How Many Calories in an Orange?

Nothing is better than a nice and cold orange on a hot day. Okay, ice cream is... But let's think healthy.

Oranges are pretty low in calories and full of so many important nutrients. They help promote clearer healthy skin, they help lower our risk from many diseases, and help promote weight loss.

Related - How Many Calories in a Banana?

Orange trees are the most commonly cultivated fruit tree in the world. They are popular for their natural sweetness, wide variety, and a huge diversity of uses.

There is actually over 170 different phytochemicals and more than 60 flavonoids. Many have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and strong antioxidant effects.

Nutritional Information of an Orange

Oranges vary in size and type, so one medium orange weighs approximately 154 grams. One medium orange Contains:

• Calories - 80
• Fat - 0g
• Potassium - 250mg
• Carbohydrates - 14g Sugar, 3g Dietary Fiber
• Protein - 1g

Eating one orange provides you with about 130 percent of your vitamin C needs for the day.

Oranges contain a lot of great nutrients - thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, panpantothenic acid, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and copper to name a few.

Oranges help you with sleep, muscle movement, learning, and memory. The choline found in oranges helps maintain cellular membrane structure, aids in the transmissions of nerve impulses, and helps reduce chronic inflammation.

Oranges Alkalize Your Body

While oranges are very acidic, they contain many alkaline minerals that help balance out your body after digestion. They are similar to lemons in this respect.

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10 Health Benefits of Oranges

There are plenty of reasons to eat oranges. Here's 10 you should know.

1.) They Fight Cancer

Having many close people I know being diagnosed with cancer, this one hits home.

The antioxidants in oranges flush out and help combat the formation of free radicals. These are known to cause cancer.

One interesting study concluded that vitamin C could one day be harnessed to completely impair colorectal cancer cells. It would take about 300 oranges worth of vitamin C.

Oranges are full of fiber, and when you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, you are lowering your risk of colorectal cancer.

2.) They Boost Your Immune System

What's the first thing you grab when you have a cold? Vitamin C, right?

By now you know oranges are full of vitamin C, but did you know that they help produce the white blood cells you need to kill off viruses, bacteria, and other foreign invaders?

Vitamin A, folate, and copper all work with vitamin C to keep your immune system healthy.

3.) They Can Help Reduce Kidney Stones

Recent studies show that orange juice can help prevent kidney stones from forming.

The large amount of potassium found in oranges helps keep those kidney stones from becoming a problem by flushing the free radicals out of your body.

4.) They Help Keep Your Heart Healthy

Oranges promote a healthy heart. They contain fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and choline.

Dr. Mark Houston, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Medical school suggests that increasing your potassium intake along with decreasing your sodium intake is the most important change you can make to reduce your risk of heart disease.

One study held compared participants who consumed 4069mg of potassium per day and those who consumed around 1000 mg per day. The results show those who consumed 4069 had a 49 percent lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease.

5.) They Help Lower Your Cholesterol

Oranges are cholesterol-free and they also lower your cholesterol level.

The vitamin C that oranges are packed with neutralized free radicals that oxidize cholesterol - the part that makes it stick to your artery walls.

6.) They Also Help Lower Your Blood Pressure

Maintaining a low sodium level is important to lowering your blood pressure. One tactic often overlooked is increasing your potassium intake due to its vasodilation effects.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey concludes that fewer than 2 percent of adults in the United States meet the daily 4700 mg potassium recommendation.

Did You Know?

A high potassium intake is associated with a 20 percent decreased risk of dying from all causes.

7.) They Help Regulate Your Blood Sugar

Oranges are naturally sweet, but they pack a lot of fiber.

Fiber helps keep your blood sugar levels low by digesting slowly. This helps reduce those energy spikes with a crash after you eat.

8.) They Also Help Prevent Ulcers

Along with preventing stomach cancer, oranges also prevent ulcers.

A study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that those who have a diet high in vitamin C were less likely to get ulcers than those who are deficient.

9.) They Keep Those Lungs Healthy

Beta-cryptoxanthin is a phytonutrient that may reduce the risk of lung cancer.

10.) They Make You Have Radiant Skin

Vitamin C, when eaten in natural form or applied topically, can help fight skin damage. This vitamin also plays a vital role in the formation of collagen - the support system for your skin.

Beta-carotene prevents free-radicals that damage your skin.

Oranges are full of both.