Laranja

Orange

Citrus sinensis

Orange (Citrus sinensis L.) is a sweet fruit specie from Rutaceae family. The orange is a hybrid, possibly between pomelo (Citrus maxima) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata), which has been cultivated since ancient times. The production of oranges has been increased and 75.5 million tons of oranges were produced worldwide in 2020. In Portugal, more than 357 000 tons of oranges were produced, and its production is mainly concentrated in the Algarve region. Orange is a popular fruit being low in calories, mostly constituted by water, and high in fibers, vitamin C and minerals like potassium and calcium, mainly consumed as fresh fruit or for bakery due to their sweet flavor in home or industry. Their characteristic aroma is largely due to the presence of D-limonene in peel.

Amount per 100 g

Energy 47 kcal
Water 86.8 g
Protein 0.94 g
Lipids 0.12 g
Carbohydrates 11.8 g
Sugars 9.35 g
Fiber 2.4 g
Vitamin C 53.2 mg
Potassium (K) 181 mg
Calcium (Ca) 40 mg

Source: USDA Food Data Central

Orange has a high content of phenolic compounds, with a total polyphenol of 278.59 mg/100 g FW assessed by Folin assay, mainly flavonoids (e.g., hesperidin, naringenin and kaempferol) and phenolic acids (e.g., ferulic, synapic, p-hydroxybenzoic acids) and carotenoids, responsible for their orange color, as β-carotene (71 µg/100 g), β-cryptoxanthin (116 µg/100 g) and lutein and zeaxanthin (129 µg/100 g).

Regarding health effects, C. sinensis has scientific studies proven their positive effect against oxidative stress-related disorders like obesity, diabetes, inflammatory diseases, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer, due to the antioxidant activity of citrus bioactive compounds, especially flavonoids, carotenoids, terpenes, and limonoids.

Moreover, vitamin C act like free radical scavenger in antioxidant defense system and plays an important role as enzyme cofactor for biochemical reactions as biosynthesis of collagen, and metabolism of cholesterol.

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