Dear Friends,
Happy Wednesday! Oranges have been in season here in beautiful Orange County! My dear staff, Allexis, has been sharing her incredibly sweet oranges from her garden with us, and I have been amazed at the incredibly refreshing flavor and health benefits from thezest to the pith.
Oranges, are an excellent source ofvitamin C, a key antioxidant to reverse oxidative stress, neutralize free radicals and boost theimmunesystem! Food sources of vitamin C have excellent bioavailability! We could all use more immune support this time of year with all the viruses going around! Vitamin C is also important forcollagen productionandradiant skin!
What amazes me is thezesthas incredible flavor andhealthy benefits too! Orange zest is loaded inpolyphenols and antioxidants!So before eating an orange, be sure to zest it andspinkle the zest on salads!
Thepithis the white part between the peel and the fruit. As you’re eating the orange, go ahead and dig your teeth into the pith and you’ll actually be getting a whole lot of additional nutrients! Although a bit bitter, the pitch is a rich source of fiber, calcium, vitamin C and immune-boosting flavonoids! It contains a flavonoid calledhesperidin, whichis good for blood vessels andreducesinflammation.
Another flavonoid found in oranges, includingthe pith and peel as well as the fruit isnaringenin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Oranges do have some natural fruit sugars, so they are best consumed at the end of a meal (perfect desert!) No wonder they say “fruit is nature’s candy!” I recommend eating the whole orange, from the zest to the pith (at least a little pith!) to get all the health benefits. The fiber in the orange helps reduce the glycemic index. It’s preferable to eat the whole fruit rather than juicing it to prevent a spike in the blood sugar and insulin levels. And remember, the fiber is food for all thegood bacteriain yourgut microbiome.
Warm regards,
Rajsree Nambudripad, MD
