by The intake of fruits and vegetables is key in the diet. In the wide portfolio of options, citrus fruits such as orange stand out, a food that offers a series of properties and nutrients to the body.
It is said that this food helps combat premature aging of the skin, reduce bad cholesterol, protect the body from cardiovascular diseases and strengthen the immune system. Likewise, the orange has minerals such as potassium and calcium, necessary to regulate blood pressure, as well as being favorable if it is about purifying the blood.
Information from the well-being and health portal Tua Saúde indicates that a good way to obtain these benefits is to consume at least one orange a day or 150 milliliters of natural juice, although this second option has the disadvantage of not having the fibers that exist in the whole fruit. Apart from this, the orange added in cooked or baked recipes have fewer nutrients than the fresh and natural fruit.
One of the benefits attributed to this fruit is that it helps purify the blood, according to information from the Mejor con Salud magazine, written by Valeria Sabater. “The fact that it is so rich in vitamin C makes it possible to purify the blood better and reduce the risk of heart problems by 7%,” said the aforementioned source.
In this regard, the Salud Mapfre portal indicates that in people with a tendency to thrombosis, edema or varicose veins, orange flavonoids reinforce the wall of capillary vessels, give greater elasticity to the arteries and, in general, improve venous circulation. , in addition to preventing platelet aggregation, providing an antithrombotic effect.
against cholesterol
Tua Saúde indicates that the fibers present in oranges, mainly pectin, help reduce bad cholesterol and triglycerides, which are responsible for the formation of fatty plaques in the arteries. These nutrients decrease the absorption of fats from the diet, contributing to the reduction of the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, heart failure and stroke.
Along the same lines, Salud Mapfre ensures that the vitamin C contained in this fruit inhibits the oxidation of the so-called bad cholesterol (LDL) and prevents it from being deposited on the walls of the blood vessels, thus preventing atherosclerosis.
Regulates blood pressure
Orange intake is also favorable for those who have high blood pressure or to prevent it, this is again due to its richness in vitamin C, pectin (soluble fiber) and antioxidant plant compounds, says the Cuerpo Mente portal. This website refers to a study, according to which orange juice consumed daily reduced blood pressure by 5%.
Additionally, this food contains large amounts of potassium, a mineral that increases the relaxation of blood vessels, allowing blood to circulate more easily, thus favoring the decrease in blood pressure.
Other benefits
The vitamins A, B and C and the folic acid that this fruit contains stimulate the production of white blood cells, essential defense cells to prevent and fight infections; so it helps strengthen the immune system.
On the other hand, these same vitamins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, so orange helps fight free radicals that cause skin aging. In addition, vitamin C stimulates collagen production, reducing flaccidity and the appearance of wrinkles and expression lines, and vitamin A protects the skin from damage caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Finally, being rich in fiber, this fruit helps prevent and improve constipation, as well as offering laxative properties, for the benefit of the digestive process.
