
Oranges are great for you, but you should enjoy them in moderation, Thornton-Wood said. These pigments provide blood oranges with their bright red color and serve as antioxidants in the body, according to WebMD. Thornton-Wood said that blood oranges are higher in anthocyanins than navel oranges, due to the red pigmentation in the blood orange. When it comes to comparing different orange types, the "main differences are related to the sweetness and therefore the sugar content," she said. "Overall flavor is dependent on ripeness and how the orange has been stored." The characteristic flavor of an orange "comes from the combination of a large number of volatile compounds such as limonene combined with sugars and acids also present in the orange," Thornton-Wood said. " same antioxidant as in tomatoes and is really important for eye health," she said.

One of the more surprising health benefits of oranges is due to their lycopene content, Thornton-Wood said. One orange can provide enough vitamin C for one day. The American Diabetes Association lists oranges, along with other citrus fruits, as a "superfood" for people with diabetes.įiber also aids in digestion and may help lower cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream, according to the Mayo Clinic. The fiber in oranges may help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes and improve blood sugar, lipids and insulin levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Too much potassium, however, can lead to hyperkalemia which can be serious and life threatening and include symptoms of muscle fatigue and weakness, nausea and paralysis, according to the Mayo Clinic. Potassium, an electrolyte mineral, is vital for the healthy functioning of the nervous system, and a lack of potassium can lead to arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat), increased blood pressure and a depletion of calcium in bones, according to the U.S. Folate that helps the body lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is common in red meat and is linked with poor heart health. Oranges are also a great source of folate and thiamine, she said, two important forms of vitamin B. "We need to eat more (fiber)," Thornton-Wood told Live Science. In addition, a 2013 study published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer found that the high amounts of vitamin C and folic acid, coupled with the antioxidant properties in orange juice can reduce DNA damage and, therefore, the risk of cancer.Īs well as vitamin C, oranges contain fiber, potassium and choline, all of which are good for your heart. Studies have shown that about 10-15% of colon cancers have a mutation in a gene called BRAF. It is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer due to preventing DNA mutations. Some research suggests that the vitamin C in oranges may be linked with a lower risk of certain cancers.

The vitamin C found in orange juice helps support normal immune function.
