Vitamin C, folate and anthocyanins are the superstars of this beautiful citrus fruit. Anthocyanins are the antioxidant pigments that give blood oranges their dramatic crimson flesh, something ordinary oranges don’t have. Blood oranges also provide vitamin A, fibre, potassium, a little calcium and plenty of water.
Wellness
One or two blood oranges a day will cover most adults’ daily vitamin C needs and add a useful amount of folate, which is why health-conscious cooks love them. Here’s what their nutrients do:
Cell protection. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage by free radicals and supports tissue repair. Diets rich in fruit and vegetables are linked with a lower risk of several cancers, including cancers of the mouth, oesophagus and stomach. In laboratory studies, anthocyanins have slowed the growth of cancer cells, though this hasn’t been shown in people.
Healthy blood cells. Folate is needed to make healthy red and white blood cells.
Adrenal glands. The adrenal glands hold some of the highest concentrations of vitamin C in the body and use it to make stress hormones.
Joints. Vitamin C is needed to make collagen, part of healthy cartilage, and its antioxidant activity may help with inflammation. Some studies link low vitamin C intake with a higher risk of arthritis.
Bones and teeth. Diets rich in potassium from fruit and vegetables are linked with better bone density. Vitamin C is essential for healthy gums, and vitamin A supports teeth and bone tissue.
Brain and nerves. Potassium helps nerves send signals and supports normal brain function.
Blood sugar. Whole blood oranges are a lower-GI fruit and their fibre slows sugar absorption. Early research suggests anthocyanins may help the body manage blood sugar. If you live with diabetes, whole fruit is a better choice than juice; your GP or dietitian can help you fit fruit into your eating plan.
Eyes. Vitamin A helps maintain healthy eye tissue and good vision.
Heart health. Potassium helps regulate the heartbeat and supports healthy blood pressure. Folate helps keep homocysteine, an amino acid linked with heart disease, in a healthy range. Anthocyanins may help protect blood vessels and support healthier cholesterol levels.
Immunity. Vitamin C supports normal immune function and may slightly shorten colds.
Muscles. Potassium plays an important role in muscle contraction and relaxation and in nerve signalling.
Pregnancy. Folate supports healthy development of a baby’s brain and spine and helps prevent neural tube defects. Blood oranges contribute, but women planning a pregnancy are advised to take a folic acid supplement as well; talk to your GP.
Beauty
Skin, hair and nails. Vitamins A and C and anthocyanins help protect skin from the free-radical damage that contributes to premature ageing, and vitamin C supports the collagen that keeps skin firm and elastic.
Weight management
Filling and light. Like other citrus fruit, blood oranges are high in fibre and water and low in kilojoules. Their fibre helps keep blood sugar steady and you feeling satisfied, so you’re less likely to reach for empty kilojoules between meals. Choose the whole fruit over juice to get the fibre.
Cooking with blood oranges
Eating blood oranges straight from the peel is a grand delight in itself, but there are plenty of ways to get fancier in the kitchen:
- Blood orange wedges rubbed with mint make pretty, tasty additions to a summer fruit salad served in a carved watermelon bowl.
- Sliced blood oranges stand up well to braising and are a unique match for spicy pan-roasted chicken breasts. Sprinkle the slices with salt and your favourite herb (rosemary is wonderful), dot with a little butter, pour over chicken or vegetable stock and bake for about an hour.
- Lay blood orange slices on white fish, top with a little butter, minced garlic and fresh snipped herbs, and bake in baking paper for a quick, sublime main with real wow factor.
- Spend a rainy Saturday afternoon getting sticky with the kids making a deep crimson blood orange, chai and coconut marmalade. Spread it on toast, in sandwiches or on crostini with goat’s cheese for an enticing appetiser.
- Blood orange sorbet or gelato is divine and looks stunning in a clear glass with a sprig of mint, and a red-tinted blood orange semifreddo looks, feels and tastes downright sinful.
- For a sweet (but semi-healthy!) indulgence, shake fresh blood orange juice with Campari, bergamot, sparkling mineral water and rice malt syrup for a tangy cocktail.
Interesting fact: cool nights help blood oranges develop their colour, and some of the most famous are grown in the volcanic soils around Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy.
This article is general information about food and wellbeing, not medical advice. Please talk to your GP or a qualified health professional about any health condition, medication or major change to your diet.
