An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but does that apply to any type of fruit? After the recommendation of her fitness instructor to have an orange a day (whole, not in juice form) at breakfast, my friend experienced greater digestive and abdominal well-being among other things. And yes, she has also improved her relationship with fruits in general, if you’re someone who struggles with them too, start with oranges.
“It’s helping me so much that it’s led to a domino effect where I’ve tripled my fruit intake,” she explains. “I now make an effort to eat other types of fruit, especially kiwis, bananas, and pears, and I pay a lot more attention to it. I give it a space in my life that I didn’t have before,” she says.
Oranges have loads of benefits, so it’s not shocking that one can see a huge difference in their health when incorporating the fruit into their diet more regularly. As Katrina Hartog, MPH, RD, CDN, director of clinical nutrition at Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West, explains it, “oranges are a nutrient-rich fruit with a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.”
To see just how beneficial oranges can be to your overall health and the best ways to eat them, see what the experts had to say below.
Oranges Are Good for the Skin
Thanks to its high dosage of vitamin C, oranges are beneficial for the skin, according to nutritionist and author Paula Martín Clares. Vitamin C is necessary for the synthesis of collagen that maintains the firmness of the skin, it is also antioxidant in nature and has anti-aging benefits.
They Can Boost Your Immune System
Hartog explains that vitamin C also works to reduce oxidative stress in the body and prevent damage to cells. This helps boost your immune system and fight infections. She also points to studies that show individuals who consume more fruits and vegetables may lower risk for certain cancers, but more studies need to be done to prove the connection between eating oranges regularly and cancer risks.
Another benefit to oranges is its potassium content. Potassium is known to reduce blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke.