KITLIVINGLIVING
Citrus fruits are quite a
big group, including
oranges, lemons,
limes, clemantines,
tangerines, satumas,
mandarins, grapefruits, and pomelos.
Their zingy fresh taste is reflected
in their zesty colourful outers. They
are so intertwined in our culture that
their colours and names of the fruits
are interchangeable - orange, lemon
and lime are colours commonly used
in logos and marketing to grab our
attention.
Juicy and sweet oranges make are
an easily unwrapped snack, even peeling
them smells great and can raise your
mood. They are one of the most popular
fruits in the world and are generally
available from winter through summer
with seasonal variations, depending on
the variety.
There's often a lot of debate about how
sugary citrus fruits are. One of the main
sugars in these fruits is fructose (literally
fruit sugar). It is the sweetest of all naturally
occurring carbohydrates. However, the
sugars in the fruits need to be digested so
the sugar hit is not immediate. One way to
understand it is via the Glycaemic Index
(GI). As a reminder, the Glycaemic Index
is a scale shows how a food will affect
blood sugars, if they will make them rise
slowly or quickly. The higher the GI rating
is, the faster the increase of sugar in the
blood after eating it (a number that might
change if the food is eaten in combination
with another food).
However, all citrus fruits fall into the MAKING CARBS COUNT: UPDATE
category of 'low GI' though within the
group there are variations. Oranges have
a GI around 50, lemon and grapefruit
have a very low GI of around 25, so their
natural sugars don't cause a big spike in
blood sugar.
If you take your citrus as a drink, such
as freshly squeezed, be aware that blood
sugars will rise more quickly. You're likely
to drink the equivalent of 3 or 4 oranges
in a large glass of orange juice, and the
body absorbs liquids faster, so the hit
will be faster and higher. Stick to freshly
squeezed if you can, canned and bottled
drinks are often concentrated or have
added sugar.
Citrus fruits are low in calories, while
being able to help regulate cholesterol
as they include pectin, a soluble dietary
fibre which helps control blood cholesterol
levels.
Vitamin shots
These colourful fruits can be little vitamin
bombs, with tangerines and pink
grapefruits are particularly rich in vitamin A
(beta carotene) as well as potassium. The
real kicker when it comes to citrus though
is their vitamin C content. One good sized
orange can give you around 90% of your
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).
Vitamin C is the primary water-soluble
antioxidant in the body, disarming free
radicals and preventing damage that can
lead to cancer. A good intake of vitamin C
is directly associated with a reduced risk
of colon cancer.
Vitamin C is also associated with
reduced severity of inflammatory
One small orange, one-half of a small
grapefruit and one large tangerine
are all equal to about 100 grams. You
would have to eat almost two small
lemons to consume 100 grams and
gain the same amount of nutrients
Nutritional values of 3 citrus fruits
continued over
in one small orange. The numbers
below refer to 100g of the fruit.
The percentages are for your
recommended daily allowance.
None contain any fat. Grapefruit: 42
cals, 6% dietary fibre, 11g carbs (7g
conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis,
and rheumatoid arthritis. As there is a
field of thought that suggests that Type
2 diabetes is an inflammatory condition
high intakes of vitamin C might help
prevent it. Vitamin C is also vital for the
proper function of a healthy immune
system, which is why your grandma told
you to have vitamin C if you had a cold.
Consuming vitamin C supplements does
not provide the same protective benefits
as eating fresh oranges or drinking fresh
juice.
Citrus fruits health benefits continue
with their fibre, which has been shown to
reduce high cholesterol levels. Fibre can
also help keep blood sugar levels under
control. Oranges are classified into two
general categories-sweet and bitter-
with the former being the type most
commonly consumed. Popular varieties
of the sweet include Valencia, Navel
and Jaffa oranges, as well as the blood
orange, a hybrid species that is smaller
in size, more aromatic in flavor and has
red hues running throughout its flesh.
Bitter oranges are often used to make
jam or marmalade, and their zest serves
as the flavoring for liqueurs such as Grand
Marnier and Cointreau.
Use grapefruit and orange segments
as a delicious additions to salads this
summer, and squeeze a good squirt of
lemon onto any foods you fancy as, a bit
like vinegar, there are some that say that it
can help fight weight gain.
sugar), 23% vitamin A, 52% vitamin
C. Orange: 47 cals, 9% dietary fibre,
12g carbs (9g sugar), 88% vitamin C,
5% vitamin B-6. Lemon: 29 cals, 9g
carbs (2.5% sugar) 11% dietary fibre,
88% vitamin C, 5% vitamin B-6.