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Taste the Zest of Health with Citrus Fruits

Summer is a great time to combine the health benefits of citrus fruits with fresh produce that abounds in Michigan this time of year.

Citrus fruits have long been hailed as vitamin C champions, but these fruits are also packed with all sorts of nutrients that can help us stay healthy.

For starters, vitamin C is key in the growth and repair of all the body’s tissues. It helps heal cuts and wounds, keeps teeth and gums healthy, and boosts your body’s ability to absorb iron.

Other nutrients in citrus fruits may help protect you from heart disease. Orange juice contains a lot of potassium—important to heart health because it helps regulate blood pressure. Fiber in whole fruits and juices with pulp can reduce cholesterol, which in turn can reduce heart disease risk. Plus, fiber aids digestive health and may help fight cancer.

Nutrients May Help Prevent Other Health Conditions

Citrus fruits also contain a B vitamin called folate, which helps your body form red blood cells. This vitamin reduces the risk for certain birth defects both before and during pregnancy. Folate is important for heart health, too.

Citrus juice—as well as other fruit and vegetable juices—may even help stave off Alzheimer’s disease. According to a new study, those who drank such juices two to three times a week had considerably less risk of developing the disease compared with people who consumed juice less than once a week.

How Much Is Enough?

The government’s dietary guidelines recommend eating at least 1½ to 2 cups of fruit or fruit juice a day. Count a medium grapefruit or large orange as a cup. Whole fruit contains more fiber, while juices can contain more concentrated nutrients—and calories.

For most women, citrus is a great way to boost nutrition. But those who take certain drugs for cholesterol, blood pressure, or a heartbeat irregularity—as well as some antihistamines—may need to skip grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Grapefruit can speed up the rate at which these medicines enter your body, making side effects more likely. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about possible interactions with medications you take.

Citrus also may cause digestive problems in women who regularly experience heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Aside from a few cautions, citrus fruits can be a very beneficial part of your diet.