Citrus fruits are the juicy gems of winter. Oranges, lemons, limes, pomelos, mandarins, and others reach peak ripeness in warm climates just as the northern hemisphere gets chilly and dark. It’s perfect timing for cold and flu season: One medium orange delivers almost a day’s dose of vitamin C.
The phytonutrients in citrus have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, and antiallergy effects. Studies show that citrus protects the heart, brain, and liver.
Much like berries, each fruit has its own unique pattern of phytochemicals, so go for variety. The orange pigments found in tangerines and oranges deliver carotenoids like lutein, an anti-inflammatory that protects the eyes. Grapefruit provide flavonoids that may help prevent diabetes and heart disease.
Citrus is also full of fiber, 65 to 70 percent of which is pectin, a soluble form that acts as a prebiotic by feeding the microbiome. Good bacteria ferment pectin in the colon and create beneficial short-chain fatty acids, including acetate, propionate, and butyrate.
Studies show pectin also helps maintain the intestine’s protective barrier. This matters, because when the gut’s bacteria get hungry, they will eat the mucosal layer. “If you don’t feed your bacteria, they will feed on you,” says Robert Lustig, MD, MSL, a pediatric endocrinologist and professor emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco. This damage can lead to gut issues like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
Squeezing a wedge of lemon or lime into your water glass, salad bowl, or pan of sautéed vegetables is an easy way to get a dash of citrus, says functional-medicine physician Susan Blum, MD, MPH. She adds the juice of half a lime to her morning green drink.
Some citrus — primarily grapefruit but also limes and pomelos — contain furanocoumarins, plant substances that can interfere with dozens of drugs. Check with your healthcare provider about potential contraindications with your prescriptions. (For even more on why these bright, succulent fruits are so good for your health, plus creative ways to use them, see “The Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits.”)
Nutritional Highlights and Protein Pairings
- Citrus is a good source of: vitamin C, flavonoids, and fiber
- Ideal protein pairing for lemons: Lemon with chicken
- Ideal protein pairing for limes: Lime with black beans
- Ideal protein pairing for mandarins: Cottage cheese
In Defense of Fruit
In the race to embrace low-carb eating, many health-conscious people have been eschewing fruit, pointing to the carbohydrates and their implication in the onset of many chronic diseases. But a lot of experts consider the backlash against fruit misguided. Learn more at, “Why Eating Fruit Is Still Good for You,” from which this article was excerpted.
