9 Health Benefits of Oranges Backed By Science

The orange is both a literal and symbolic embodiment of the sun, from whose light it is formed. As a whole food it irradiates us with a spectrum of healing properties, the most prominent of which some call “vitamin C activity,” but which is not reducible to the chemical skeleton known as ‘ascorbic acid.’ Science now confirms the orange has a broad range of medicinal properties, which is why the ancients knew it both as a food and a medicine.

As our increasingly overdiagnosed and overmedicated population leaps lemming-like over the cliff of pharmaceutically-driven conventional medicine, with most drugs carrying a dozen or more adverse side effects for every benefit advertised, we can find great wisdom in Meryl Streep’s quote:

“It’s bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children’s health than the pediatrician.”

~ Meryl Streep

Indeed, many common fruits and vegetables “crouching” at the local produce stand have “hidden healing powers,” and have been used as both medicines and nourishing foods since time immemorial. We’re only just beginning to understand how these foods contain vitally important information-continaing molecules, such as microRNAs, which profoundly impact the expression of our entire genome.

I firmly believe that access to fresh, organic produce is as vital a health necessity as access to water, and clean air. Over the course of hundreds of millions of years, the bodies of our ancestors (whose genes our still within our own) co-evolved with higher, flowering and fruiting plants, and the tens of thousands of phytocompounds (and informational molecules) they contain, many of which now regulate and maintain the expression and health of our genes. Therefore, without the regular consumption of these foods, the developmentn of suboptimal health, and likely many feared acute and chronic diseases, is inevitable.

Orange is one such food-medicine marvel, containing a broad range of compounds increasingly being recognized to be essential for human health. We consider it a sweet treat, its juice a refreshing beverage, but do we ever really reflect on its medicinal properties?  GreenMedInfo.com has indexed no less than 37 distinct health benefits its use may confer, all of which can be explored on our Orange Medicinal Propertiesresearch page.  What follows are some of its most well-established therapeutic applications, divided into three parts: the juice, the peel and the aroma:

The Juice of the Orange

Many of us mistakenly look to orange juice today as a dangerous source of highly concentrated fructose – simple “carbs” – without recognizing its profound medicinal properties. We sometimes think we can get the vitamin C activity oranges contain through the semi-synthetic ‘nutrient’ ascorbic acid, without realizing that an orange embodies (as do all whole foods) a complex orchestra of chemistries, the handiwork of millions of years of evolution, which is to say a process of intelligent biological design.  The ‘monochemical nutrient’ – ascorbic acid – is merely a shadow of the vitamin C activity that is carried and expressed through only living foods. The orange, after all, looks like a miniature sun, is formed as a condensation of energy and information from sunlight, and therefore is capable of storing,  and after being eaten, irradiating us with life-giving packets of information-dense gene-regulating nutrition, by a mechanism that will never be fully reducible to or intelligible by the chemical skeleton we know of as ascorbic acid.

Given that thought, here are some of the evidence-based benefits of orange juice:

• Orange Juice Improves “Good” Cholesterol: While it is debatable that lowering so-called “LDL” cholesterol is nearly as good for heart health as statin drug manufacturers would like for us to believe, raising “HDL” cholesterol does seem to have real health benefits. This is, however, quite hard to do with diet and nutrition, and impossible through medication. Other than taking high-dose fish oil, few things have been studied to be effective. Except, that is, orange juice.  A 2000 study found that the consumption of 750 mL of orange juice a day, over a 4 weeks, improved blood lipid profiles by decreasing the LDL-HDL cholesterol ratio by 16% in patients with elevated cholesterol.[1]


• Orange Juice Boosts Bone Health: A 2006 animal study in male rats found that orange juice positively influenced antioxidant status and bone strength.[2]


• Orange Juice (mixed with Blackcurrant Juice) Reduces Inflammation: A 2009 study in patients with peripheral artery disease found that orange and blackcurrant juice reduced C-reactive protein (11%)  and fibrinogen levels (3%), two concrete measures of systemic inflammation.[3] A 2010 study found that Orange juice neutralizes the proinflammatory effect of a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal and prevents endotoxin induced toxicity.[4]


• Orange Juice Boosts Weight Loss: A 2011 study found that children who regularly drank orange juice consumed an average of 523 calories a day more than children who did not drink orange juice regularly. Yet surprisingly, there was no difference in the weight levels between the orange juice consumers and the non-orange juice consumers.[5]


