The Vitamin C in orange is a major incentive for consuming the fruit, particularly for people who desire a healthy and natural way to enhance the immune system by assuring a high intake of this nutrient.
However, it is essential to note that the advantages of orange extend much beyond the vitamin C content in a glass of orange juice. Also, proportionately speaking, the orange cannot be the fruit with the highest vitamin C content.
Come and get a deeper understanding of this topic by examining what vitamin C is used for, how much is in an orange, how it compares to other fruits, and what additional benefits there are to routinely ingesting this fruit. Have fun reading!
What is Vitamin C?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an important water-soluble vitamin for the human body, which requires it for the maintenance and development of several biological activities.
As the body is unable to produce it spontaneously, it must be frequently ingested from external sources, mostly fruits and vegetables. This is because it can only be preserved for around 20 days, a limited length of time.
What is vitamin C for?
A huge range of biological tasks that vitamin C permits, participates in, or encourages, including the formation of chemical compounds, cellular structures, and diverse tissues, provide vitamin C with a significant significance for human health.
In general, the main functions of vitamin C in the body are:
- Stimulation of the synthesis of collagen, an important protein for the development, strength, and flexibility of diverse organic tissues;
- It increases the synthesis of carnitine, which is an essential component for cellular energy production;
- It helps lower cholesterol deposits in the liver by facilitating the transformation of cholesterol into bile acid.
- Stimulates the production of important neurotransmitters for the neurological system, hence enhancing brain function.
- It aids in the breakdown of iron molecules and enhances the use of this mineral, contributing to the treatment of anaemia.
- It contains antioxidant properties, combating the damaging effect of free radicals, and stimulates the manufacture of other antioxidant-containing nutrients, such as vitamin E.
How much vitamin C is there in an orange?
Now that we’ve provided an overview of vitamin C and how it stimulates numerous biological activities, we can return to the main topic of this essay, which is the vitamin C content of an orange.
To answer this question, we utilised a 100-gram chunk of orange, which contains around 53.2 mg of vitamin C on average. This value may vary depending on the fruit’s size, species, and place of cultivation.
In addition to the vitamin C content of oranges, it is also important to note that each fruit weighs an average of 486 grammes with the skin and 286 grammes without it. Therefore, it is extremely simple to meet the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C by ingesting simply one fruit.
Men are advised to consume 90 milligrammes per day, while women should consume 75 milligrammes per day.
Amount of vitamin C in orange compared to other fruits
Orange is not the fruit with the greatest content of vitamin C per 100 grammes, but it is one of the primary sources of this nutrient due to the simplicity with which the daily requirements may be met.
Examine the following other sources of vitamin C for purposes of comparison:
| 15 fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C (100 g serving) | |
| Acerola | 1800 mg |
| Guava | 228 mg |
| Cashew | 200 mg |
| Salsa | 183 mg |
| Yellow pepper | 127 mg |
| Broccoli | 122 mg |
| Raw/cooked kale | 108 mg / 46 mg |
| Kiwi | 91 mg |
| Lemon juice (100 ml pure) | 79 mg |
| Papaya | 61 mg |
| Strawberry | 60 mg |
| Orange | 53 mg |
| Pineapple | 50 mg |
| Tangerine | 45 mg |
| Manga | 43 mg |
Orange benefits go beyond vitamin C
Even while the fruit has two to four times as much vitamin C per 100 grammes than the winner in this category, it is still one of the primary and most accessible sources of this nutrient.
However, its advantages extend beyond the vitamin C content of an orange. This fruit has the following positive effects on health and well-being when consumed:
- Inflammations are immune system responses to external stimuli such as microbes and other substances that infiltrate the body. Chronic inflammation, although being beneficial, may cause major health concerns.
- Orange inhibits these consequences by exerting an anti-inflammatory impact that aids in reducing swelling and irritation, so protecting the damaged tissues;
- A medium-sized orange, when ingested in its whole, including the pomace, may contain around 3 grammes of fibre, a nutrient that can greatly benefit the digestive system, manage cholesterol, lower the risk of heart disease, and even inhibit the absorption of sugar.
- Source of natural sugar: the sugar found naturally in oranges is healthier for the body than the sugar derived from sugar cane. Therefore, it may be used to sweeten and enhance the taste of natural juices without the addition of other sweeteners.
- Potassium is a particularly essential mineral for vascular health, as it helps maintain blood pressure under control; hence, orange may be used to avoid hypertension.
- Folic acid, commonly known as vitamin B9, is contained in oranges, making them a good source of this mineral, particularly for pregnant women and infants older than six months.
- Oranges have a high quantity of hydrogen citrate, which helps prevent kidney disorders, particularly the production of kidney stones.
This is all without mentioning the advantages of vitamin C in orange, which may help protect cells, prevent cancer-causing free radicals, slow cellular ageing, prevent eye issues, and boost the immune system.