Oranges

The orange, a fruit containing vitamin C and healthy flavonoids, may be your ticket to lowering your risk of a heart attack. Eating an orange daily provides the recommended dietary intake of vitamin C. Studies performed by the Arthritis Campaign Epidemiology Unit in the U.K. suggest that one drinking glass of orange juice daily helps decrease your risk of developing the inflammatory disorder of rheumatoid arthritis.

Prevention of Cancer

Oranges contain high amounts of vitamin C. Improving your health with an increased intake of oranges containing vitamin C as an antioxidant decreases your risk of cancer. The American Cancer society states that increasing your intake of vitamin C helps prevent cancers of the respiratory tract.

Dietary Fiber

Eating oranges helps to obtain the necessary fiber for the prevention of constipation. The alkaline effect in oranges also helps to stimulate digestive juices while you digest your food. If you experience constipation despite eating oranges and fruit, talk to your doctor.

Vitamins and Minerals

Oranges also contain vitamins A and B. Other valuable nutrients include folic acid, chlorine, iron, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, manganese, potassium, pectin, amino acids and calcium. All of these nutrients boost your immune system and protect your health.

Liminoid

Eating an orange daily helps in the protection against many forms of cancer. A compound chemical found in oranges named "liminoid" is believed to stop the formation of cancers in the mouth, colon, stomach, lung, breast and skin.

Repairing Sperm

The vitamin C in an orange protects a man’s sperm from being genetically damaged. Vitamin C also helps rebuild and repair sperm. One orange daily provides enough anti-oxidant to keep a man’s sperm healthy. Healthy sperm in a man will help in the prevention of birth defects.

Prevention of Arthritis

The antioxidant beta-cryptoxanthin helps reduce the risk of arthritis. Drinking one glass of orange juice daily or eating an orange provides the nutrition and antioxidant effects to protect against chronic illnesses and inflammatory disorders.

Lowering Your Cholesterol

Synephrine, an alkaloid found in the peel of an orange, reduces your liver’s cholesterol production. Synephrine, an antioxidant, protects your body from oxidative stress helping to lower the low-density proteins in your blood. Another chemical found in oranges called hesperidin lowers cholesterol. This cholesterol-lowering agent is found in the inner peel and inner white pulp of oranges. Pectin, an amino acid found in oranges, also helps to absorb fat and lower your body’s ability to absorb cholesterol.