The Blood Orange – Many Health Benefits
The Blood Orange is a wonderfully sweet and beautifully colored citrus fruit. It is smaller than other types of oranges, with a reddish blush skin. The inside flesh is maroon or even dark red. Along with their beautiful red color, they have a perceptible and delicious raspberry taste to their flavor.
Blood Oranges may have originated (a mutation) in the southern Mediterranean region, where they have been grown since the 18th century. These Orange trees grow in warm, sub-tropical areas of the U.S. The fruit can be eaten raw, juiced, cocktails, salads, or other oranges dishes
Blood Oranges are easier to peel than other oranges and with fewer seeds. Their fruiting season is from December through April, which makes them harder to find and more expensive than navel or other oranges varieties.
The Health Benefits of Blood Orange
The red-colored flesh of this orange is the result of anthocyanin, which develops when the fruit ripens during warm days along with cooler nights.
Anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid, are a class of compounds with antioxidant effects. Found naturally in many foods, anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, purple, and blue plants their vibrant coloring. Additionally, they act as antioxidants that fight free radicals and may offer anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits.
Blood Oranges have the fiber, vitamin C, and carotenoids of regular “blonde” oranges, with the added antioxidant shot provided by anthocyanins.
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