Vitamin C in citrus fruits helps to keep you strong. When body tissues are injured, vitamin C aids in recovery. Vitamin C also prevents infections, and according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, studies have revealed that people who eat a lot of vitamin C fruits may have less of a chance of getting certain cancers.
Benefits
Vitamin C is beneficial to good health, and according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, some people need more vitamin C than others do. Smokers need more vitamin C, and individuals suffering from certain illnesses sometimes need more vitamin C in their diet. Citrus fruits are good sources of this vitamin, and information on the vitamin C content of citrus fruits is helpful information for anyone looking to consume more vitamin C.
Types
Grapefruits have a thick, yellow skin, and some have a pink skin. The yellow-skinned kind with a pale yellow flesh usually tastes bitter. Pink and red grapefruits are often sweet tasting and juicy. Some lemons have a thick, bright yellow skin, while others have a thinner skin. Lemons with a thin skin are juicier than the thick-skinned type. Oranges have an orange exterior and interior. They are juicy fruits, but thin-skinned oranges are juicier than thick-skinned oranges. Tangerines have a bright orange skin that fits loosely over an orange-colored flesh.
Content
A fresh white grapefruit from Florida has about 43mg of vitamin C. Pink and red grapefruits from Florida contain about 45mg of vitamin C, and a cup of fresh white or pink grapefruit juice contains about 93mg of vitamin C. A lemon a little over 2 inches in size contains about 30mg of vitamin C, and one slightly larger contains about 44mg. Slice a lemon and you get 3.7mg of vitamin C from that slice. A lime gives you about 19mg of vitamin C. The amount of vitamin C in fresh oranges varies and depends on the type of orange it is. A large orange contains about 98mg of vitamin C. A navel orange about 3 inches in size contains about 82mg of vitamin C. Tangerines are also known as mandarin oranges, and one large tangerine contains about 32mg of vitamin C.
Prevention/Solution
Consume citrus fruits often to prevent a vitamin C deficiency. Make yourself a citrus fruit salad, or peel an orange or a tangerine and have one of these fruits as a snack. Citrus fruits and their juice are frequently added to other foods. Make fresh lemonade, or add lemon juice to hot or cold tea.
Warning
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that an adverse reaction could occur if grapefruit, or grapefruit juice, is ingested while on certain medications, such as some blood pressure and cholesterol drugs. Antihistamines obtained with a prescription are medications that should not be taken with grapefruit juice since a reaction can be serious. If you are on medication, consult with your doctor before consuming grapefruit.
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