With shorter days ahead, let’s boost your citrus intake for an extra health kick.
Citrus is a powerful health booster, especially in the winter months. But what makes citrus so beneficial? In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the many health benefits of citrus and give a few tips to incorporate more citrus into your diet. Let’s take a look at the benefits and some of the foods that offer added health benefits
Citrus Interactions
While citrus can be a great addition to your diet, be sure to talk with your doctor before adding new citrus fruits to your diet. Certain types, especially grapefruit, can interact negatively with certain medications. Be sure to read medication labels and talk with your physician before adding these fruits to your diet.
A Boost of Vitamins
Citrus foods, like oranges, grapefruit, lemon, and lime, all contain Vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential for maintaining your immune system, skin, and bone health. Vitamin C also helps in the absorption of iron, making it an important part of every diet. It is also water-soluble, meaning it leaves your body after a day or so. It’s a good idea to have some food that contains Vitamin C every day to support a healthy level. One orange or grapefruit is about the recommended daily intake, or an eight-ounce glass of citrus juice can get you a great boost of Vitamin C.
Healthy Fibers
Citrus is also a great way to boost your fiber intake. Fiber can help you feel full, improve digestion, and even help your body break down and absorb nutrients better. Eating an orange, clementine, or grapefruit is a smart choice to boost your fruit-based fiber intake.
Heart Health Help
Recent studies show a positive correlation between increased citrus intake and heart and cardiovascular health. Consuming citrus fruits like oranges, mandarins, pomelos, and tangerines can help boost heart health and may even reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Tips to Add More Citrus to Your Diet
There are a variety of fun ways you can incorporate citrus into your diet. The easiest is to have a bowl full of your favorite fruits on hand, like oranges, clementines, tangerines, or grapefruits, to easily grab for a healthy midafternoon snack. For a boost of Vitamin C, 100% fruit juice is a good way to add a healthy drink to your diet. You can get a variety of juices or blends to fit your taste preferences.
Salads are a fun and novel way to add citrus. Try adding mandarin oranges to a salad for a sweet and tangy kick. Or dive in with a completely citrus-based salad with extra nutritious avocado and pine nuts for an exciting new dish. Or, stick with a lettuce-based salad and add mandarin oranges, strawberries, and other seasonal fresh fruit with a balsamic drizzle for a sweet and savory new favorite.
Lemons and limes are great for some extra flavor. Try tacos with a squeezed and zested lime on top (citrus peel also has Vitamin C!) or squeeze and zest a lime atop freshly cooked rice for a kick. Pair it with some lime and garlic-marinated chicken, and you have an easy and delicious meal. Lemon can be a staple in desserts; try a lemon pie, lemon bars, or lemon cookies, and be sure to grate or zest some of the peel on top for presentation and health benefits. Lemon and lime can be added or muddled into your water for a hydration and citrus boost, too.
Dried citrus can have health benefits, too. Consider adding dried fruits to your tea, nut blends, oatmeal, granola, or simply as a little snack. Dried citrus fruits still contain fiber and Vitamin C, making them a great choice as a chewy or crunchy add-on topping.
Adding citrus to your diet can have a positive impact. Be sure to talk with a doctor before adding new fruits to your diet, especially if you’re taking medications. But once cleared, try some new flavors, recipes, and ideas for incorporating more citrus into your diet. Be sure to visit the CapTel blog for additional recipes and ideas.
