Fresh Citrus Fruits and their great nutrient values!

What is good about Citrus? Eating citrus fruits, or drinking the delicious juice brings warmth and sunshine to the body. With its bright, fragrant, delicious, and juicy character, citrus fruits are known for their delicious and balanced tart and sweet taste. They are also an essential part of everyday nutrition, as they are packed full of powerful health benefits beneath that tough, leathery rind.

Citrus fruits are quite rich in many nutrient values such as vitamin C, flavonoids, and fiber which help reduce inflammation, improve gut health and prevent conditions like diabetes, cancer, and neurological disease.

These delicious fruits have been celebrated since ancient times and are thought to have originated from Southeast Asia. The citron (which is similar to a lemon) is known to be a very famous fixture in certain religious ceremonies.

From the citron, other hybrid citrus species also began springing up such as oranges, lemons, limes, pomelos, mandarins and others. It is said that the sweet orange was introduced to the American continent by the Spanish travelers. However, it is believed that Christopher Columbus brought citrus seeds to be planted on the island of Haiti on his second voyage in the year of 1493. 

These precious citrus fruits were later used as a fragrance and as a flavor added to sweets and tea. They were also were well known for their medicinal properties and were used to fight off sicknesses, intestinal ailments, skin conditions, arthritis, scurvy, and even used as a cure against poison and as an antiseptic during times of plague.

At Hidden Camp we have the orange and lemon available. I would like to highlight some of the nutrient values in these fruits.

Vitamin C.

Vitamin C (aka ascorbic acid) is probably one of the most popular vitamins in the world... I mean we hear about it all the time, right...? 

It is a vitamin that your body needs the most. It is needed to form and maintain healthy skin, bones, blood vessels and connective tissues. It also helps in supporting the immune system and acts as an antioxidant that might help protect your cells against the effects of free radicals and fight inflammation.

Vitamin C may also play an important role to prevent or delay heart disease conditions like arthritis and some types of cancer, and help the body absorb iron from plant foods.

Therefore, eating citrus fruits along with plant food such as, nuts, leafy greens, etc. will help your body better absorb iron. The rich level of vitamin C in the citrus is needed to build healthy and strong body tissues. 

Vitamin C is not the only nutrient benefit to citrus. 

Flavonoids.

Flavonoids are plant-based nutrients (phytonutrients) accountable for the plant qualities such as its bright color and the familiar smell.

The flavonoids in citrus also has a lot of nutrient value for the body. It can reduce inflammation and provide therapeutic benefits against cancer, alzheimers disease, and other memory disorders, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes.

Dietary Fiber.

Dietary Fiber is another one. It is a type of complex carbohydrate found in plant foods which is made of many sugar molecules linked together in a way that cannot be entirely digested in the small intestine. Citrus fruits contain two types of dietary fibers that are called "soluble" and "insoluble fiber". 

Soluble fibers can assist in lowering the LDL (low-density lipoproteins) cholesterol and also reducing cardiovascular disease.

The dietary fibers can also result in better blood sugar levels.

Insoluble fibers can help reduce constipation and improve the flow of food through the digestive system.

Citrus fruits also have multiple other nutrient benefits such as, potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.

Making consumption of citrus fruits a part of your balanced diet is very important for your body health.🍋🍊

Side Note: My Mom likes to make orange juice and lemon juice with these fresh fruits. All she does is squeeze the juice in a pitcher, and for the lemon juice she'll add a little water and a bit of stevia as a sweetener. The orange juice will not have any added ingredients.

NOTICE: These fruits will only be available for a couple months so order now while they are fresh!