Citrus are sweet and vividly colored fruits that add a splash of sunlight to gloomy winter days. Citrus fruits, however, are not only aesthetically pleasing and tasty but also healthy.
Lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit are various hybrids and variants in this fruit family.
They offer several health advantages, from enhancing immunity to preventing cancer.
Discover the seven good reasons to eat citrus fruits by reading on.
What are Citrus Fruits Exactly?
On flowering trees and shrubs, citrus fruits can be found.
They are distinguished by a leathery rind and a layer of white pith surrounding the juicy segments.
They are indigenous to Southeast Asia, Australia, New Guinea, and New Caledonia (1Trusted Source).
They are now grown worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions. Spain, Brazil, China, the United States, Mexico, and India are important industrial centers (1Trusted Source).
Interesting fact: Juice is made from almost a third of all citrus fruits.
All year long, citrus fruits of every variety are available. The Northern Hemisphere’s peak season for oranges and grapefruits occurs between the middle of December and April.
Winter is the perfect time for someone who likes guavas and oranges. However, you may readily find these fruits all year round because of the constantly improving preservation technology.
But there is something special about fruits and vegetables that are in season. They not only taste, look, and feel better, but they also offer better nutrients. And what fruit is better to stock up on in the winter than citrus fruits?
These are the ones that smell and taste sour and tangy for the uninitiated. One can always testify to fresh fruits’ nutritional value because they are easily accessible during the winter and are hailed as incredibly beneficial.
Top 7 Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits in winter!
Here are a few popular citrus fruit varieties:
- Valencia, navel, blood orange, and cara cara are sweet oranges.
- Mandarins: Tangor, tangerine, satsumas, and tangelos.
- Persian, key lime, and kaffir limes.
- White, ruby red, and oroblanco grapefruit.
- Lemons: Meyer and Eureka.
- Others include pomelos, sudachi, yuzu, and citron.
Here are seven health benefits of including these fruits in your diet.
1. They’re a Good Fiber Source:
Citrus can help you reach your daily fiber goal for women, around 25 grams. A tangerine has 1.6 grams of fiber, compared to 2.3 grams in an orange.
Furthermore, according to the best nutritionist in Bangalore, DrPH, RD, around two-thirds of the fiber in citrus fruit is soluble fiber, associated with lowering cholesterol and regulating glucose levels.
According to the online nutritionist, Citrus’ leftover insoluble fiber gives our digestive systems more bulk and keeps us regular. Citrus fruits are a fantastic snack for weight loss because they are high in fiber and keep us feeling satiated and fuller for longer than foods with less fiber.
2. They are Beneficial for Heart Health:
According to a nutritionist in Bangalore, citrus fruits include flavonoids and plant components that may help with heart health.
The red grapefruit’s high antioxidant content reduced “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Additionally, vitamin C has been connected to a lower risk of heart disease.
On the other hand, Grapefruit may interact negatively with cholesterol-lowering statins, so you might want to avoid it if you take them.
3. Their Glycemic Index is Low:
On a scale of 100 points, citrus fruits have relatively low glycemic index ratings, which means they won’t cause as much of a blood sugar increase as other foods. For instance, an orange rates a 45, while a grapefruit a 25.
(Raisins rate a 64, a white bagels 72, and Gatorade 89, respectively.)
This indicates that citrus fruit’s delayed release of glucose into your system gives you a constant sense of energy without a crash later.
4. They might make Colds last Less Time:
Citrus fruits are widely known to contain a significant amount of vitamin C. (51 mg in an orange, 38 mg in grapefruit, and 30 mg in a lemon).
According to the best nutritionist in Bangalore, vitamin C cannot prevent colds, but research indicates that it may shorten their length and lessen their intensity. According to studies, the vitamin may help reduce the length of your symptoms by roughly a day, which can be very helpful when you’re under the weather.
5. They contain a lot of Potassium:
You likely think of bananas when you hear the word “potassium.” Citrus is also a fantastic source of this mineral, which is necessary for muscular contraction, mineral balance, and fluid management.
By assisting your body in eliminating sodium, potassium also functions as a counter-regulator to the quantity of salt in your diet. This is another good reason to eat lots of citruses, even though it’s not a justification for salting your cuisine.
Consuming a lot of potassium-rich foods can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 21%.
6. They can maintain Youthful Skin:
Another justification for consuming lots of vitamin C is? Your skin might benefit from it, according to the nutritionist in Bangalore. Because vitamin C contributes to collagen synthesis, some experts think it can keep skin supple and smooth.
It has been seen that participants who consumed a lot of vitamin C superfoods had fewer wrinkles and better skin than those who did not. However, more research is required to understand this issue thoroughly.
7. They Aid for Weight Loss:
Citrus fruits are very diet-friendly because they are high in flavor and low in calories (one orange has only 45 calories). Furthermore, studies have connected higher BMIs, waist circumferences, and body fat percentages to low vitamin C blood levels.
Nutritionists advice squeezing the juice or grating the zest on chicken, fish, or a salad to enhance the flavor if you want to start including more citrus in your diet.
Alternately, try using the juice as the foundation for a sauce or dressing (it will brighten up any dish). If all else fails, adding a few lemon slices to your water can at least give it a mild flavor.
