Juicy, tangy, sweet or tart – citrus fruits are bright in colour and even brighter in their nutritional content.
One orange offers over 170 different phytonutrients and more than 60 different flavonoids! With numbers like those, oranges are loaded with anti-inflammatory, brain boosting, disease fighting properties.
Compounds called polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) found in citrus peel have been shown to have the potential to lower cholesterol more effectively than some prescription drugs and without the side effects!
All citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C but oranges definitely reign as king of the C
One Medium Orange (131 g):
Grapefruit was named after the way it grows in clusters on trees, which resembles the way grapes grow. When fruit is ripe, it offers its highest antioxidant concentration. However, not all types of grapefruit contain the same nutritional benefits. For instance, ruby red grapefruit tends to be twice as advantageous as white and pink grapefruit in the health department. Like oranges, grapefruits also hold many protective polyphenols and phytonutrients such as the carotenoid lycopene. Lycopene may greatly reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer thanks to its capacity to help fight oxygen free radicals from damaging cells. Furthermore, grapefruits contain phytonutrients called limonoid which inhibit tumour formation by promotion the body’s detoxification system
Top nutrients for one-half of a grapefruit (128 g):
NB: be aware that grapefruit should be avoided if you’re on certain medications due to its effects on liver function and how the medications are metabolised, therefore potentially altering their effects.
Oranges do have a bit more vitamin C, fibre and potassium which may give them the edge but there have been positive effects associated with ALL citrus fruits in studies relating to many diseases. As low-fat, nutrient-rich foods with a low glycaemic index, citrus fruits should be at the top of everyone’s fresh snack favourites.