Eye-Opening Facts About Oranges That You Might Be Unaware Of
Maintaining Your Body While Ensuring Growth And Development
Delicious. Juicy. Sweet.
These are just a few attributes that accurately explain the savory orange fruit. Equipped with a lengthy list of essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins, consuming oranges is an assured way of ensuring body growth and development. Simultaneously, it maintains your well-being as well. Therefore, it isn’t surprising if your parents and teachers have constantly pestered you to eat oranges in plentiful quantities, at some point or the other in your life.
The Various Benefits Of Consuming Oranges
If you’re someone who detests consuming oranges, you’ve have been losing out on a lot! For oranges are packed with innumerous nutrients that they transport to your body. And these nutrients offer so many health benefits for your body! A few of these benefits include:
- Boosting your immune system.
- Giving you better skin.
- Improving your heart condition.
- Improving your cholesterol levels.
- Reducing risks from respiratory diseases.
- Taking care of rheumatoid arthritis and kidney stones.
And that’s such an impressive list of benefits that oranges bring to your doorstep, wouldn’t you agree? However, how do they manage all this? How can a single fruit be so beneficial for the body? The answer lies all within the contents of its nutrients. We initiated this article with the subject of the nutritional content of oranges. Let’s delve deeper into this topic to know more about it.
A Fruit Jampacked With Nutrients
The introductory paragraph provides slight insights into the numerous nutrients found within oranges. They boost your immune system, give you better skin, and much more! And they do all this owing to their nutritional content. Here are some of those contents that should provide you with enough reasons as to why you should consume more oranges:
- Vitamins – Vitamins are organic molecules that we all need for a proper-functioning metabolism. Like other citrus fruits, oranges are well-known for the high Vitamin-C content. In addition to this, it also contains significant amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin E, making it a healthy part of our balanced diet.
- Minerals – Minerals refer to chemical compounds occurring in their pure form. Like vitamins, minerals are also required by our body to perform the necessary functions of life. Oranges are a storehouse of essential minerals as well, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.
- Dietary Fiber – Although low in calories, saturated fats, and cholesterol content, oranges contain a rich amount of dietary fiber, pectin. Being a bulk laxative, pectin protects the colon mucosa and decreases excessive exposure to toxic substances. Additionally, pectin also reduces blood cholesterol levels by decreasing its re-absorption in the colon.
- Phytochemicals – Phytochemicals are non-nutritive chemicals found in plants. These chemicals can greatly influence our hormones, reduce disease risks, and help us to better fight colds and infections. Oranges contain three primary phytochemicals, namely hesperetin, naringin, and naringenin. These phytochemicals provide us with antioxidants, remove radicals, decrease inflammation, and regulate the immune system.
- Fats and Proteins – Oranges contain significant amounts of fats and proteins. Providing 0.12 g of fats and 0.94 g of proteins at every 100 g, might seem quite low. However, even at this quantity, oranges provide enough fats and proteins for proper bodily functions to commence.
- Water – It is impossible to conclude a conversation about the nutritional content of water without considering its water content. Orange is a fruit that you should definitely consider to consume after a heavy workout. Constituting 87% of water, the fruit provides enough water to hydrate your body as rapidly as possible.
When you become aware of nutrients of oranges, it becomes aptly clearly why we’ve been pestered to consume oranges all our lives. And when that happens, it becomes difficult not to consume oranges. Despite this, it isn’t easy to convince the same to everyone. And you might already know who we’re talking about. You’re absolutely right if you thought that we were talking about children.
Why Children Often Refuse To Consume Oranges
Propagating the benefits of oranges to your children often isn’t easy, is it? In their stubbornness, they often refuse to consume this delicious treat. The reasons for this could be quite varied. However, in their stubbornness, they often refuse to consume this delicious treat.
And you cannot simply blame them, can you? After all, they aren’t developed enough to understand sophisticated terms such as fat, cholesterol, sodium, vitamins, and calorie counts. Nevertheless, there is one way to convince them of this wondrous fruit. You could educate them about the benefits of this wondrous fruit with the help of fun facts!
