From orange to sweetie
Citrus fruits are full of vitamins and healthy antioxidants. And they all have their own strengths. Eleven (un)known types of citrus fruit and their healthy properties in a row.
1. Orange
All citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C and folic acid, but oranges take the cake. One orange provides nearly 90 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, and 20 percent of the RDA for folic acid. Both vitamins are good for the resistance. Folic acid is also good for memory and concentration.
2. Lime
The lemon’s little green sister excels in vitamin B6. Of the entire citrus family, lime contains the most of it. Vitamin B6 is good for the blood, hormones, nerves and resistance, but also for memory, concentration and mood. It even helps with fatigue.
3. Lemon
This acidic fruit beats its relatives when it comes to vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects the body’s cells from free radicals. These are aggressive substances that can cause damage to cells and tissues. In the long term, free radicals may increase the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Furthermore, lemon is the ‘slimest’ of the family. A lemon provides only 23 calories, which is 25 percent less than the average citrus fruit.
4. Mandarin
Eating tangerines is a good way to feast your eyes. Compared to other citrus fruits, tangerines contain the most lutein, a yellow dye that protects the eyes from sunlight. Mandarins also contain 50 percent more vitamin A than the average in citrus fruit. Vitamin A allows the eyes to adapt to dim light.
5. Kumquat
Small but nice, that’s how you could describe the kumquat. This orange one-bite (you eat it with the skin and all) beats the larger citrus fruits with flying colors in terms of vitamins B2, B3, magnesium and copper. These nutrients ensure beautiful skin from the inside out. Kumquat also contains the most fiber of all citrus fruits: more than twice as much.
6. Grapefruit
A striking feature of grapefruits is the high content of lycopene, an antioxidant that is also found in tomatoes and which protects against prostate cancer. Grapefruits contain more than 27 times as much lycopene as citrus fruit on average. By the way, tomatoes still contain the most lycopene: about 10 times more than grapefruit.
And what is that?
Citrus fruits can easily be crossed. Many different species have been cultivated. The following hybrids are at least as rich in vitamins as their ancestors:
7. Mineola
A fresh and sour cross between mandarin and grapefruit. You can recognize mineolas by the skin: there is a bulge where the stem used to be.
8. Pomelo
Grapefruit family. They are big whoppers: they can grow up to 30 centimeters in diameter. In the thick yellow-green skin lies the fruit, which is a lot smaller than the outside suggests. Pomelo tastes fresh and slightly bitter, but is sweeter than grapefruit.
9. Limequat
The limequat is a cross between kumquat and lime and is also called dwarf lemon. Limequat is only 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Like kumquats, you don’t have to peel limequats: you eat them with the skin and all.
10. Sweetie
Sweetie is a cross between grapefruit and pomelo, which produces a sweet variant of grapefruit.
11. Ugli
It may be a bit ‘ugly’ (the skin is coarse, lumpy and yellow-green or yellow-brown), the flesh tastes sweet and juicy. Ugli is a cross between mandarin, grapefruit and orange.
Sources):
- Plus Magazine
