Orange: calories, slimming properties and health benefits of this fruit
Orange is as good for your health as it is for your personality: amplify the benefits of this vitamin C champ.
It is believed that it originated from the Mediterranean basin: but the orange is a fruit that comes to us from China. It was brought to southern Europe thanks to the Arabs who planted orange trees first in Egypt and then in North Africa. Oranges soon seduced the European population: thus King Louis XIV owned a wonderful orange orchard in the Palace of Versailles ...
Orange: what you need to know
Although they can be found year-round on supermarket shelves, oranges are a winter fruit: The orange season runs from December to April, with peak season in February. Oranges are mainly grown in Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece and Egypt. It is the fourth most cultivated fruit in the world.
The orange tree (Citrus aurantium) belongs to the family Rutaceae. Thus, oranges are from the same family as lemons, tangerines, or grapefruits.
There are two main types of orange: sweet orange and bitter orange. The latter are also called "bigarades" because they come from the sour orange tree: they are smaller than sweet oranges and are not eaten raw - they are cooked in jam or marmalade.
Orange: What are its health benefits?
Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C: in 100 grams of pulp, there are 47.5 mg of vitamin C, nearly half of the recommended daily intake (RDA) for adults (which is 110 mg per day). Note: Vitamin C is slightly lower in bitter orange, with "only" 44.5 mg per 100 grams.
Oranges are also a good source of vitamin B9 - also known as folic acid. In 100 grams of pulp, there are 25.9 mcg of vitamin B9, which is one on 12 of the 300 mcg recommended daily for adults (AJR Out of Pregnancy).
Therefore, oranges are excellent for health. According to the Fruits and Vegetables Research and Information Agency (Aprifel), “Its richness in vitamin C, folic acid, and flavonoids (such as hesperidin and naringenin) gives orange juice antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and prevents cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance associated with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.” Moreover, vitamin C "can improve respiratory infections, psoriasis, allergies, asthma, and arthritis."
Orange: What are its advantages in slimming?
Side calories, oranges aren't too dangerous on the line! So the orange is equivalent to low-fat yogurt: only 44 calories per 100 grams. However, it is slightly more than a grapefruit (which has only 42 calories per 100g) and much more than a lemon (4 calories per 15ml of juice).
Oranges contain an interesting amount of dietary fiber (2.7 grams per 100 grams of pulp). Type "pectin" (that is, identical to that in apples), these form a "jelly" in the stomach and contribute to the feeling of satiety. Perfect for people who find it difficult to stop snacking between meals...
How to cook an orange? Here are two slimming recipes that you can try:
Moroccan orange salad
Enough for 4 people. Peel 4 raw oranges and cut them into slices on a plate to catch the juice. Rinse and gently dry 8 fresh mint leaves, finely chopping. In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp. in s. orange blossom water, orange juice and 1 tbsp. c. Cinnamon powder. Add orange and mint slices and mix gently. When ready to serve, brown 1 tbsp. in s. Pine nuts for a few moments in a non-stick skillet. Sprinkle over oranges and serve immediately.
Peach, cinnamon and orange gratin
Enough for 4 people. Preheat the oven to 210 °C (7). Take 3 slices of zest from one organic orange. Immerse them in a small saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds, drain them, repeat the process with clean water and then drain them again. Cut it into thin slices. Squeeze the orange. Cut 6 yellow peaches
in half, then remove the skin and peel them. Cut 4 peaches into very small cubes. Mix them with 1 tbsp. c. Cinnamon, orange zest and divide the preparation into 4 small oven dishes (such as creme brulee dishes). Arrange a peach in each plate, on the fruit cubes, rounded side up, and sprinkle the equivalent of 3 tablespoons of orange juice. Bake for 20 minutes and serve warm.