The Year-Round Benefits of Citrus Fruits

Happy New Year and welcome back! Winter is finally starting to settle in and sickness is inevitable during these upcoming frigid months. While citrus fruits may make you think of a beach in Florida in June, they are a great source of cold fighting antioxidants all year-round. Try to include at least a serving of these super foods each day!!

Citrus fruits, including grapefruit, lemons, limes, clementines, and oranges, are all loaded with lots of vitamin C and phytochemicals, which are thought to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in the body. Vitamin C may not make a cold go away instantly, but it has been shown to help decrease the length of a cold. The great thing about citrus fruits is that they also contain a variety of other important nutrients such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, folate, fiber and B vitamins.

If you choose to consume fruit juices to meet your recommended servings of fruit each day, keep in mind that a serving of fruit juice is typically just a ½ cup. Be sure to choose 100% fruit juice to avoid any unwanted added sugars or artificial flavorings.

Recommended daily intake of vitamin C:
Women (19 yrs+): 75mg
Men (19 yrs+): 90mg

1 large orange = 98mg vitamin C
½ cup of orange juice = 36mg vitamin C

Here is what the other mentioned nutrients can do!

Folate	Important for new cell development. Vital in the prevention of neural tube defects.
Potassium	Important for nerve and muscle function as well as fluid balance
Calcium	Essential for bone health and muscle contractions
Fiber	Helps to regulate digestion and can reduce one's risk for heart disease and diabetes
Phosphorus	Important for proper cell function. Plays a role in the regulation of calcium.