8 Reasons Why Citrus Fruits Should Be A Part Of Your Diet

You have heard the expression that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But what about an grapefruit or orange? Citrus offers many other impressive health benefits, as well.  These juicy, colorful fruits are packed with nutrients and not to mention flavor, making them a great addition to a healthy diet. 

Citrus fruits including lemons, limes, oranges, pomelos, tangerines, and kumquats are an excellent sources of antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients, including vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium.

Vandana Sheth, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says that researches has shown that many of these [nutrients] can protect us against chronic conditions including cancer and heart disease and may help support brain health and reduce the risk of kidney stones,”

Most citrus fruits are also a great source of fibre which makes them a good choice for weight loss. So, make some healthy changes to your diet and add more citrus fruits to your diet. Here are top 8 reasons why you must add citrus foods to your diet.

Benefits

The nutrients in citrus fruits offer a range of health benefits. The sections below discuss these benefits in more detail.

Fight weight gain

Citrus are rich in delivering juicy flavor with little to no fat, sodium, or calories (an orange has just 45), making them extremely diet-friendly and not to forget they are low in calories.
Oranges and grapefruit help stabilize your blood sugar to keep you fuller for longer especially when paired with food that’s rich in protein and healthy fats, like plain yogurt or a simply scrambled eggs. All these benificial properties can help in weight loss. And if you are looking to lose some weight we totally recommend you to add more citrus fruits to your diet.

They might keep skin looking young

You might have noticed that most skincare products are loaded with citrus fruits or vitamin C content. Do you know why?
The answer is simple, Vitamin C is one of the best vitamins for healthy skin.
Vitamin C contributes to collagen production. Collagen supports the skin, promotes wound healing, and improves skin strength. You can get flawless skin by making some changes in your diet. It will also help you prevent pigmentation.

They support your immune system

When it comes to boosting immunity Vitamin C is one of the best vitamins.
Vitamin C strengthens our immune systems by protecting cells and promoting the production and function of immune cells. 
Vitamin C is particularly important to the immune system as it stimulates the production and function of white blood cells and protects cells against ROS that are generated from activation of white blood cells as a result of infection and inflammatory stress.

They are a good source of fibre

Fibre is good for digestion as well as weight loss and most citrus fruits are rich in fibre.  One orange serves up 2.3 grams of fiber, while a tangerine has 1.6 grams. What’s more, about two thirds of the fiber in citrus fruit is soluble which has been linked to lower  cholesterol and helps regulate glucose levels and the remaining fiber in citrus is insoluble, which adds bulk to our digestive system and helps keep us regular. Citrus fruits with a huge amount of fibre can also help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Help prevent cancer

Citrus fruit tends to show more significant protection against cancers of the digestive tract, including mouth, esophageal, stomach and colon cancers, compared to other fruits, Many of the animal, cell culture and human studies have suggested that it has a positive effect. The vitamin C, carotenoids and flavonoids in fruits and veggies, including oranges, have a synergistic relationship in helping to prevent cancer.

They're good for your heart

Citrus contains flavonoids, plant compounds that may promote heart health,says Keri Gans, RD, a New York City-based nutritionist and author of The Small Change Diet. Epidemiological studies have also shown a significant association between vitamin C intake and protection against cardiovascular mortality, but the precise mechanism of protection is still unclear. Consuming citrus fruits can help you control various risk factors that contribute to heart diseases like high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

They are rich in potassium

Potassium is an essential mineral that works to maintain the body's water and acid balance. And when you hear "potassium," you probably think of bananas. But citrus is also a great source of this mineral, which is important for fluid regulation, mineral balance, and transmitting nerve impulses to muscles, in muscle contraction. The daily requirement of potassium is approximately 2 000 mg. One medium orange and one 225 ml glass of orange juice provide approximately 235 mg and 500 mg of potassium. But there is some concern that a high sodium-to-potassium intake ratio may be a risk factor for chronic disease too.

They can help reduce your risk of kidney stones

A higher-than-normal concentration of minerals in your urine can cause the formation of kidney stones.  The most common type of stone is the calcium stone. Stone symptoms include severe back pain, blood in the urine and fever. 
One particular type of kidney stone is caused by low levels of urinary citrate. And it has been suggested that eating citrus fruits and drinking orange juice may help prevent kidney stones by increasing urinary citrate. Although more research is needed in this area but, increasing fruit consumption is a nutritionally sound recommendation that may prove to be very beneficial for individuals at risk of certain kinds of kidney stones.

When it comes to fruits and vegetables the benifits can be unending but you should be aware about what to eat and what not. Now that you know the benefits of citrus fruits why not have a glass of orange juice and secure yourself from all the disease. If you are new to our blog and like our Information please subscribe us and follow us and you will be notified everytime when we post something new.

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