Interesting Orange Facts For Kids
One of the best ways to convince your child into eating oranges to let them know about it. And what better way to do so, than with the help of facts. Trust us when we say this, oranges are some of the most interesting fruits out there. Don’t believe us? Here are some facts about this divine fruit that are sure to persuade you and your kids:
- An Age-Old Fruit:
Oranges are an age-old fruit. The first instances of their cultivation were back in 2500 BC. People in Southeast Asia have been known to grow these trees since that period. However, western countries were unaware of oranges until 1 BC.
- A Diverse Fruit:
Oranges are one of the most diverse varieties of fruits available on this planet. It has been known to yield more than 6000 varieties of fruit. All these varieties can be easily categorized popularly under two heads, sweet oranges, and bitter oranges.
- A Symbol Of Love:
Knowing this fact is an assured way of ensuring that your children consume oranges. Since ages, the orange fruit and its blossoms have been associated as a symbol of love. Moreover, oranges are often referred to as the fruit of Gods. Some mythologists even argue that the Golden Apples stolen by Hercules was, in fact, oranges.
- The Color And The Fruit:
There has always been an archaic controversy regarding the orange color and the name of the fruit. People often misunderstand that the fruit orange derived its name from the color. Rather, it is the complete opposite. It was the color orange that derived its name from the fruit.
- Largest Producer Of Oranges:
Although oranges are grown generously in all parts of the world, Brazil has been the largest producer. In fact, the country is said to quench 50% of the world’s demand for oranges. Florida comes in second in providing the oranges for the world. Apart from these, there are significant cultivations in countries such as Italy, Israel, Morocco, etc.
- Even The Peels Are Useful:
You would think that all the values of oranges lie within the peels of the oranges. Sorry to shatter your better, but this isn’t so. Even the orange peels are quite useful. These peels can be used as repellents, skincare products, home fresheners, fertilizers for your plants and so on.
- An Obligatory Product For World Exploration:
During the ages when world exploration was at an all-time high, oranges had become a must-have product. This is because they do not spoil easily. Moreover, their rich Vitamin-C content prevents scurvy. As a result, sailors tended to keep this fruit onboard, whenever they sailed off for their endeavors. Furthermore, sailors also took care to plant orange trees on their trade routes. This provided a constant supply of oranges irrespective of where they set out to explore.
Interesting Facts About Florida Oranges
Florida ranks second when it comes to meeting the world demand for oranges. There are various reasons that make this possible. As the aspects surrounding Florida oranges are so great, they have developed an individual set of facts for themselves. Here are some of those facts that are associated with the cultivation of Floridan oranges:
- Florida produces more than 70% of the USA’s aggregate orange demand:
Florida is known to produce more than 70% of the total amount of oranges produced in the United States. This citrus supply is then transported to major markets such as Canada, Japan, France, and even the UK. Furthermore, more than 90% of the USA’s orange juice demand is quenched with the help of Florida-grown oranges.
- Impacting nearly a $9 billion impact on the economy:
Being one of the big players in producing oranges, the citrus industry of Florida contributes nearly $9 billion for the country’s economy. This also facilitates in producing $1 billion in tax revenues, the industry helps greatly in contributing to the public welfare such as support for schools, healthcare services, and such.
- Massive areas for growing oranges:
Most oranges are grown in voracious plantations lying in the southern two-thirds of the Floridan peninsula. The plantation areas within this peninsula often amount up to more than 569,000 acres. In fact, an estimate says that the number of trees within these areas could also amount up to 74 million.
- Florida’s state flower is the orange flower:
Orange is a massive flowering fruit. This doesn’t come as a surprise since it initially contains flower that ultimately germinates into a fruit. What’s surprising, however, is the fact that the orange flower has been named as the official flower of Florida. For a lot of people, this might not be quite surprising, considering that its orange groves are one of the most eye-catching aspects of Florida.
- The wide role of automation:
One of the most prominent reasons for Florida’s massive orange production is its extensive use of automation. Florida’s orange industry has massively implemented automated production processes. Owing to their highly sophisticated and rapid assembly lines, these automation technologies have certainly helped Florida to become one of the greatest producers of oranges in the world.
