In my opinion, orange and yellow fruits are some of the best fruits out there. There are so many examples of them, and they include: apricots, carrots, nectarines, oranges, pineapples, mangoes, etc. In addition to being tasty and nice on the taste buds, most of these fruits come packed with a lot of nutritional value. In the course of this article, I will be going into detail about these wonderful fruits.
Why the orange color?
The reason for their vibrant orange and yellow colors is the presence of carotenoids. Carotenoids are yellow, red, and orange pigments that give fruits that distinctive color. They can be derived from fats and some other organic compounds.
There are three common carotenoids that are found in these fruits. They are: alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and beta cryptoxanthin. They can be converted into vitamin A. Vitamin A is quite important for good vision in dim and dark places.
It is also important for good bone health and proper growth and development. Vitamin A has been discovered to help lower the risk of certain kinds of cancer.
Folates are another class of nutrients that are found in citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits. Folate is a form of the B-vitamin, Vitamin B-9 to be precise. Folates are crucial for the formation of red blood cells and white blood cells.
It is also vital for the formation of DNA and RNA. Another thing that folates do is that they help to break down homocysteine. Homocysteine is an amino acid that can cause artery blockage and blood clots if it accumulates in the body.
Also, folates help fetuses during pregnancy. It helps in fetal growth and development. It is especially useful for preventing birth defects in newborns.
Vitamin C is another important nutrient found in these fruits. Fruits such as cantaloupes, oranges, and lemons are good sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is very important for wound healing and strengthening your immune system.
When your body is vitamin C deficient, you can have issues with infections and diseases. Vitamin C also helps to maintain your bones, teeth, and cartilage. Scurvy, though quite rare, can occur when you are deficient in vitamin C. It is a disease that affects your gums and teeth, leading to swollen and bleeding gums.
Different Orange/Yellow Fruits With Their Uses and benefits.
There are quite a number of orange or yellow fruits that you can add to your diet. I will be listing some. Let’s dive in.
Oranges
Oranges are some of the commonest fruits out there. Almost every grocery store around the corner has these fruits in abundant supply. They are quite affordable and will definitely not put a dent in your pockets. The truth is that almost everyone must’ve had an orange.
Oranges belong to the citrus family. This family boasts other members such as: lemon, lime, tangerines, grapefruit, etc.
Oranges aren’t just abundant for nothing. They come packed with various vitamins and minerals that are important to your diet. One of the most important nutrients it contains is vitamin C.
One orange is enough to supply the recommended dosage of vitamin C that you need daily. The daily requirement of vitamin C for men is 90 mg, while for women it is 75 mg. A medium-sized orange gives you up to 70 mg of vitamin C. This means that eating two oranges a day is more than enough to fulfill your vitamin C needs.
Below, I will list other nutrients that can be found in oranges. Orange contains 60 calories.
- 12 grams of sugar.
- 1 gram of protein
- 70 mg of vitamin C.
- 14 mg of vitamin A.
- 3 grams of fiber.
- 70 mg of calcium(6% of your daily recommended amount).
- 237 mg of potassium
- 15.4 g of carbohydrates.
Health benefits of oranges
Oranges have some wonderful health benefits:
- It is rich in vitamin C: Vitamin C is a water soluble antioxidant. Antioxidants are chemicals that can neutralize free radicals in your body. These free radicals, if left unattended, can cause your DNA to mutate. Vitamin C prevents that mutation.
- Absorption of Iron: Oranges are helpful to anemic patients. Iron is essential to the production of red blood cell pigment hemoglobin. It is this hemoglobin that helps to transport oxygen around the body. People can become anemic when iron is deficient in their bodies. Therefore, there is a need for increased iron intake when this happens. This is where oranges come in. They help in increased absorption of this mineral.
- Oranges help your cardiovascular health: Oranges can help lower cholesterol. This is already a plus for the heart. The nutrients in orange prevent heart disease. So, you should increase your consumption of oranges.
- Lowers risk of cancer: Oranges are a rich source of D-limonene. This substance has been discovered to protect against lung cancer and some other kinds of cancer. In addition, the fibrous nature of oranges can protect against colon cancer.
Uses
You can use oranges in so many ways:
- They can be eaten whole.
- You can make zest out of it and use it to give flavor to your various recipes and foods.
- You can make marmalade or jam out of them.
- The peels also produce healthy oil. This oil can be used in a salad.
Places to buy orange
Oranges can be bought in any grocery store or food mart.
Apricots
Apricots are also known as Armenian plums. They are stone fruits that have a tart taste. They greatly resemble peaches but have a similar taste to purple plums.
They are yellow in appearance and are a package bursting with flavor and goodness.
These yellow fruits are a good source of beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. These substances are very important for good vision.
They are also good antioxidants, which help to fight free radicals in your body.
Below is the nutritional value of apricots.1 Apricot contains:
- 17 calories.
- 4 g of carbohydrates.
- 0.5 g of protein.
- 0.13 g of fat.
- 0.7 g of fiber.
- 8% of the daily value of vitamin A.
- 8% of the daily value of Vitamin C.
- 4% of the daily value of Vitamin E.
- 4% of the daily value of potassium.
Below are some of the health benefits of apricots.
- High in antioxidants: Apricots contain antioxidants such as vitamin A, C, and E. These antioxidants help to neutralize free radicals in the human body. Free radicals are released into cells from the mitochondria during the formation of energy. They are called reactive oxidative species. These reactive species can cause damage to the vital components of the cell, such as DNA, and cause mutations. Normally, the body releases its own antioxidants to neutralize these species. However, sometimes these natural antioxidants can be overwhelmed. Hence the need to supplement them.
- Promote good vision: Apricots are rich in Vitamin A. As well known, this vitamin is important for good eye health. It can help prevent night blindness, which is a disease that makes the sufferer unable to see in dim light.
- High in fiber: Apricots are a good source of fiber. A cup serving of apricots gives 8% of the daily recommended amount for men and 13.2% for women. The presence of fiber in the diet helps with bowel movement and digestion. Fiber is also good for the maintenance of sugar and cholesterol levels.
Mangoes
Mangoes are another set of wonderful orange fruits that should form part of your diet. It is a stone fruit, or drupe fruit, because of the one large seed in its center. Mangoes are quite tasty and nice on the taste buds. There are different types of mangoes, but each one comes with an impressive nutritional profile.
Below is the nutritional content of mangoes. A cup serving of fresh mangoes contains:
- 99 calories
- 1.4 grams of protein.
- 24.7 grams of carbs.
- 0.6 grams of fat.
- 2.6 grams of fiber.
- 22.5 grams of sugar.
- 67% of the daily value of vitamin C.
- 20% of the daily value of copper.
- 18% of the daily value of folate.
- Vitamin B6: 12% of the daily value of vitamin B6.
- 10% of the daily value of vitamin A.
- 10% of the daily value of vitamin E.
- 6% of the daily value of vitamin K.
- 7% of the daily value of Niacin.
Below are some of the health benefits of mango.
- High in antioxidants: A class of antioxidants called polyphenols are packed into mango. This makes them perfect combatants against aging and cancer.
- Boosts the immune system: Mangoes are very rich in vitamin C. A cup of mangoes provides about 67% of your daily need of vitamin C. Vitamins are very important to your immune system, as they help your body fight infections and diseases.
- Promotes good heart health: Mangoes are also rich in potassium and magnesium. These two minerals help to promote good blood flow. They help your blood vessels relax, which helps lower your blood pressure.