Sweet, brightly coloured citrus fruits bring a burst of flavours into our lives. As pretty as they look, they are also good for your health. Citrus fruits have many health benefits, from boosting immunity to fighting cancer. They have long been valued as part of a nutritious and tasty diet.
It is well established that citrus fruits are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre that are essential for normal growth and development and overall nutritional well-being. Citrus fruits contain plant compounds that can protect against a variety of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, brain dysfunction and kidney stones. But aim to consume whole fruits, rather than a lot of fruit juice, as its high sugar content can lead to problems. Overall, citrus fruits are healthy, low in calories and convenient to eat.
Power of flavonoids
Flavonoids are a class of polyphenols found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, tea and wine. Citrus flavonoids, which are found in the fruit tissue, juice pulp and skin are one of the reasons for the health-promoting attributes of citrus fruits and the reason that the whole fruit is so much more healthy than just the juice. Citrus flavonoids are antioxidant and antimutagenic. The latter refers to their ability to prevent cells from mutating and initiating one of the first steps in the development of cancer and other chronic diseases. They have been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth, strengthen capillaries, act as anti-inflammatory, and are anti-allergenic and anti-microbial.
Protective ability
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. Citrus fruits seem to have a protective ability against stroke. It has been estimated that drinking one glass of orange juice daily may lower the risk of stroke in healthy men by 25 per cent while the risk is reduced only 11 per cent from other fruits.
Divya PurushoTham
sanonutritionclinic
The writer is founder and chief nutritionist at Sano Holistic Nutrition Clinic