Blood Oranges: A Beautiful Twist on an Old Standby

Don’t adjust the color of your computer. These orange segments are red, blood red.  The taste is not quite as acidic and has a hint of strawberry or raspberry flavor.

Why are they blood red?

The red pigment is created by anthocyanin, an antioxidant. This particular antioxidant is thought to help lower blood LDL cholesterol and help to keep blood vessels flexible and strong and may provide additional protection against cancer and heart disease.

The scientific name for this particular type of orange is Citrus sinensis. It is also called pigmented orange or moro orange.  One orange has 130% of your daily requirement of vitamin C and 260 mg. of potassium. For more nutrition information read below.

Amount per serving found in one orange:

Calories 80

Calories from Fat 0

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0g                           1% 

Cholesterol 0mg                     0% 

Sodium 0mg                           0% 

Potassium 260mg                   7% 

Total Carbohydrate 21g       7% 

Dietary Fiber 7g                      28% 

Sugars 14g

Protein 1g

Vitamin A 2%

Vitamin C 130%

Calcium 6%

Iron 2%

Thiamin 8%

Riboflavin 4%

Niacin 2%

Vitamin B6 4%%

Folate 15%

Pantothenic Acid 4%

Phosphorus 2%

Iodine 2%

Magnesium 4%

Selenium 2%

Copper 4%

Manganese 2%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Source: PMA’s Labeling Facts

Different oranges have been cultivated since well before the Middle ages, but the sweet ones have only appeared since the 15th century.

Fortunately oranges are totable.

The orange spread to Italy, Persia, Portugal, Spain and Syria from Southern Asia. Then it was brought to the West Indies by Christopher Columbus and taken to Florida and California by Spanish explorers and missionaries.

Image via Wikipedia

Oranges are versatile.

Oranges are very useful in recipes, eaten out of hand, juiced, and used for orange zest. For suggested recipes using oranges, click the word recipes.

Just one serving of citrus fruits a day reduces the risk of stroke by 19%.

The nutrition chart above does not include many other beneficial properties of oranges. For example we know that phenols found in green tea and chocolate help to prevent cancerous cells from proliferating, but did you know that citrus limonoids continuously work as anti-carcinogens?

One orange has in excess of 170 different phytonutrients and boasts more than 60 flavonoids.

Phytonutrients and flavonoids have been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties, anti-tumor, and clot inhibiting abilities and are effective antioxidants.

Save the orange rind.

Are you discarding one of the most important parts of your citrus fruits? According to George Mateljan of The World’s Healthiest Food Organization compounds found within the “orange peel may lower cholesterol as effectively as Statin drugs.”

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Group, CSIRO compiled a 248 report regarding the health benefits of citrus fruits. Here are just some of the protective benefits of citrus fruit:

• A 40 – 50 % reduction of certain types of cancers such as mouth, larynx, stomach, pharynx.
• Prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, kidney stones, hypertension, diabetes…
• Positive effects on arthritis, cognitive ability, gingivitis, obesity, gallstones, multiple sclerosis, cholera, lung function, cataracts, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s

So don’t stop at an apple a day, eat an orange too.

Your family will thank you and your pocket will too.

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References:

http://factoidz.com/surprising-new-discoveries-about-the-orange/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/264713-blood-orange-nutritional-value/

http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Fruits/BloodOrange.html

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=37