Essay on Orange
(Citrus) Phytonutrients
In order to grow and maintain our
health, we need to consume different organic compounds (carbon-containing
compounds that can be found in the system of living organism) such as
carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. These are needed by our body to provide
energy and maintain our system. For our system to acquire these needed
chemicals, we consume different types of foods (meat, dairy products, fruits,
vegetables, etc.). Food products are our fuel to go on in our everyday lives.
We need to have a balance diet, to obtain these different chemicals (nutrients)
in their required level. Remember that all that in excess and in deficient
level is bad and thus, have its corresponding consequences to our body. Another
chemical that are not essential (needed or required) by our body but have a
protective effect on our health is called phytonutrients.
Phytonutrients, also called phytochemicals,
are bioactive chemicals that we can consume which have protective effects on
our health (Edelstein, 293). “Phyto” is a Latin word for plants, thus phytonutrients
or phytochemicals are found in plant foods (vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts,
legumes, spices, and herbs) (Radak, 293). There are thousands of phytonutrients
present in plant products.
Some of the health benefits of phytonutrients are
that they act as antioxidants and also some have cancer-preventing properties
(Radak, 293). Thus, eating fruits and vegetables has ample benefits for us. Eating
a wide variety of fruits and vegetables able us to acquire different
phytonutrients and each phytonutrients have their corresponding health benefits
(anti-aging, heart disease prevention, immune defense booster and more)
(Lipman, 1). Raw vegetables have higher phytonutrients content relative to
processed or cooked counterpart, with the exception of broccoli and garlic, as
food preparation affects the phytonutrient level (Lipman, 1). Raw or fresh
vegetables are better since, vitamins and enzymes present is not breakdown due
to cooking (the heat) (Haas and James, 10). Phytonutrients are not classified as
drugs thus, it has no toxicity.
These
are some phytonutrients and group of phytonutrients present in plant foods
(WebMD, 1):
(1) Carotenoids,
they are found in bright yellow, orange and red plants. They act as
antioxidants which eliminates free radicals that can harm our body. Some
examples of this group of phytonutrients are lycopene, carotene, and lutein.
(2) Ellagic
acids are phytonutrients found in berries (i.e. Strawberries, raspberries,
pomegranates) which help prevent cancer.
(3) Flavonoids,
found in various plant foods (i.e. Apple, berries, grapes, onion). They have a variety of health benefits: help reduce
risk of asthma, cancer and coronary heart diseases.
(4) Resveratol,
phytonutrients that can be found in grapes, which can have a health benefit of
acting as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
(5) Glucosinolates,
phytonutrients that can be found in vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage
and broccoli, which can hold cancer growth and development.
(6) Phytoestrogens,
phytonutrients that can be found in soy and soy products, which can behave like
estrogen (a hormone) and having the effect of lowering the risk of bone loss in
women and lowering risk of endometrial cancer.
Orange (Citrus Sinensis) fruit is a plant-based food
that contains different phytonutrients. These phytonutrients are citrus
flavonnes, anthocyanins, hydroxiginnamic acids, variety of polyphenols (Vitamedica.
1). Also it contains oxalate, flavonoid, tannin, saponin and phytate (Oluremi et al., 2). This makes oranges
consumption beneficial to us, humans. In oranges, there are total of 170
different phytonutrients and more than 60 of these are flavonoids (Vitamedica,
1). And flavonoids help reduce cancer and other diseases. Tangeretin,
Nobiletin, and Sinensetin flavones are bitter phytonutrients, which may act
through bactericidal activity and makes the oranges unpalatable, which are
found in oranges (Drewnowski and Gomez-Carneros, 8). The tangeretin and
nobiletin are concentrated in the peel of the oranges (Drewnowski and
Gomez-Carneros, 4).
Hesperidin, a flavonoids phytonutrients that can be
found in oranges, is possibly the most important and predominantflavonoids
present in oranges (Whfoods.org, 1). The highest concentration of hesperidin is
found to be in the peel and membranous parts of oranges (Kingherbs, 1). Orange
juice that was freshly made or orange juice that has pulp has a high concentration
of hesperidin (Sahelian, 1). Benefit from this phytonutrient is its
anti-inflammatory properties and its interference with arachidonic acid
metabolism and histamine release (kingherbs, 1).
Citrus limonin, a triterpene limonoid aglycone, is
another phytonutrients that can be found in oranges, which is a bitter
phytonutrient that causes the delayed bitterness of citrus juices (Drewnowski
and Gomez-Carneros, 4). This is the predominant limonoid phytonutrient found in
citrus fruits, including oranges (Chongging Trust Long Co., 1). Limonin is
studied as an inhibitor for cancer, experiments are carried out and it is found
out it is an inhibitor of chemical carcinogens (cancer producing). It has an
antinociceptive (pain reduction and anti-inflammatory effects.
Works Cited
Drewnowski, Adam
and Carmen Gomez-Carneros. "Bitter Taste, Phytonutrients, and the
Consumer:
a Review." The American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition 72 (2000): 1424-1435
Edelstein, Sari.
Food Science: An Ecological Approach.
New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning,
2012.
Hass, Elson M.
and Patty James. More Vegetables, Please!
Oakland: New Harbinger, 2009.
"Hesperidin."
Kingherbs Inc. 1 July 2013.
<http://www.kingherbs.com.cn/english.asp?id=40>
Lipman, Frank.
"What are Phytonutrients?" 1 July 2013. <http://www.drfranklipman.com/what
are-phytonutrients/>
"Oranges."
The World's Healthiest Foods. 1 July 2013.
<http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=37>
"Oranges."
VitaMedica. 1 July 2013. <http://www.vitamedica.com/oranges/>
"Phytonutrients."
WebMD. 1 July 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/diet/phytonutrients-faq>
Radak, Tim DrPH.
"Phytonutrients." Food Science: An Ecological
Approach. New York: Jones
&
Bartlett Learning, 2012.
Sahelian, Ray
M.D. "Hesperidin Found in Oranges and Lemons." 1 July 2013.
<http://www.raysahelian.com/hesperidin.html>
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