Oranges are a round citrus fruit which are well known in the world due to their vitamin C properties. It has orange textured skin and can be consumed raw or in the form of juice after peeling the rind. The rind of the fruit is also used in recipes for flavoring or garnishing purpose. The fruit is considered to be a hybrid of pomelo (Citrus maxima) and tangerine (Citrus reticulata). All part of the orange has nutritional value, including the rind of the fruit.
Orange fruits or juices have become an indispensable part of daily breakfast among people. To start a day, oranges are considered as a fresh and perfectly nutritious way. The flavors of the fruits vary from sweet to sour. The edible part of an orange contains 85% water and most of the calories are come from carbohydrates. Oranges have mainly three varieties including the sour orange, the sweet orange and the mandarin orange or better known as a tangerine. The sweet variety is widely grown in the United States and Spain is known to produce the sour orange.
Oranges are:
- Rich source of vitamin C
- An excellent source of fiber
- Also, a good source of folate, vitamin B1, vitamin A, calcium and potassium
As orange is one of the most popular fruits, it is essential to understand what nutrients are present in it and how you can raise absorption of these nutrients from consuming them.
Orange Nutrients:
Same as other citrus fruits, oranges are rich source of vitamin C. Also, it contains 170 different phytonutrients (beta-carotene, folic acid, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6) and more than 60 flavonoids. Some flavonoids have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and blood clot inhibiting properties, and also strong antioxidant effect.
It is also a good source of vitamin A and vitamin B and also contains minerals like calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper and sulfur. The rind of the fruit is rich in vitamin C and pectin (dietary fiber). The amount of vitamin C contained in oranges/orange juice is decreased on exposure to air. So, eat oranges soon after the cutting of it. Always keep orange juice in the refrigerator for the preservation of its vitamin C content.
Nutritional facts of Oranges:
The approximate amount of nutrients that present in an orange having the weight 130 gm:
Vitamins:
- Vitamin C – 70 mg
- Vitamin A – 269 IU
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – 0.11 mg
- Folate – 39.7 mg
- Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5) – 0.33 mg
Minerals:
- Potassium – 237.11 mg
- Calcium – 52.4 mg
- Phosphorous -18 mg
- Magnesium -13 mg
- Selenium – 0.65 mg
Aside from this, oranges also contain:
- Copper
- Fats
- Fiber
- Iron
- Proteins
- Sodium
- Sulfur
- Manganese
It contains approximately 15.4 grams of carbohydrate, 12.2 grams of sugar, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein and 0.2 gram fat.
Calories in Oranges:
The energy derived from food is measured in the form of ‘calorie’. The calories present in fruits are come from the natural sugar that they contain. Oranges are low in calories as they contain 85% water. Oranges contain calories in the form of sugar which can be very easily absorbed by the body.
On the basis of the size of orange, thickness of the skin, variety, and level of ripening, the calorie is calculated. Approximately, a small orange has 55 calories, a medium one has 70 calories and a large one contains 110 calories. Valencia and Navels are commonly found varieties which contain 59 and 54 calories respectively. The sweetness of the orange is directly proportional to the calorie of it. Sweet orange contains more sugar than the sour one.
Calories in Orange Juice:
Nowadays, the market is loaded with various types or brands of orange juice. Each brand/variety has different calorie content. The approximate amount of calories in one cup each of the different variants of orange juice is given here:
- Freshly squeezed – unsweetened: 100
- Freshly squeezed – sweetened: 120
- Canned – unsweetened: 105
- Canned – sweetened: 139
- California orange juice (or concentrate) – frozen: 110
- Frozen concentrate – unsweetened – undiluted: 450
Health Benefits of Oranges and Orange Juice:
- Vitamin C protects from free radicals and supports the immune system
- Oranges reduce and prevent inflammation
- Helps in the proper brain development
- Help to lower cholesterol
- Oranges protect against overweight and obesity
- Protects and maintains healthy bones
- Supports in production of hemoglobin
- Help to maintain electrolyte balance
- Promote healthy heart
Nutrition & Vitamins : How Many Calories Are in an Orange? video from Youtube:
oranges nutrition information is vry useful to everybody…it is true tht orange can treat cough n even being weak.. here u I can see benefit of oranges..so i never stop eating oranges.. i feel like a got an energy shot w/o the caffeine and preservatives!
Oranges provide high amount of folic acid which is good for our hairs……before i dnt like to eat oranges but thinking of its benefit i have to eat it…..well i like orange juice instead of eating it raw….!!!thnx…