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Oranges are not just an incredible source of vitamin C. In fact, when you learn about all the other areas in which they can help you, you might be very surprised.
By Sameer Jha
Via The Health Site
Available in the market all round the year, oranges are the most common citrus fruits consumed in India. They are not only popular for their raww pulpy slices, juicy nature, and tangy and sweet flavour but also for their goodness of vitamin C. Also called the golden apple, oranges offer numerous benefits covering health as well as beauty aspects. Here are the top 10 health benefits you can derive by eating oranges.
#1 Boosts immunity: Oranges is an excellent source of vitamin C. A single medium-sized orange can fulfil about 72% of your daily requirement for vitamin C. Since vitamin C plays a crucial role as an antioxidant by protecting your body against the damage caused by free radicals generated in the body. It therefore reduces inflammation in immune related conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Although debatable, researchers suggest that vitamin C also plays an important role in strengthening immune responses of the body, protecting against recurring cold and cough or any other common infections. Here are 11 ways to include oranges in your diet.
#2 Helps prevent aging of skin: There’s a reason why oranges are popularly used in the beauty industry. Several beauty products including face packs, masks and creams that are available contain orange extract as a key ingredient. That’s because vitamin C present in oranges also helps prevent skin damage, by eliminating free radicals. Vitamin C, being involved in synthesis of collagen, an important component to maintain skin’s overall appearance and texture, prevents premature aging and wrinkling of the skin. Apart from vitamin C, oranges are packed with vitamin A that help keep the skin membranes healthy. Here are 8 fruit packs you can make at home for beautiful skin.
#3 Protects the eyes: Vitamin A in oranges helps keep mucus membranes in the eyes healthy. Available in the form of carotenoid compounds like lutein, beta carotene and zeaxanthin, vitamin A is protective against age-related macular degeneration, a vision-related condition that causes blindness. Besides, it also plays an important role in allowing your eyes to absorb the light. You may also read tomatoes- natural remedy for good vision.
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Make your home smell great: Throw some orange and lemon peels into a liter of water. Then boil this mixture and allow the rich, delicious aroma spread throughout your home. Add water as needed while the mixture boils.
Rid your home of ants: One of the most practical methods of ridding your balcony and terrace of ants is to prepare a special solution made of orange peels. Just throw two hundred milliliters of water and some pieces of orange peel into a kitchen blender, and make a puree from this mixture. Then pour this mixture carefully into places in your home where ants seem to gather. You will find that when you use this method, ants will leave your home and look for new places to nest.
Your wardrobes can also boast the delicious aroma of dried oranges and cloves: For hundreds of centuries, people have used the aroma of oranges and cloves not only to make small spaces smell wonderful, but to eliminate moths from the area. Doing this is very easy; if you have an orange, some cloves and a ribbon, you are ready. Stick cloves into the surface of an orange, covering as much of the surface of the orange rind as you can with cloves. Now tie a ribbon to the orange, and hang this beautiful and aromatic “ball” somewhere inside your clothes or shoe closet. This will work wonders for small, closed spaces, and the delicious fragrance will last longer than you might guess.
Sugared orange rinds: Don’t throw away the rinds of oranges you eat. Instead, save and store them in a bag in your freezer. After you have saved up enough, take them out and cut them into tiny slices. Put the tiny slices into a little pot and boil them for a while on your stovetop. After they cool down, strain out the water and boil again until any remaining bitterness is gone. After you have repeated this process a few times, add some sugar — as much as you wish — and boil again. When this finally cools down, pour some cold water on top of the mixture. Then put all these soft rinds into a container with more sugar, and line them up on an oven pan. Make sure the individual slices are not touching one another. The oven should be set at a low temperature of about 120 degrees Celsius, and the peels should cook until they are dry. When you remove them from the oven, let them cool and then place them in a tightly sealed jar. These are a wonderful treat to offer guests, and you can also toss them into cakes for an incredibly delicious flavor.
In fact, sugared orange rinds also make a great gift. You can place the sugared orange rinds in an attractive jar and cover the top with a beautiful piece of fabric. Make a bow around the covered top with a shiny satin ribbon, and voila — a beautiful gift for anyone who appreciates homemade food and wonderful aromas.
This article first appeared in Today’s Zaman, a leading newspaper of Turkey. Click here to go to the original.
