taste is intolerably bitter, the taste of kumquats’ skin is surprisingly sweet and quite pleasant to eat.

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What are Kumquats?

If you are not familiar with kumquats and wondering how small the size of this fruit is just comparing it to a large olive. Kumquats has scientific name Citrus japonica and the name kumquat is derived from Cantonese, gam-gwat which means ‘golden orange’. This fruit has been part of Chinese’s history since 12th century (according to Chinese’s literature that mentioned this fruit for the first time). However, China is not the only region that has been cultivating this small citrus, India, Taiwan, Japan and most of regions in Southeast Asia are the native of this exotic fruit as well. That’s why kumquats are more popular among Asian than European because European and American didn’t know about the existence of this fruit until 19th century when a collector from London Horticultural Society, Robert Fortune brought this fruit to Europe in 1846 and then to North America.

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Types of Kumquats

Though kumquats are well known as the resembles orange in all aspects but the size with oval-shaped and bright orange skin but because of this fruit has been cultivated in different places and countries, there are three varieties that widely known.

  • Nagami Kumquat from USA which is also best known as Fortunella margarita is not different in the appearance but the flavor is a bit tart.
  • Meiwa Kumquat from Japan has rounder shape and the size is probably the largest among the other type of kumquats variety.
  • Marumi Kumquat also has round shape but the taste is so sweet. This kind of variety is popular in China and symbolizes good luck.

Actually there are more varieties of kumquats like Hong Kong wild kumquats which is well known to be the smallest in the variety, jiangsu kumquats and centennial variegated kumquats. However, the three types of kumquats mentioned above are the most popular.

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Nutritional Values of Kumquats

Kumquats

Serving size: 100 grams

Calories 71
Total Fat 0.9 grams – 1%
Carbohydrate 16 grams – 5%
–          Fiber 7 grams – 28%
–          Sugar 9 grams
Protein 1.9 grams
Vitamin A 5%
Vitamin C 73%
Calcium 6%
Iron 4%
Magnesium 5%
Potassium 186 mg – 5%

The health benefits of kumquats are surprisingly a lot compared to its tiny size. This fruit has been part of Chinese’s cuisine and herb since thousands year ago and now you could enjoy the sweet flavors of the fruit while your body gets all the benefits of the nutrients contained.

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Rich of Fiber

Just like any other citrus, kumquats are also rich of fiber. Fiber is essential for human health because though this compound cannot be absorbed but it could bind some unnecessary properties inside the intestine to be washed out from the system. The benefits for human’s health are below:

  1. Regulates the Healthy Digestive Track

To have a healthy digestive track what you need to do is just eating at least 8 kumquats per day to fulfill your daily intake of fiber. Well, since eating a handful of these fruits are quite pleasant or delicious things to do, so surely you don’t mind.

  1. Optimizes Bowel Movement

There are a lot of benefits you could get when the bowel movement is in normal pace. Too slow bowel movements could cause problems like constipation and not optimal absorption of nutrients while the bowel moves too fast which mostly caused by infection of bacteria, conditions like diarrhea will occur.

  1. Eliminates Constipation in Effective Way

As mentioned in point number two, kumquats are able to help in optimizing the bowel movement in normal pace, so problems like constipation would not occur.

  1. Helps Regulates Excess Gas

Excess gas in your stomach is not only giving you unpleasant feeling but this condition could make you farting more, so it is going to make people around you feel so uncomfortable as well. Eating kumquats could help you regulating the excess gas in your stomach effectively and naturally.

  1. Optimizes the Absorption of Nutrients

Nutrients obtained from foods you consumed are either absorbed or wasted. The problem is sometimes when digestive system is working and functioning optimally, the nutrients that are supposed to be absorbed are wasted away and body is lacking of certain nutrients which will lead to more serious conditions of deficiency.

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  1. Deals with Cramping Efficiently

You are one of those people who are often suffering from stomach cramp. Well, it means there is something wrong in your digestive tract. The factors that cause it could be varies but at least you know how to deal with it effectively. Kumquats could help you dealing with cramping in the most delicious way you could think of.

  1. Friendly Food for Diabetes

Most of diabetic patients are struggling to find healthy snack. Well, now they don’t need to worry anymore because kumquats are considered to friendly for diabetic patients. The carbohydrate contained in kumquats is not going to harm the diabetic patients.