• Orange Juice May Dissolve Kidney Stones: A 2006 study found that orange juice consumption was associated with lower calculated calcium oxalate supersaturation and lower calculated undissociated uric acid, two indices of lowered urinary calcium stone formation.[6]


• Orange Juice Extract Suppresses Prostate Proliferation: Despite the fructose content, a 2006 study found a standardized extract of red orange juice inhibited the proliferation of human prostate cells in vitro.[7]

The Peel of the Orange

The peel of the orange contains a broad range of potent, potentially therapeutic compounds.  These include pectin and flavonoid constituents, such as hersperiden, naringin, polymethoxyflavones, quercetin and rutin, various carotenoids, and a major odor constituent known as d-limonene, which makes up 90% of the citrus peel oil content, and is a compound that gets its name from the rind of the lemon, which contains a significant quantity of it. It is listed in the US Code of Federal Regulations as generally recognized as safe (GRAS), and is commonly used as a flavoring agent.  D-limonene has been studied to have potent anti-cancer properties, including against metastatic melanoma.[8]

The whole peel extract has been studied to have a wide range of benefits:

• Orange Peel exhibits Anti-Arthritic Properties: A 2010 study found that orange peel extract significant suppressed vaccine adjuvant-induced arthritis in a preclinical model.[9]


• Orange Peel (Flavonoids) Exhibit Anti-Cancer Properties:  A 2007 study found that orange peel extract inhibited tumorigenesis in a preclinical mouse model of adenomatous polyposis and increases programmed cell death.[i]  Two additional 2007studies found that orange peel extract has anti-breast cancer properties. The first, by exhibiting chemopreventive properties against mammary tumor lesions in an animal model.[10] The second, by inhibiting breast cancer cell lines in vitro.[11]Additionally, a 2000 study found that flavanone intake is inversely associated with esophageal cancer risk and may account, with vitamin C, for the protective effect of fruit, especially citrus fruit, on esophageal cancer. [12] Finally, a 2005 study found that carotenoids from orange may help to reverse multidrug resistance.

The Aroma of the Orange

The physiological mechanisms by which aromas may have therapeutic properties (aroma-therapy) are well-established. The small molecules that comprise the aroma of things, are capable of entering directly through the nostrils and into the olfactory lobe, thus enabling them to have profound affects on deep structures within our brain, and as a result our entire bodily and emotional infrastructure.

• Orange Scent Reduces Anxiety, Boosts Mood:  A 2000 study found that the aroma of orange essential oil reduces anxiety, generates a more positive mood, and a higher level of calmness in women exposed to it in a dental office waiting room.[13]  This finding was confirmed again in a 2005 study, where ambient odors of reduced anxiety and improved mood in patients waiting for dental treatment.[14]

Clearly oranges have a lot to offer as a medicinal food, beyond the obvious aesthetic pleasures they afford. Science may never plumb the depths of their value to our body and mind, but what has been revealed thus far is compelling enough to put it back on the list of ‘super foods’ which we aspire to consume more of in order to nourish ourselves on a deep level.

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References

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[1] E M Kurowska, J D Spence, J Jordan, S Wetmore, D J Freeman, L A Piché, P Serratore. HDL-cholesterol-raising effect of orange juice in subjects with hypercholesterolemia. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Nov;72(5):1095-100. PMID: 11063434

[2] Farzad Deyhim, Kristy Garica, Erica Lopez, Julia Gonzalez, Sumiyo Ino, Michelle Garcia, Bhimanagouda S Patil. Citrus juice modulates bone strength in male senescent rat model of osteoporosis. Nutrition. 2006 May;22(5):559-63. Epub 2006 Feb 10. PMID: 16472977

[3] Christine Dalgård, Flemming Nielsen, Jason D Morrow, Henrik Enghusen-Poulsen, Torbjörn Jonung, Mogens Hørder, Moniek P M de Maat. Supplementation with orange and blackcurrant juice, but not vitamin E, improves inflammatory markers in patients with peripheral arterial disease. Br J Nutr. 2009 Jan;101(2):263-9. Epub 2008 May 28. PMID: 18507878

