Oranges are round citrus fruits ranging in diameter from about 2 to 3 inches, with finely texturized skins that are orange in color.

Its pulp is also orange in color and very succulent, surrounded by its skin which can vary in thickness depending on its variety.

There are oranges that are sweet, bitter and sour, so youll need to know the variety youre buying. The sweet variety are usually more fragrant. They include Valencia, Navel and Jaffa oranges which are ideal for making juices.

In the orange family, there are also the Mandarin oranges (with loose skin), Clementine (loose skin and seedless), the tangerine (orange-red Mandarin), the Minneola (cross between tangerine and grapefruit), the blood orange that has dark burgundy colored flesh, kumquat, and a few other lesser known ones.

The Mandarin oranges are especially popular with the Chinese as the word “orange” in Chinese sounds like “gold” or “good luck”. Come the Lunar New Year, the Chinese buy oranges by the boxes to be given away to express good wishes for the new year.

Nutritional Benefits

Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids. One orange (130 grams) supplies nearly 100 percent of the recommended daily dietary intake of vitamin C.

When you eat a whole orange, it provides good dietary fiber. Leave in the pith (the white matter under the peel) as much as possible as the pith contains the highest amount of valuable bioflavonoids and other anti-cancer agents.

In addition, oranges are a good source of vitamin A, the B vitamins, amino acids, beta-carotene, pectin, potassium, folic acid, calcium, iodine, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, manganese, chlorine and iron.

Health Benefits

An orange packs over 170 different phytonutrients and more than 60 flavonoids, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and blood clot inhibiting properties, as well as strong anti-oxidant effects.

The combination of the high amount of anti-oxidant (vitamin C) and flavonoids in oranges makes it one of the best fruits in helping to promote optimal health.

Arteriosclerosis: Regularly consuming vitamin C retards the development of hardening of the arteries.

Cancer prevention: A compound in oranges called liminoid, has been found to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon. The high vitamin C content also acts as a good anti-oxidant that protects cells from damages by free radicals.

Cholesterol: The alkaloid synephrine found under the orange peel can reduce the liver’s production of cholesterol. Whereas the anti-oxidant fights oxidative stress that is the main culprit in oxidizing the LDLs in our blood.

Constipation: Even though the orange “tastes acidic”, it actually has an alkaline effect in the digestive system and helps stimulate the digestive juices, relieving constipation.

Damaged sperms, repair: An orange a day is sufficient for a man to keep his sperms healthy. Vitamin C, an anti-oxidant, protects sperms from genetic damage that may cause a birth defect.

Heart disease: A high intake of flavonoids and vitamin C has been known to halve the risk of heart diseases.

High blood pressure: Studies have shown that a flavonoid called hesperidin in oranges can lower high blood pressure.

Immune system: The strong content of vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, naturally building a good immune system.

Kidney stones, prevent: Drinking orange juice daily can significantly drop the risk of formation of calcium oxalate stones in the kidney.

Skin: The anti-oxidant in orange help protect the skin from free radical damage known to cause signs of aging.

Stomach ulcer: Consuming vitamin C rich foods helps to lower the incidence of peptic ulcers and in turn, reduce the risk of stomach cancer.

Viral infections, protection against: The abundance of polyphenols have been shown to provide protection against viral infections.

Avocados
Avocados are one the most nutrient-dense foods that exist, so it’s no wonder they’re great for your eyes. They contain more lutein than any other fruit. Lutein is important in the prevention of macular degeneration and cataracts. They are also a great source of other important eye nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin E.

Carrots
Carrots have long been recognized as an eye food due to their high levels of vitamin A.

Broccoli
Broccoli is a good source of vitamin C, calcium, lutein, zeaxanthin, and sulforaphane.

Eggs
Eggs are an excellent source of eye nutrients like vitamin A, zinc, lutein, lecithin, B12, vitamin D, and cysteine.

Spinach
Another great source of vitamin A, spinach also contains other important eye nutrients including lutein and zeaxathin.

Kale
Like spinach, kale is a good source of vitamin A, lutein, and zeaxathin.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and lycopene, two important eye nutrients.

Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds contain selenium, a nutrient that may prevent cataracts and promote overall eye health.

Garlic
Garlic contains selenium and other eye nutrients such as vitamin C and quercetin.

Salmon
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for maintaining overall eye health. It also contains folic acid, vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin A.