  1. Optimizes the Function of Insulin

Though kumquats are also containing carbohydrate which is mostly avoided by diabetic patients but kumquats are containing higher level off fiber which will assist in optimizing the function of insulin, especially those who are currently suffering the type 2 diabetes.

  1. Balances Glucose Level

Once your insulin level is under checked and functioning properly, controlling glucose level in blood stream is much easier. Insulin will turn glucose into fat cells that later will be used as energy whenever it required. Just eating kumquats could prevent blood sugar spike.

  1. Weight Loss Booster

Just like diabetic patients, those who are currently having problem with their weight are striving to avoid snacking time. Well, there is no need to avoid snacking if you could find healthy snack that is not only preventing you from gaining weight but instead it helps you to lose your weight and kumquats are one of those snacks.

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  1. Reduces the Urge to Overeat

The main problem of people with weight issue is sometimes they have no idea how to control the urge to overeat. The less they eat the more the urge to overeat. Kumquats are rich of fiber that will help you suppressing your appetite by making you feel full longer. Besides, whenever you feel like snacking just grab a handful of kumquats are not going to cause you a weight gain.

  1. Controls Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol, the bad one and the good one. Each of them has its own function but they are supposed to be in balance level. The excessive ‘bad’ cholesterol could cause the development of blood clot in the artery which could lead to more serious conditions like heart attack and stroke. Kumquats which are rich of fiber will assist in binding that ‘bad’ cholesterol level and at the same time promoting the production of ‘good’ cholesterol.

Rich of Vitamin

You must have known that all citrus variety is rich of vitamin C and kumquats are not the exception. Besides vitamin C, kumquats are also rich of vitamin A.

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  1. Immunity Booster

Surely you have known that orange is closely related to vitamin C and vitamin C is always associated with immunity system. Kumquats as one of the citrus variety have the same function as well. So, eating kumquats will provide you a natural immunity booster that will provide you a protection your body essentially needs.

  1. Stimulates the Growth of Cells

Vitamin C is also essential to stimulate the growth of new cells. Cells regeneration is important for human body because new cells are essentially required to replace the old or dead cells. Healthy cells are the representations of healthy body, you will look younger longer, your bones will stay strong even when you are getting older and many more.

  1. Accelerate Healing

One of the perks of consuming vitamin C, it is not only helping you fighting the infections and prevent you from getting sick but even if you are getting sick, vitamin C could help you accelerating the healing process. You will feel much better in shorter period once the daily intake of vitamin C is fulfilled.

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  1. Fights Viral Infection Effectively

Though most of types of viral infections are not fatal but those conditions could put you in a very uncomfortable situation. Once you catch flu is possible for you to suffer fever as well and then follow by sore throat, stuffy nose and cough. Those combinations are not pleasant at all. Snacking kumquats in daily basis could help you fighting viral infection effectively.

  1. Provides Protection to Skin

Do you want to have healthy and younger skin? What you need to is protecting your skin from all things that could harm your skin like direct sun exposures, degeneration of skin cells, free radicals and many more. Luckily, kumquats are rich of vitamin C and antioxidants that will provide the protection that your skin really required.

  1. Fights Free Radicals

Free radicals are harmful for your body. They are the main cause of the development of cancerous cells. To prevent cancer, you need to fight free radicals from the very beginning. Antioxidants are what you need to fight free radicals and kumquats are one of those fruits that are rich of antioxidants.

  1. Natural Anti-Aging

It is a common knowledge that foods rich of antioxidants are natural anti-aging. The question is how powerful the antioxidant contained in the foods and whether it is effective as anti-aging or not. Kumquats are not only rich of powerful antioxidants but also rich of vitamin C and those combinations provide you a super potent anti-aging.

  1. Promotes Healthy Skin

When it comes to healthy skin, you are not only talking about how fresh, clean and bright your skin is. Healthy skin means you are free from dull skin, wrinkles, acnes and other skin conditions. Kumquats are so rich of vitamin C and antioxidants that could act as anti-aging that will provide protections to your skin.

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  1. Prevents Cancer

Cancer is one of the diseases that are not easy to deal with. It is better to prevent it than to cure it. Kumquats are probably one of the delicious way to prevent the development of cancerous cells by fighting the root of it from the very beginning.