[4] Husam Ghanim, Chang Ling Sia, Manish Upadhyay, Mannish Upadhyay, Kelly Korzeniewski, Prabhakar Viswanathan, Sanaa Abuaysheh, Priya Mohanty, Paresh Dandona. Orange juice neutralizes the proinflammatory effect of a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal and prevents endotoxin increase and Toll-like receptor expression. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Apr;91(4):940-9. Epub 2010 Mar 3. PMID: 20200256

[5] O’Neil CE, Nicklas TA, Rampersaud GC, Fulgoni VL 3rd. One hundred percent orange juice consumption is associated with better diet quality, improved nutrient adequacy, and no increased risk for overweight/obesity in children. Nutr Res. 2011 Sep;31(9):673-82.associated with better diet quality, improved nutrient adequacy, and no increased risk for overweight/obesity in children. Nutr Res. 2011 Sep;31(9):673-82.

[6] Clarita V Odvina. Comparative value of orange juice versus lemonade in reducing stone-forming risk. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006 Nov;1(6):1269-74. Epub 2006 Aug 30. PMID: 17699358

[7] Federica Vitali, Claudia Pennisi, Antonio Tomaino, Francesco Bonina, Anna De Pasquale, Antonella Saija, Beatrice Tita. Effect of a standardized extract of red orange juice on proliferation of human prostate cells in vitro. Fitoterapia. 2006 Apr;77(3):151-5. Epub 2006 Feb 23. PMID: 16530345

[8] GreenMedInfo.com, D-Limenone’s Anti-Cancer Properties

[9] Gang Chen, Zhongyi Yin, Xuxu Zheng. [Effect and mechanism of total flavonoids of orange peel on rat adjuvant arthritis]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2010 May;35(10):1298-301. PMID: 20707201

[10] Sadanori Abe, Kunhua Fan, Chi-Tang Ho, Geetha Ghai, Kan Yang. Chemopreventive effects of orange peel extract (OPE). II: OPE inhibits atypical hyperplastic lesions in rodent mammary gland. J Med Food. 2007 Mar;10(1):18-24. PMID: 17472462

[11] Igor N Sergeev, Chi-Tang Ho, Shiming Li, Julie Colby, Slavik Dushenkov. Apoptosis-inducing activity of hydroxylated polymethoxyflavones and polymethoxyflavones from orange peel in human breast cancer cells. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Dec;51(12):1478-84. PMID: 17979096

[12] Marta Rossi, Werner Garavello, Renato Talamini, Carlo La Vecchia, Silvia Franceschi, Pagona Lagiou, Paola Zambon, Luigino Dal Maso, Cristina Bosetti, Eva Negri. Flavonoids and risk of squamous cell esophageal cancer. Arch Intern Med. 2000 Apr 10;160(7):1009-13. PMID: 17192901

[13] J Lehrner, C Eckersberger, P Walla, G Pötsch, L Deecke. Ambient odor of orange in a dental office reduces anxiety and improves mood in female patients. Physiol Behav. 2000 Oct 1-15;71(1-2):83-6. PMID: 11134689

[14] J Lehrner, G Marwinski, S Lehr, P Johren, L Deecke. Ambient odors of orange and lavender reduce anxiety and improve mood in a dental office. Physiol Behav. 2005 Sep 15;86(1-2):92-5. PMID: 16095639

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[i] Kunhua Fan, Naoto Kurihara, Sadanori Abe, Chi-Tang Ho, Geetha Ghai, Kan Yang. Chemopreventive effects of orange peel extract (OPE). I: OPE inhibits intestinal tumor growth in ApcMin/+ mice. J Med Food. 2007 Mar;10(1):11-7. PMID: 17472461

© March 17, 2018 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

The post 9 Health Benefits of Oranges Backed By Science appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Florida's Orange Growers May Never Recover From Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Irma destroyed half of Florida’s citrus crop when it tore through the state earlier this month, as we reported earlier this month. The state’s orange growers at the time described the damage from the storm as the worst they’d seen in their lifetimes, as we reported at the time.

Many of the affected groves of oranges and grapefruits were approaching harvest, too – and their destruction helped send the price of orange concentrate futures rocketing higher.

Unfortunately for Florida’s citrus growers, the damage caused by Irma exacerbated declining output caused by an epidemic of “citrus greening” that’s in its twelfth year. The state’s increasingly exasperated farmers are now facing an unprecedented squeeze, the Wall Street Journal reports, as damage caused by the storm disrupted research into a genetically modified, greening-resistant orange tree.

Farmers believe that modifying orange trees to make them resistant to greening is vital for the long-term survival of one of Florida’s most iconic industries (as WSJ points out, oranges appear on Florida license plates). Greening first emerged in the state back in 2015, and is believed to be caused by tiny disease carrying insects that were first introduced when farmers purchased orange trees from Asia back in 2004.

Against this backdrop is intensifying competition from orange growers in Brazil, who are trying to horn in on the US orange-juice market (most of Florida’s oranges are processed into orange juice, while Oranges grown in California are eaten.

“…Hurricane Irma this month hit a direct blow on Florida’s citrus groves, knocking 50% of developing oranges off trees across the state, according to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Trees with roots already weakened by greening were sitting in 4 feet of water in some of Florida’s southern areas earlier this month. During the storm, nurseries quarantined to keep out the disease lost roofs, and scientific laboratories working on anti-greening projects lost power, potentially compromising research years in the making.

A disease called “citrus greening” is pushing Florida’s orange juice industry toward the brink of collapse. Greening starts at the leaves and works its way through the tree like a hardening of the arteries, blocking nutrients and water. Oranges drop off branches unripe and unusable. This year’s crop will likely be the smallest since the 1940s.

So miserable is the condition of Florida’s orange industry that farmers are banking on inventing a genetically engineered orange that will be ready for sale—at the earliest—in 2022.”

The secret grove—1.5 acres of knee-high trees created with a spinach gene scientists hope can defend against the disease—is down an unmarked road and behind locked gates. Visitors are logged; the company requested photographs taken by a reporter offer no clues to the grove’s location.

“We’re a bunch of scientists sitting on 12,000 acres and a giant orange juice plant we need to use,” said Tim Eyrich, vice president of research and commercialization at Southern Gardens Citrus, the company developing the engineered fruit. “If this collapses, all your orange juice comes from Brazil.”

Greening, which affects all citrus fruits, has caused Florida’s orange output to decline by roughly half over the past decade, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Revenue and jobs in the citrus sector are each down by about a third in the past three years. The state’s industry recorded revenue of $9 billion in 2016. Falling production has helped drive a roughly 50% increase in the price of orange juice sold on grocery store shelves. Meanwhile. Brazil has stepped up orange production, threatening to crush the industry in Florida. Brazil’s larger groves and different practices have helped control the spread of greening. The USDA estimates that Brazil’s total output of orange juice will rise 55% this year from last year, with exports rising 28%. Brazil’s production lead over the US has doubled since around 2003.

The situation is growing so dire that Brant Schirard, a citrus grower along Florida’s eastern belt told WSJ that growers are already starting to give up on orange farming, choosing instead to diversify into blueberries, peaches, hops and pineapples, among other crops. Across the state, about 130,000 acres of citrus have been abandoned because of greening. Back in 1977, the state boasted 53 orange juice processing plants. Today there are only seven.

As if the intensifying foreign competition and rampant disease weren’t enough, sales of orange juice have weakened dramatically as Americans seek to avoid sugar, and increasingly don’t sit down for breakfast. Orange-juice sales have declined 48% since 2005.

Even as consumers have become increasingly wary of genetically modified foods, researchers in the state are experimenting with a few different methods to cultivate trees that are immune to greening.

“Since 2009, the USDA has invested more than $400 million to study resistant plants, pesticides and other chemicals to attack the disease.

The technology Southern Gardens is using, developed by Texas A&M University, inserts a gene that is a part of the immune system of spinach into the genetic structure of an orange. The modified cells grown in a lab eventually shoot out roots and are planted in soil and develop into trees. The project is among Florida’s most promising efforts for a cure, even though the trees are still five years away from producing fruit.

The company is also experimenting with adding a spinach gene to a harmless virus naturally living inside the “phloem”—the vascular system of the tree—without affecting the genes of the tree itself.

It’s a yearslong process. Scientists wait for psyllids to come to the grove naturally to infect the trees, and then see if they are resistant to greening. “All it takes is one hurricane and you’re back to square one,” said Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.”

To summarize, farmers may one day look back on Irma as the storm that killed Florida’s citrus industry. But regardless of whether Brazil threatens to undermine domestic producers, it’s nothing that a 35% tariff approved by President Donald Trump - who, we imagine, would be eager to burnish his reputation as a friend to American industry, especially in a crucial swing state like Florida.