Saturday 23 January 2010

Oranges - Health Benefits


An orange packs over 170 different phytonutrients and more than 60 flavonoids, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and blood clot inhibiting properties, as well as strong anti-oxidant effects.




Arteriosclerosis:  
Regularly consuming vitamin C retards the development of hardening of the arteries.


Cancer prevention: 
A compound in oranges called liminoid, has been found to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon.  The high vitamin C content also acts as a good anti-oxidant that protects cells from damages by free radicals.


Cholesterol:  
The alkaloid synephrine found under the orange peel can reduce the liver's production of cholesterol.  Whereas the anti-oxidant fights oxidative stress that is the main culprit in oxidizing the LDLs in our blood.


Constipation:  
Even though the orange "tastes acidic", it actually has an alkaline effect in the digestive system and helps stimulate the digestive juices, relieving constipation.


Damaged sperms, repair: 
An orange a day is sufficient for a man to keep his sperms healthy.  Vitamin C, an anti-oxidant, protects sperms from genetic damage that may cause a birth defect.


Heart disease: 
A high intake of flavonoids and vitamin C has been known to halve the risk of heart diseases.


High blood pressure:    
Studies have shown that a flavonoid called hesperidin in oranges can lower high blood pressure.


Immune system: 
The strong content of vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, naturally building a good immune system.


Kidney stones, prevent: 
Drinking orange juice daily can significantly drop the risk of formation of calcium oxalate stones in the kidney.


Skin:  
The anti-oxidant in orange help protect the skin from free radical damage known to cause signs of aging.


Stomach ulcer: 
Consuming vitamin C rich foods helps to lower the incidence of peptic ulcers and in turn, reduce the risk of stomach cancer.


Viral infections, protection against:   
The abundance of polyphenols have been shown to provide protection against viral infections.