  1. Promotes Eye Health

Beta-carotene which is well known as pro-vitamin A is the reasons why kumquats got its bright orange color. Moreover, beta-carotene and vitamin A found in kumquats are essential to promote eye health.

  1. Prevents Macular Degeneration

Getting older is something you cannot avoid but getting older with macular degeneration problem could be prevented as long as you know how to control your diet. Consuming foods rich of vitamin A and beta-carotene could prevent this condition effectively.

  1. Reduces the Risk of Cataracts

Cataracts are commonly occurring when someone has reached senior age. That’s why is important for you to find a way to reduce the risk when you are still young. Vitamin A and beta-carotene has important role in reduce the risk.

  1. Energy Booster

Carbohydrate is what you need for energy stock. Carbohydrate is will be absorbed by body as glucose and insulin responsible to turn it into energy. Kumquats are kind of energy booster you need to energize yourself.

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  1. Prevents Inflammation

Inflammations are the root of some health problems and kumquats are containing vitamin C and Vitamin A that could prevent inflammation effectively.

  1. Protection Against Arthritis

One of the conditions caused by inflammation is arthritis. So, if you could prevent the inflammation is possible to reduce the risk of arthritis as well.

  1. Beneficial for Blood Vessels

The combinations of vitamins and minerals found in kumquats are beneficial for blood vessels. The fiber will make sure the vessels are free from unnecessary compound, vitamin C will act as the detox and minerals will make sure it always on the proper condition.

Rich of Minerals

As mentioned above that kumquats are not only rich of vitamins but also minerals, some minerals like calcium and potassium are found in relatively high amount.

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  1. Promotes Stronger Bones

It is no secret that for stronger bones what you need is enough stock of calcium in your body. As one of the citrus variety, kumquats are packed with some types of minerals including calcium.

  1. Stimulates Healthy Hair Growth

Many studies have shown that there is a close relation between minerals and healthy hair growth. So, if you want to have shiny, healthy and stronger hair, why don’t you put kumquats to your daily diet and prove it yourself?

  1. Goods for Oral Organs

Calcium found in kumquats is not only good for your bones but also oral organs especially protect teeth from getting decayed and gum health.

  1. Promotes the Production of Red Blood Cells

Minerals like iron is what you need to promote the production of red blood cells and kumquats are containing some minerals, especially iron.

  1. Optimizes the Nerve Transmission

One of the recent studies also stated that minerals are closely associated with the function of nerve system. Consuming kumquats in daily basis have been proven to help in optimizing the nerve transmission.

  1. Better Blood Circulation

Potassium is essential in making sure that blood circulation is without disturbance. Healthy blood circulations means, your heart is not forced to work too hard and your vessels are in its best condition.

  1. Oxygenated Body Cells

Better blood circulation will affect the distribution of oxygen brought by hemoglobin in red blood cells. Surely you have known that oxygen is essential for body cells to function optimally and prominent for new cell regeneration.

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  1. Regulates Blood Pressure

Potassium has been well known to be effective in eliminating the excess sodium in blood stream that could cause the spike of blood pressure level.

  1. Enhances Brain Function

You have problem with your focus, perhaps you need to take a snack break. However, don’t eat sugary snack that is harmful for your body but choose kumquats instead to enhance your brain function so you could think in better way.

Cautions of Kumquats

Kumquats are considered to be healthy snack that you could consume in daily basis. Unfortunately, this fruit is not available in all seasons but during Christmas, this fruits are becoming one of those popular snacks. The list of health benefits of kumquats is quite impressive if compared to the word of cautions.

  • Just like any other citrus variety which is rich of vitamin C, the acidic contents could cause some uncomfortable conditions in your stomach. Fortunately, kumquats are small size citrus that a handful of it are not going to hurt your stomach unless you have serious stomach problem.
  • Since you are going to eat them with the skin, you have to be extra careful in washing it. Though they are organic, contaminations from worms and bacteria are still possible to occur.

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How to Consume Kumquats

The best way to consume kumquats are raw and with the skin. However, you should aware from where your kumquats come from because since you are going to eat them along with the skins is better if you are only purchasing the organic variety which cultivation process are free from the contamination of any toxic and dangerous chemicals like pesticides.

So, with so many health benefits of kumquats surely you could forget some high calories treats you usually consume because kumquats are not only delicious but also healthy snack.