DEL.ICIO.USThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 10/25/07
Halloween is right around the corner and pumpkins seem to be everywhere, but do you know the nutritional power of orange foods? From apricots to pumpkins, orange fruits and vegetables pack a nutrient-rich punch.
The pigment in orange foods is from beta carotene. This potent anti-oxidant neutralizes free radicals, compounds produced in cells as a byproduct of metabolism. If not stopped, free radicals can damage cells, which contributes to chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and lung disease, and may even hasten the aging process.
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Beta carotene is also a precursor to vitamin A; our body has the ability to convert beta carotene into this important nutrient that is crucial to maintaining vision, strengthening immune function and keeping skin cells healthy.
Vitamin A in the form of retinol (found in some supplements) is toxic in large amounts, but the body is smart when it comes to beta carotene. Not all of it will be converted to vitamin A, so there is no risk of toxicity. There is one side effect of excess beta carotene — orange-tinted skin. The extra beta carotene can be stored in the fat under our skin; it isn't harmful, but it looks odd. It takes a lot of beta carotene to color your skin. I've only seen it twice, and in both cases the individuals were juicing and drinking a pound of carrots each day. Apricots, carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, peaches and cantaloupes are all excellent sources of beta carotene.
Orange foods also contain flavonoids and vitamin C. Oranges, tangerines (and my favorite, clementine tangerines), and nectarines have compounds called hesperetin and naringenin that boost the cells' ability to fight disease. Vitamin C is well-known for its anti-oxidant properties, but this water-soluble vitamin has another important function. Vitamin C helps us to maintain a protein called collagen — sort of an intracellular glue that holds our cells together. Collagen is also used to help support our joints; taking large doses of vitamin C won't reverse sagging skin or repair damaged knees, but it can help bolster our ability to fight disease.
Citrus peels, although we don't usually eat them, contain a compound called limonene that researchers think can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, at least in the test tube. For added flavor and for a touch of limonene, use citrus zest (grated citrus peels) in foods and salads.
Another advantage of eating orange foods is the mineral potassium. Potassium often plays second fiddle to calcium in media attention, but potassium is crucial to maintaining healthy blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke. Citrus fruits and juices are not only good sources of potassium, but are naturally low in sodium.
This Halloween, treat yourself to the power of orange foods.
COLOR ME NUTRITIOUS
Take this matching quiz to see if I can trick you:
• Apricot
• Cantaloupe
• Nectarine
• Orange
• Peach
• Sweet potato
• Tangerine
1. This fruit is called "peach without the fuzz" and its juice is called the "drink of the gods."
2. This fruit is native to China and was once a symbol of longevity and immortality.
3. When dried, this orange food provides more than twice the beta carotene than when fresh.
4. Muskmelon is another name for this orange fruit.
5. Although a good source of vitamin C, this fruit has about 40 percent less vitamin C than an orange.
6. Remains of this vegetable have been found in caves in Peru and have been determined to be 10,000 to 20,000 years old.
7. The origin of the name of this fruit is "fragrant."
Answers:
1. Nectarine
2. Peach
3. Apricot
4. Cantaloupe
5. Tangerine
6. Sweet potato
7. Orange
Source: Encyclopedia of Foods (Academic Press, $37.95)
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