Citrus Sinensis – Health Benefits, Uses and Important Facts

Citrus sinensis, or sweet orange, is a fruit that has a lot of vitamin C in it. Its fruit and juice are often eaten and drunk.

There is a lot of potassium in a sweet orange, which could help prevent high blood pressure and stroke. Both the fruit and the juice have a lot of a chemical called citrate, which may help keep kidney stones from forming. Before calcium can form a stone, citrate tends to stick to it.

People use sweet orange to treat asthma, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, the common cold, and many other conditions.

What is Citrus sinensis? 

Citrus sinensis (family Rutaceae), which is the scientific name for the sweet orange, is a very important fruit around the world. It is thought to have come from Southeast Asia, but it now grows in other parts of the world as well. Vitamin C, liminoids, synephrine, hesperidin, polyphenols, pectins, calcium, potassium, thiamine, niacin, and magnesium are all found in the pulp and the juice made from it. These biologically active compounds protect against atherosclerosis, cancer, kidney stones, and stomach ulcers, and they have also been shown to lower cholesterol levels.

Nutritional profile of Citrus sinensis:

There is a lot of vitamin C in a sweet orange. Since  vitamin C is an antioxidant, sweet orange might help people with asthma.

Potassium is also found in large amounts in sweet oranges.

Citrate, which is found in large amounts in both sweet orange fruit and sweet orange juice, is used to prevent kidney stones. Citrate tends to bind to calcium before it can form kidney stones.

Health benefits of Citrus sinensis:

1. Helps you stay healthy

Citrus sinensis fruits boost the immune system because they have more than twice the amount of vitamin C that is needed every day.

2. Healthy for the skin

Damage from free radicals happens to our skin and other parts of the body as we age. This is a lot like how metals rust when they are exposed to air. Citrus sinensis is full of antioxidants and Vitamin C, which slow down the ageing process and make you look younger than your age.

3. Easy on the eyes 

As we age, not only does our skin get damaged, but so do our eyes. Citrus sinensis is full of good things for your eyes, like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium.

4. Keeps heart disease at bay 

People get heart disease in part because their arteries get clogged up because they lead unhealthy lives and eat junk food. Flavonoids in Citrus sinensis, like hesperidin, lower cholesterol and keep your arteries from getting clogged. This keeps you from having a heart attack or getting other diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

5. Helps in brain development

Folate and folic acid, which are found in Citrus sinensis, help the brain grow and stay in great shape. In fact, these nutrients also make Citrus sinensis a healthy fruit for women who are pregnant, since they keep their babies from developing neurological disorders in the future.

6. Prevents ulcers

Citrus sinensis has a lot of fibre, which is good for the health of your stomach and intestines. If you eat a lot of fibre, you won't get stomach ulcers or have trouble going to the bathroom.

7. Keeps eyesight healthy

Citrus sinensis also has a lot of vitamin A and antioxidant flavonoids like alpha- and beta-carotenes, beta-cryptoxanthin, zea-xanthin, and lutein. It is known that these compounds act as antioxidants. Vitamin A is also important for healthy mucus membranes and skin, and it is needed for healthy eyesight. Consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps the body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

8. Helps in weight loss

One cup of Citrus sinensis has only 85 calories, so they are a low-calorie food that is also high in nutrients. There are also 4.3 grammes of fibre in the same serving. This compound helps you lose weight by making you go to the bathroom more often and making you feel full for longer.

9. Prevents hairfall

Citrus sinensis has high Vitamin C content which is required for producing collagen which, in turn, is responsible for keeping the tissues in your hair together. Nobody likes bald patches on their head, and eating oranges can ensure that you do not have to part with your lovely hair as you grow older.