The Most Surprising Things That Happen To Your Body When You Eat Oranges Each Day

Oranges help to protect your brain

As we get older, one of the scariest things we have to worry about is cognitive decline. From simply having more difficulty remembering things to developing full-on Alzheimer’s, all of us face an enhanced risk of brain decline over time that will inevitably affect our quality of life.

Fortunately, oranges can help defend against this cognitive decline because they are chock full of a special antioxidant called flavonoids that help to protect your brain. This antioxidant is also found in apples, pears, grapefruits, and more, so adding healthy variety to your diet can help you further protect your mind from age-related decline.

The key to a healthier heart

You may have previously heard that fruit helps to protect your heart, and there is a simple reason for that. The fiber found in fruit helps to improve cardiovascular health, and you guessed it: oranges are full of healthy fiber, with a single orange providing 11 percent of your daily recommended fiber intake.

We don’t recommend getting all of your fiber from oranges alone. But if you can eat four or five servings of fruit a day (oranges or otherwise), you can reduce your chances of heart attack, stroke, and negative cardiovascular effects.

Smoother and more radiant skin, one orange at a time

Do you struggle to achieve glowing skin? Join the club! We’ve tried everything from hydrating more to buying expensive over-the-counter moisturizers. But until recently, we didn’t realize that the real secret to healthy, glowing skin was the humble orange.

The reason for this is that oranges are filled with vitamin C, and this particular vitamin naturally provides healthier-looking skin while also protecting your complexion against the damaging effects of the sun. If that’s not enough, eating oranges will help to keep your skin looking moisturized and younger over time as you age.

The tastiest way to get a better immune system

If you’ve ever heard someone tell you to drink orange juice when you’re feeling sick, they weren’t pulling your leg…at least, not exactly. The vitamin C in oranges doesn’t exactly help when you’re already sick, but it can help prevent you from getting sick in the first place by boosting your immune system.

There are multiple reasons for this, but the primary reason is that this vitamin helps protect you from free radicals that can damage your body and make you sick. We run the risk of getting damaged by free radicals every time we step outside and every time we eat. But when you eat oranges on a regular basis, you can keep those free radicals–and sickness–at bay.

Control your weight more easily

If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably struggled to control your weight over time. But here’s a fun fact: whether you want to lose weight or simply maintain your current size, oranges are the secret weapon you’ve been waiting for.

The reason oranges are great for weight control is that they are naturally low in calories and (as we noted before) high in fiber. Things with a high fiber content leave you feeling fuller for a longer time. Therefore, you can snack on these low-calorie treats and feel full for long enough to keep other snacks at bay, which is a great way to keep the pounds away.

Keep your body hydrated

Okay, confession time: we know about all of the health benefits that come from keeping our bodies hydrated. However, it’s very difficult to drink enough water each day to give our bodies enough sweet, sweet hydration. But what if chugging glasses of water wasn’t the only way to achieve this goal?

Oranges are nearly 90% fluid, so drinking them is a natural way of providing your body with the hydration it needs. As a bonus, oranges also help replenish electrolytes, so you have a powerful incentive to munch on one of these after you complete a dehydrating workout.

An orange a day keeps the glasses away?

Ever notice that so many people need to get reading glasses or even prescription lenses as they get older? There is a reason for this: once someone celebrates their 65th birthday, they become far more likely to suffer from age-related macular degeneration. But you guessed it: oranges can help you fight this degeneration off.

The antioxidant flavonoids we mentioned earlier help to significantly lower your risk of this macular degeneration. And considering such degeneration can lead to the loss of vision and even outright blindness, it’s certainly worth it to add oranges to your diet in order to protect your eyes.

You’ll have less anxiety (no, really)

By now, you’ve probably noticed that everyone around you is a bit more anxious than they were before. There are plenty of reasons for this, but one of them has to do with the free radicals we mentioned earlier. Free radicals are very good at harming your body, but most people don’t realize they can also degrade your mental health as well.

Fortunately, that door swings both ways. If you can get at least 500mg of vitamin C per day (be it from oranges, supplements, or something else altogether), you can protect your mental health. And while you still need to seek professional help for major mental issues, it’s good to know that you’ll always have a natural and delicious way of warding off anxiety.