Oranges are not the only fruit, but they are the most popular of the citrus family.
Deliciously juicy and bursting with Vitamin C, they taste amazing and are full of health benefits, from the nectar of their juice to the oils in their peel.
Used for flavour and as a preservative, oranges are not only a fruit for eating and squeezing.
Rich in potassium, drinking orange juice can reduce the levels of bad cholesterol and control blood pressure.
The citrus limonoids present in oranges are proven to fight various types of cancer. Japanese research has proved that eating mandarin oranges can reduce live cancer due to the preventive of Vitamin A compounds called carotenoids.
The vitamin C for which oranges are so well known is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Oranges help maintain healthy eyes and regular consumption of orange juice can reduce the risk of kidney stones. They have health benefits for pregnant women, diabetics and improve sperm quality. They’ll aid weight loss and boost the production of collagen, minimising hair loss and helping repair sun-damaged skin. Orange juice can be used to treat dandruff, as a conditioner (with a great smell) and to manage oily skin.
A single orange provides more than 100% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C, so squeeze every drop of goodness from your orange.
If you’re squeezing by hand, roll the oranges firmly with the palm of your hand across the counter to soften them. Slice the oranges in half and discard the seeds. Gripping one of the orange halves tightly, you can squeeze it by hand using a plain juicer to extract the entire juice. If you want, you can scrape the orange halves with a spoon and add the pulp directly to the juice.
Why not try adding your fresh-squeezed orange juice in these two easy recipes.
Orange Peach Smoothie: Combine ½ cup orange juice with ½ cup plain water, ½ cup yogurt, 1 peeled chopped peach and some water. Blend until smooth and serve chilled.
Orange Ice Cream Pops: Combine 2 cups vanilla ice cream, 6 ounces of orange juice and 1 cup cold milk. Blend until till smooth. Pour ¼ cup into ice-pop moulds or plastic cups and freeze until firm.
