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The Power of Orange Foods
US: Pumpkins and other orange foods loaded with nutrients
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.
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.
Source: ajc.com
http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=9912
Publication date: 10/25/2007
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