Health Benefits of a Citrus fruit in the Mediterranean Diet

Citrus fruit is plentiful in America, grown in abundance in Florida, Arizona, and California. It travels well, keeps well, and is plentiful all year in every state, making it a conve­nient (and self-packaged) food. Citrus trees are also familiar fixtures in the Mediterranean, as the climate is just right. Therefore, including lots of fresh oranges, grapefruits, tan­gerines, lemons, and limes in your diet is quintessentially Mediterranean. And don’t forget the more unusual citrus choices, for variety: kumquats, tangelos, and tangors, if you can get them.

The orange juice industry has made it known that orange juice contains the folic acid so important for women of childbearing age.

Deficiencies of folic acid have been linked to fetal abnormalities, and the United States Food and Drug Administration has stated that women of childbearing age can dramatically reduce the risk of having a child with neu­ral tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly by consuming enough fruits and vegetables to assure adequate folic acid intake. Although some legumes and vegetables are even richer sources of folic acid, the orange still ranks as a good source.

Citrus fruits’ real claim to fame is its high concentration of the antioxidant vitamin C. Although vitamin C is present in most fruits, one medium orange supplies the entire rec­ommended daily allowance (currently 60 milligrams, al­though recent studies have suggested that 100 to 200 milligrams daily best saturates cells with vitamin C). Many studies have linked vitamin C consumption with reduced cancer risk. In addition to vitamin C’s antioxidant properties, vitamin C gives the immune system a boost and aids the body in the absorp­tion of iron, particularly that from plant-based sources, which aren’t as readily absorbed by the body as the iron in animal meats. If you down a glass of orange juice with your iron-fortified cereal (for an extra C boost, throw in a few strawberries, too), your body will absorb more iron than it would without the extra vitamin C.

Vitamin C is also important for maintaining the body’s collagen supply. Collagen is necessary for healing wounds, strengthening blood vessels, and maintaining bones and teeth. Collagen has also been linked to a decreased risk of cancer metastasizing (spreading through the body).

Too much vitamin C (in daily megadoses of over 1,000 milligrams) could lead to kidney stone formation in certain people, and even higher doses have been shown to cause ab­dominal cramping, diarrhea, and nausea. Such megadoses would be virtually impossible to achieve from food, and are only a problem when people take vitamin C supplements, so we recommend getting your vitamin C from food sources— and what better food source than citrus fruits?

In addition to vitamin C, citrus fruit has other star quali­ties. Red grapefruit has been the subject of recent cancer research because of its high level of lycopene, the phyto­chemical that has been linked to lower rates of prostate and possibly breast and colon cancer. Red grapefruit is sweeter than yellow grapefruit—just one more reason to enjoy it. Even those who don’t normally appreciate grapefruit’s puckering tang might enjoy the sweeter red variety.

Don’t worry about the color of the rind when choosing your citrus. Most commercially produced citrus is waxed and much of it is dyed. The citrus rind and citrus oil are also potent sources of the phytochemical limonene, a monoter­pene often used in household products like detergent and furniture polish (which you should not, of course, eat!). Limonene has exhibited extremely strong anticancer effects, even causing complete regression of mammary tumors in laboratory rats. Try slicing organic citrus rind and candying it for a unique treat, made even more special when dipped in chocolate (for special occasions only—despite the orange rind, this is basically candy). Many cookbooks contain recipes for candied lemon, orange, and grapefruit peels.

Store citrus fruits in the refrigerator to keep them fresh the longest. Citrus can also be stored in a cool, dry place but will need to be eaten more quickly. Make sure the citrus can breathe. Airtight bags or containers tend to encourage mold­ing. If allowed to come to room temperature, citrus fruits will be juicier and more fragrant.