Bone Protection
French researchers found that a flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Boron, another ingredient in apples, also strengthens bones.

Asthma Help
One recent study shows that children with asthma who drank apple juice on a daily basis suffered from less wheezing than children who drank apple juice only once per month. Another study showed that children born to women who eat a lot of apples during pregnancy have lower rates of asthma than children whose mothers ate few apples.

Alzheimer’s Prevention
A study on mice at Cornell University found that the quercetin in apples may protect brain cells from the kind of free radical damage that may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

Lower Cholesterol
The pectin in apples lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. People who eat two apples per day may lower their cholesterol by as much as 16 percent.

Lung Cancer Prevention
According to a study of 10,000 people, those who ate the most apples had a 50 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer. Researchers believe this is due to the high levels of the flavonoids quercetin and naringin in apples.

Breast Cancer Prevention
A Cornell University study found that rats who ate one apple per day reduced their risk of breast cancer by 17 percent. Rats fed three apples per day reduced their risk by 39 percent and those fed six apples per day reduced their risk by 44 percent.

Colon Cancer Prevention
One study found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 43 percent lower risk of colon cancer. Other research shows that the pectin in apples reduces the risk of colon cancer and helps maintain a healthy digestive tract.

Liver Cancer Prevention
Research found that rats fed an extract from apple skins had a 57 percent lower risk of liver cancer.

Diabetes Management
The pectin in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body which lowers the body’s need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.

Weight Loss
A Brazilian study found that women who ate three apples or pears per day lost more weight while dieting than women who did not eat fruit while dieting.

1. What can I eat?

Unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Beans
• Grains
• Legumes
• Dried fruit
• Seaweed
• Unprocessed organic or natural foods
• Freshly juiced fruit and vegetables
• Purified water
• Young coconut milk

At least 75% of food consumed should not be heated over 116 degrees F.

2. What cooking techniques are used?

Specific cooking techniques make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, including:

• Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans
• Juicing fruit and vegetables
• Soaking nuts and dried fruit
• Blending
• Dehydrating food

3. What equipment can I use?

• A dehydrator, a piece of equipment that blows air through food at a temperature of less than 116 degrees F.
• A good-quality juice extractor for juicing fruit and vegetables
• A blender, food processor, or chopper to save time
• Large glass containers to soak and sprout seeds, grains, and beans
• Mason jars for storing sprouts and other food

A banana is the most unique of all fruit because unlike any fruit it does not come from trees at all but from large plants that are giant herbs and are related to lily and orchid family. In order to have a healthy lifestyle, you have to meet your daily requirement of five fruits and vegetables. Bananas are a perfect part of your diet and they are the most popular fruit in America. Bananas are available all year and they are a great source of instant energy whether you are watching your diet or just trying to eat healthy. Like other fruits and vegetables, bananas contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. It is a known fact that a low fat, balanced diet rich in vegetables and fruit may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and they are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium. Lack of B6 in a diet can cause weakness, irritability and insomnia. The potassium found in bananas helps to regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Potassium is also essential for helping muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduces cramping up. A medium-sized banana provides 400 mg of potassium -11% of daily value- and contains 110 calories and 4 grams of fiber. Bananas also contain plenty of carbohydrates which are the body’s main source of energy. They are also easy to digest.

Because of their great taste, they can also serve as a substitute for sweets and satisfy sugar cravings.

Researche also shows that serotonin and norepinephrine in bananas may naturally help sufferers overcome depression. They are the good mood food.

Convenience and nutritional value of bananas make them a good post-exercise snack. During long exercises your body loses vitamins and minerals and a banana replaces these nutrients as well as giving you the energy you need.

Bananas are good for babies, too. They are in fact often the first solid food given to infants. Bananas are easy to digest because they have no fat and very few babies are allergic to bananas. They are also one of children’s favorite snack because of their taste and they meet the energy needs of the growing children.

Green tipped bananas should be selected for cooking or ripening, yellow ones should be selected for eating and brown-specked ones should be selected for baking breads, muffins and cookies. As the bananas ripen, they will taste sweeter because the starch in the fruit will turn to sugar. You can toss bananas to your cereals, salads, yogurt, salsa, smoothie or shakes.

You should store your bananas over the counter at room temperature until they reach the ripeness you want, then you can store them in the refrigerator. The peel of the fruit will darken in the refrigerator but the banana inside will remain firm and delicious. To ripen a banana faster, it should be put in a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight.