These bright coloured fruits are grown in spring and summer and are freshly harvested in winters.Their tangy, sweet and sour flavour makes them ideal to be added to a number of foods and beverages.In today’s article, we bring you the ultimate list of citrus fruits and vegetables along with their importance, benefits, types, nutritional values and health risks.Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit contain very low calories and high fiber content.This helps with losing weight in a healthy way by giving your body an adequate dose of vitamin C and fiber will keep you full for a pretty long time.They contain a good amount of potassium as well as flavonoids that help in maintaining normal blood pressure.Citrus fruits are also rich in antioxidants that help the heart stay fit and healthy.Citrus fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin C and low in fats and calories which helps improve your skin.According to a study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2008, vitamin C in citrus fruits when consumed in good quantities lessen the appearance of wrinkles.Moreover, consumption and application of citrus fruits, whether you consume a glass of orange juice or use shredded dried orange peels in a mask, will repair dead skin cells resulting in a glowing, bright and healthy skin.Expecting mothers who go through morning sickness can safely add citrus fruits in their diet.An extensive study conducted by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information in 2016, ascertained that citrus fruits can be anti-cancer agents.Flavonoids that are richly present in citrus fruits which ultimately fights cancers and tumours in the body.The natural citric acid present in these wonder fruits helps in blocking the formation of stones that are caused by increased amounts of calcium and oxalate.Citrus fruits keep you hydrated which can solve the cause of not drinking enough water.Squeeze half a lemon in water or gulp down a glass of orange juice every day to keep your kidneys healthy.Imagine what a refreshing glass of orange or berries, a slice of juicy grapefruit or an energizing drink of lemonade would feel on a hot sultry afternoon?Not only do they taste delicious but can refill your water loss and provide multiple vitamins and minerals.Consuming these citrus fruits in the form of juice or blending it with water can reduce symptoms of dehydration like stress, headache and fatigue.Note: Please consult your dermatologist before applying diluted lemon juice to your skin.We have curated a wonderful extensive list of citrus fruits and vegetables you should add to your cart!Blood oranges have a beautiful ruby red coloured flesh that is pleasingly aromatic.The pulp, a bright pink juicy flesh, is generally sweet with either a lot of seeds or very few of them.They have a lot of benefits from enhancing your immune system and improving digestion to lowering blood sugar levels and aiding in weight loss.People who are on a certain medication, facing kidney problems and suffer from Gastritis should avoid consuming this fruit unless recommended by the doctor.Compared to other citrus fruits, Citrons have a small core of pulp however, a thick, bumpy, white pith and yellow-green colour peel.The flavour of citron can be sweet-tangy and slightly bitter whereas the thick pith is largely used for preparing essential oils owing to its aroma.Citron zest can spice up any dish like pasta or baked foods and can be sprinkled on top of salads to enhance the flavour and bring out the best of colours.Citron jams also make healthy spreads on toasts and toppings on cakes and pastries.Citron sauces are prepared by adding spicy flavours that result in a crisp and fresh taste.You can also find Citron oil blended with other ingredients and fragrance like bay leaf, rose, lavender, vanilla, sandalwood, etc.It is recommended to include Clementines in children’s diet as they are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C and an excellent source of fiber.Sweet lemons make delicious juices that help with digestive ailments, constipation, improving the health of bones, skin and eyes.You can definitely include it in your diet plan as they are low-calorie fruits and provide a good amount of fiber to the body.Unlike other fruits, the flesh produces almost a sour to bitter taste while the peel is sweet.If alcohol isn’t your thing, Rangpur syrups can be used to make delicious juices and iced teas.Slightly bigger than Lime but smaller than a Grapefruit, you can identify Yuzus by their wrinkled outer skin.Calamansis have an extremely sharp flavour, they’re bitter and sour which makes it unsuitable to consume it raw.You can marinate it with any kind of meat to spice its sourness, make a sauce out of it, a dressing for salads or even sweeten it with honey and sugar to be used in tarts and ice creams.It has numerous health benefits that boost the immune system, the heart and helps the skin to remain healthy.Nowadays, Gooseberries are not only found raw but also in the form of powders, jams, juices, sweet syrups.Tomatoes might not come from the same family as the citrus fruits but, they contain a good amount of citric acid.This acid helps keep the heart, brain and immune system work properly and avoids the risk of diseases.Pumpkin benefits your heart, immunity, eyesight and also helps in maintaining a healthy weight.For instance, Pumpkin can be added to salads, stir-fried with meat and vegetables, mashed into a soup and also baked into pies.Tamarind is a kind of a tree that produces sour-tarty fruits that are commonly referred to as Imli in Hindi.Because of the antioxidant properties of Tamarind, it avoids chronic ailments of heart, cancer and diabetes.They fruit during the winter season with a hard skin but contain hundreds of small juicy seeds.Whether you sprinkle it on salads and desserts or squeeze them into juices, smoothies and cocktails, Pomegranate’s rich sweet-sour taste adds a burst of flavour.Broccoli is a remarkable vegetable that’s full of vitamins, Potassium, Magnesium and Folic acid.It’s is delicious when sauteed with spices and other veggies, tossed into pasta or meat and even churned into creamy soups.Some of the major nutritional vitamins and minerals present in citrus fruits are listed below:.Citric acid gives these fruits the sore, tangy taste and therefore, used in a lot of beverages especially, soft drinks.Non-citrus vegetables like Broccoli, Spinach and Bell peppers include a rich amount of Vitamin C.Vitamin C comes with numerous benefits like boosting your immune system, improving digestion, avoiding the risk of heart diseases and many more.Hence, it is very important to consume an adequate amount of vitamin C daily, i.e., minimum 60-70 milligrams for an adult, from your diet or through prescribed supplements.Folate (or folic acid) is a form of B, water-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in citrus fruits.It helps in developing red and white blood cells in our body which are especially required during the period of extensive growth.Soluble fiber i.e, Pectin is found in most of the citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines.Fibers do wonders in keeping the digestive system healthy and helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.There is no doubt that citrus fruits are nutritious, healthy and must be included in your daily diet.Consuming citrus fruits that contain high amounts of citric acid in a large quantity can have serious effects on the health of your teeth.The constant acid that brushes the top layer of your teeth might cause them to eradicate the enamel.However, some supplements present in citrus fruits that are taken to restore vitamin C and other minerals in the body might cause abdominal pains, cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting.When citric fruits like grapefruits, tangelo and lemon are consumed with certain medicines, they might cause side effects such as vomiting, heartburn and headaches.Citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin C, Fiber, Folate and antioxidants which can help during the formation and development of bones of the unborn baby.Citrus fruits help in coping up with morning sicknesses due to their sour and tangy flavour as well as a strong smell.With a water content of 91%, incredible source of various vitamins and minerals, low calories and antioxidant properties, grapefruits are the healthiest of citrus fruits providing many health benefits to the heart, immune system, blood, weight and more.Yes, citrus fruits assist in lightening dark spots on the skin due to the content of citric acid.There are many citrus fruits and vegetables that minorly differ in taste, uses and benefits, some of which we might not have been aware of.Citrus fruits and vegetables contain numerous vitamins and minerals; each one of them offering great health advantages.It is due to the acidic content, people following medication should only include them to their diet after consulting a dietician.
Edward R. Forte
Author