Oranges, limes, key limes, grapefruits, lemon and the list goes on. All of the aforementioned fruits are part of the Citrus family. All of us have consumed these delicious, sometimes sour fruits. They are known for their richness in vitamin C. But what else do you know about the citrus family? In this blog we will look at 7 interesting facts about the citrus family.
Full of Vitamin C and other nutrients
Citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, a nutrient that strengthens the immune system and keeps your skin smooth and elastic. In fact, just one medium orange has all the vitamin C you need in a day .Citrus fruits also have good amounts of other vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly, including B vitamins, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and copper. Additionally, they are rich in plant compounds that have various health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.These compounds include over 60 varieties of flavonoids, carotenoids and essential oils, and they are responsible for many of citrus fruit's health benefits.
Good for your brains
Citrus fruits and juices may help boost brain function and protect the brain from neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Flavonoids found in citrus fruits have anti-inflammatory capabilities that are thought to help protect against the chain of events that causes the nervous system to deteriorate.
Citrus loves you!
Eating citrus fruits could be good for your heart. In fact, a Japanese study found that people who ate higher amounts of these fruits had lower rates of heart disease and stroke. Furthermore, a 2017 review suggests that grapefruits are linked to a decrease in systolic blood pressure. Several compounds in citrus fruits can improve markers of heart health. For example, their soluble fiber and flavonoids may improve cholesterol levels by raising "good" HDL cholesterol and lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. And many of the flavonoids in citrus fruits, including one called naringin(found in grapefruit), are strong antioxidants that benefit the heart in several ways.
Whole fruit vs Fruit juice
Most people consume fruit juices and think it is as nutrient rich as consuming the whole fruits. Most of the fruit juices have added sugar in it, which makes it less healthy and can cause you to gain weight. Also the fruit juices lack some nutrients, while the whole fruit has those. Furthermore, when your body takes in large amounts of fructose (the type of sugar in fruit juice), it is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream and delivered to your liver. If your liver gets more fructose than it can handle, it turns some of the extra fructose into fat. Over time, those fat deposits can cause fatty liver disease. Getting fructose from whole fruit is not a problem, given that you're getting a smaller amount at a time. Plus, the fiber found in fruit buffers the fructose, causing it to be absorbed more slowly into your bloodstream.
Older than humans
The modern human, Homo Sapiens, are known to roam this planet for not more than four hundred thousand years. While the citrus tree has been proven to be around for as many as seven million years. Grapefruit is a human discovery, not older than three hundred years old. Out of thousands of wild types, only a few dozen have become commercial behemoths like the navel orange, Eureka lemon, and Mexican lime.
Citrus giants
Brazil, China, the United States and Mexico are the world’s largest citrus producing countries. With Brazil being the largest of them all with an annual production of about 20 million tons of citrus. China has about 19.6 million tons annually, the United States with 10 million tons and Mexico with 6.8 million tons annually.
Oranges are NOT orange!
(This particular topic is very controversial)
While many people believe that oranges are orange by nature, this is nothing more than a beautiful lie. At first it may seem like an automatism that they are named after the color, but it was their pulps that were named after the color. Oranges grow naturally in tropical climates. Due to the fact that there is enough sunlight all year round, the chlorophyll (green pigment) stays mostly preserved and the fruit keeps its greenish colour. For oranges to get the orange colour, they are dyed to look more “orange-y”. Interesting to note, is that this is not always the case. But more importantly it is to address that when you see a green orange, it may be perfectly ripened.
The citrus tree is a mysterious plant. It baffles scientists all around the world. The few variants we have cultivated have shown their benefits to humans, imagine if we can cultivate some more variants still in the wild. It is also important to consume as much as possible whole fruits. Fruits are good for you. The citrus family tree has proven this again.
See you soon and remember, there is no such thing as knowing too much.
Missed my previous blog?
Read it here: Super Ginger!
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