Here there are many reasons to eat citrus
fruits.
Sweet, brightly
colored citrus fruits bring a burst of sunshine in winter. But citrus fruits
aren't just delicious — they're good for you too.
This type of fruit
includes lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit, as well as many more hybrid
varieties and varieties.
They have many health
benefits, from improving immunity to fighting cancer.
Read on to find out 7
reasons to eat citrus fruits.
What are citrus fruits?
Citrus fruits grow on
flowering trees and shrubs. They are characterized by a hard outer skin and a
white pulp, wrapped in juicy parts.
They are native to
Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and possibly Southeast Asia (1).
Today, they are
cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates around the world. The main
production centers include Spain, brazil, china, the usaUSMexicoico, and
Indiana (1).
Interestingly, nearly
a third of citrus fruits are used to make juice (1).
You'll find a variety
of citrus fruits all year round. The high season for oranges and grapefruit in
the northern hemisphere is between mid-December and April.
Here are some popular
citrus fruits:
- sweet orange: Valencia,
navel orange, blood orange, Caracalla
- mandarin: Satsuma,
clementine, tango, orange
- limes: Persian
limes, limes, kefir limes
- grapefruit: white,
ruby red, oroblanco
- lemon: eureka,
Meyer
- other
species: citron, sour dates, grapefruit, grapefruit
Read on for 7 reasons
to add these fruits to your diet.
1. They are rich in vitamins and plant compounds
Citrus fruits are an
excellent source of vitamin C, a nutrient that boosts the immune system and
keeps skin smooth and elastic (2, 3, 4, 5).
In fact, a
medium-sized orange contains all the vitamin C (6) you need for a day.
Citrus fruits also
contain several other vitamins and minerals needed for the body to function
properly, including B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper (7).
In addition, they are
rich in plant compounds with multiple health benefits, including
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
These compounds
include more than 60 flavonoids, carotenoids, and essential oils that are
responsible for many of the health benefits of citrus fruits (7, 8).
Summary: citrus fruits are nutrient-rich and
provide a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds to help maintain
health.
2. They are a good source of fiber
Citrus fruits are a
good source of fiber. Only one cup of orange slices contains four grams of
fiber (6).
From the right perspective,
it is recommended that you consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories
you consume. It is estimated that only 4% of men and 13% of women in the united
states received this amount (9).
Fiber has multiple
health benefits, including improved digestive health and aid in weight loss.
Oranges are
particularly high in soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels (10).
Citrus fruits are
unique compared to other fruits and vegetables in that they have a higher
proportion of soluble and insoluble fiber (11).
Summary: citrus fruits are a good source of
soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol and aid digestion.
3. Citrus fruits are low in Calories
If you're paying
attention to calorie intake, citrus fruits are a good choice.
They're low in
calories, but their water and fiber content can help you fill your stomach.
the main species of
citrus fruits here contain (6, 12, 13, 14, 15):
- 1 small citrus: 35
- 1 medium orange: 62
- 1/2 pink grapefruit: 52
- 1/2 white grapefruit: 39
- 1 lemon juice: 12
What's more, a 2015
study looked at people's eating habits and weight over 24 years and found that
eating citrus fruits was associated with weight loss (16).
Summary: citrus fruits are low in calories and
are a smart choice for people seeking to lose weight or maintain their weight.
4. They may reduce your risk of kidney stones
Kidney stones are
painful mineral crystals.
They form when your
urine is very concentrated or when the mineral content of the stones that form
in your urine is higher than normal.
One type of kidney
stone is caused by a low content of citrate in the urine.
Many fruits and
vegetables, especially citrus fruits, can increase the amount of citrate in the
urine and reduce the risk of kidney stones (17).
Drinking citrus juice
and eating these fruits can provide a natural alternative to potassium citrate
supplements.
According to data on
the dietary habits of Americans over the past 40 years, people who eat fewer
citrus fruits are more likely to develop kidney stones. （18）。
Summary: eating citrus fruits may help reduce the
risk of kidney stones in some people by raising citrate levels in the urine.
5. They may help fight or prevent cancer
Many studies have
linked citrus fruits to a lower risk of certain cancers (1).
In one study, people
who ate one grapefruit or drank one serving of grapefruit juice a day had a
lower risk of lung cancer (19).
Other studies have
shown that citrus fruits can also prevent esophageal, stomach, breast, and
pancreatic cancers. （20, 21, 22, 23）。
These fruits contain a
large number of plant compounds, including flavonoids, which may help prevent
cancer. （8）。
Some of these
flavonoids act as antioxidants and may block the expression of certain genes
that cause certain degenerative diseases, including cancer. （8）。
Citrus fruits can also
help fight cancer by inhibiting cancer, preventing the formation of new
cancers, and inactivating carcinogens. （8）。
Summary: citrus fruits are widely studied for
their protective effects on multiple cancer types.
6. They contain nutrients that promote heart health
Eating citrus fruits
may be good for your heart.
In fact, a Japanese
study found that people who consumed more of these fruits had lower risks of
heart disease and stroke (24).
In addition, a 2017
review showed that grapefruit is linked to lower blood pressure by systolic
blood pressure (25).
Several compounds in citrus
fruits can improve heart health indicators.
For example, their
soluble fiber and flavonoids can improve cholesterol levels by raising
"good" HDL cholesterol and lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol
and triglycerides. （7）。
Many of the flavonoids
in citrus fruits, including a flavonoid called naringin, are strong
antioxidants that can be beneficial to the heart in several ways (26).
Summary: many of the compounds in citrus fruits
can benefit heart health by raising cholesterol levels and lowering blood
pressure.
7. They protect your brain
The flavonoids in
citrus fruits may help defend against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer
and Parkinson's, which are caused by the breakdown of nervous system cells.
In part, these
diseases are caused by inflammation.
Flavonoids found in
citrus fruits have anti-inflammatory properties and are thought to help prevent
a range of events that lead to a deterioration of the nervous system. （27, 28）。
In mouse and test-tube
studies, specific types of flavonoids, including hesperidin and apigenin, have
been shown to protect brain cells and improve brain function. （27）。
Several studies in
older adults have also shown that citrus juice can enhance brain function. （29, 30, 31）。
Summary: citrus fruits and juices may help
enhance brain function and protect the brain from neurodegenerative diseases.
Disadvantages of citrus fruits
While the overall
outlook for citrus is very positive, there are some potential drawbacks.
A large number can lead to tooth decay
Eating large amounts
of citrus fruits or juices increases the risk of tooth decay. That's because
the acids in citrus fruits corrode tooth enamel (32, 33).
If you drink lemonade
all day and wash your teeth with acid, this is a particular risk.
Interestingly, certain
compounds in citrus peels may fight bacteria that cause tooth decay, although
more research is needed to understand how this information is used (34).
Fruit juice is not as healthy as whole fruit
While orange and
grapefruit juice contains a lot of vitamin c and other nutrients commonly found
in citrus fruits throughout, they are not as healthy.
That's because a
serving of juice provides more sugar and less fiber than a whole serving of
fruit (6, 35).
There are several
reasons for this problem.
First, the more sugar
you contain per serving, the more calories you have. Drinking juice and other
high-calorie beverages can lead to weight gain (36).
Second, when your body
consumes large amounts of fructose (the sugars in fruit juice), it is quickly
absorbed into your bloodstream and transported to your liver (37).
If your liver consumes
more fructose than it can process, it converts some of the excess fructose into
fat. Overtime, these fat deposits can lead to fatty liver (38).
Getting fructose from
whole fruit is not a problem because you get less at once. In addition, the
fibers in the fruit can buffer the fructose, allowing it to be absorbed into
the bloodstream more slowly.
Grapefruit can interact with certain medications
If you take certain
medications, eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice can become a
problem.
There is an enzyme in
the intestine that can reduce the absorption of certain drugs. Furanocoumarin
is a chemical in grapefruit that binds to this enzyme and makes it not work
properly.
As a result, your body
absorbs more medication than expected (39).
Furanocoumarin is also
found in oranges and Seville oranges (the kind used to make jams).
There are several
prescription and over-the-counter medications affected by grapefruit, including
(40):
- some statins are used to treat high
cholesterol, including Lipitor and Joko
- Some calcium channel blockers for high
blood pressure include Plendil and Procardia
- cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant
- Some benzodiazepines, including Valium,
Halcion, and Versed
- Other medications, including Allegra,
Zoloft, and Buspar
Summary: while citrus fruits are generally healthy,
they also have some drawbacks. Their acids corrode tooth enamel, and grapefruit
interacts with certain drugs.
Conclusion
There are many reasons
to eat citrus fruits.
They are
nutrient-dense and contain plant compounds that prevent a variety of diseases,
including cancer, heart disease, brain dysfunction, and kidney stones.
But the goal is to eat
whole fruit, not a lot of juice because its high sugar content can cause
problems.
Overall, citrus fruits
are healthy, low in calories, and easy to eat. Most people can benefit from
adding more citrus to their diet.