Scientific Experiments That Can Be Done With Oranges
Introducing your child about the various nutritious aspects of oranges is no less than an education. However, your child’s education doesn’t end just there. There are still numerous aspects of this wondrous fruit that they can learn. Here are a few experiments that you and your child can involve yourselves with to learn more about the scientific aspects of oranges:
- Orange Buoyancy Science Experiment
- Creating Orange Fizz
- Rotting Experiment: Which Rots First?
- Creating An Orange Battery
- Do Balloons Pop With Orange Peels?
Orange Buoyancy Science Experiment
Purpose: The purpose of the Orange Buoyancy Science Experiment is to check whether an orange sinks or floats with and without its peel.
Process:
- Start by asking your child whether an orange with sink or float in a jar of water.
- Drop the orange in the water to you’ll find that the orange floats.
- Now remove the peel and again drop the orange into the jar of water.
- Observe as the orange sinks without its peel.
Explanation: Now you might be wondering why the orange floats with its peel but sinks without it. It all occurs due to the buoyancy. Although the peel makes the orange weigh slightly greater, it also displaces enough water to make the orange buoyant. The peel contains tiny pockets of air that make the unpeeled orange less dense. Conversely, when you remove the peel, the orange no longer displaces enough water to overcome the gravitational force and thereby sinks.
Creating Orange Fizz
Purpose: To show the reaction upon mixing acids and bases.
Process:
- Start by cutting the orange into three different sections.
- Dip one of these sections into baking soda.
- Take a bite of this section and see the reaction that it has in your mouth.
Explanation: Oranges contain significant amounts of citric acid. And baking soda is a base. When you mix acids and base, they form millions of carbon dioxide bubbles. As a result of this, you feel the fizzy sensation in your mouth.
Rotting Experiment: Which Rots First?
Purpose: To place pieces of oranges in various areas of your home and check which one of them rots first.
Process:
- Peel an orange and divide it into four equal parts.
- Label the paper plates as per the locations where you will be storing them. Some places where you can consider include: inside the fridge, on a table, in a bag somewhere, outside your home, and such.
- Now, keep those parts and continuously observe them.
- Observe them and discuss why it occurs.
Explanation: Different conditions prompt a different reaction from the oranges. Therefore, it could be totally possible that each of them rots at different rates. Keep these observations in mind and explain the same to your child.
Creating An Orange Battery
Purpose: To show an orange can be used as a low-voltage battery to power up certain aspects of your day-to-day life.
Process:
- Start by slightly squeezing the orange so as to release some part of the juice and prepare it for the experiment.
- Insert a galvanized zinc and a copper nail into the orange. Make sure that you insert the nails in such a way that they are at least 2 inches away from each other with their tips towards the center.
- Take a small light bulb, preferably an LED lightbulb and stick each end of the wires into the LED bulb. Secure the wires with electrical tape if necessary.
- As the final wire is attached, you will find that the LED bulb lights up.
Explanation: Now, why does this happen? This happens because citrus fruits such as oranges generate electrical currents. With the help of the acid, and the copper and zinc nails, electricity is generated which powers up the LED lights.
Do Balloons Pop With Orange Peels
Purpose: To find out whether the oil from the peels is capable of popping a balloon.
Process:
- Blow up a balloon and take an orange peel for this experiment.
- Gently squeeze the orange peel such that a few drops of oil from the peel falls upon the balloon.
- After this, the balloon should either pop or it can remain intact.
Explanation:
When you squeeze the peel and let the drops fall upon the balloon, it can either pop or it can remain intact as it is. If it pops, the simple reason behind this is the fact that the balloon is, as in most cases, is made out of rubber. This happens because of the powerfully fragrant molecules that exist within the peel oil. These molecules weaken the internal structure of the molecule. As a result of this, the balloon pops.
Conclusion
And this leads us to the end of this article. Well, do you now agree that the orange is quite a wondrous fruit? Well, of course, you do! After all these facts, information, and nifty experiments, it is hard to deny the striking features of this fruit. However, these facts or experiments are not an end in themselves. You can teach your child more about this fruit. And if you want, you are also free to create your experiments that can aptly show the various aspects of orange. Rest assured, they will surely start to include oranges in their diet, once they become aware of these aspects.