Friday, June 8, 2012

Oranges Health Benefits and Nutrition Facts

There is nothing better than eating a delicious sweet orange. Apart from its delightful taste, orange also contain many nutrients, like vitamin A, B6, and C, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, and more than 60 flavonoids, that is all essential for overall physical health.

Let's take a look at some health benefits contained in orange.

The foremost vitamin in an orange is vitamin C. One orange supplies over 50% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight free radicals that cause damage to DNA.

Oranges also have fiber. One orange will give you around 3 grams of fiber, which supports intestinal health. Fiber also helps protect against some ulcers.

Folate is another essential nutrient found in oranges. Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that is essential for new cell production and growth.

Potassium is a very important mineral to the human body. It is needed in the body for growth, and building muscles. Since potassium is an electrolyte, it is responsible for hydration levels in the body, and keeps the heartbeat regulated.

Another benefit to the orange is that they provide vitamin B6, another water-soluble vitamin that is essential to maintain nerve functions and make hemoglobin to carry oxygen throughout the body.

Hesperidin is an important flavonoid contained in oranges which helps lower LDL cholesterol and regulate blood pressure.

And last of all, oranges contain vitamin A, which helps not only the immune system, but also maintain eyes health. Consume one orange or a glass of fresh orange juice per day will give you a sufficient amount of vitamin A.

More: 15 Health Benefits of Oranges