IN A WORLD WHERE HEALTH-CONSCIOUS CHOICES often dominate our daily decisions, I am constantly searching for nutritious and delicious foods. Today, I focus on unveiling the top 5 surprising health wonders locked in tangerines.
The humble tangerine is a vibrant gem, often overlooked compared to its citrus counterparts.
Beyond its delectable sweetness and convenient portability lies a treasure trove of health wonders.
Join me on a journey as I peel back the layers and unveil the health benefits of tangerines.
Prepare to be captivated by the nutritional richness and discover why this citrus delight deserves a prime spot in your daily wellness routine.
Tangerine Basics
What are tangerines? They are the second most-cultivated citrus fruit. What is number one?
I’ll give you the answer shortly.
Mandarins include the following:
- Clementines
- Tangerines
- Satsumas
- Willowleaf
- Tangors
Mandarins are the second largest cultivated group of citrus after sweet oranges. The former provides about 25 percent of world citrus production.
Trivia
Did you know the tangerine’s name originates in Tangier, Morocco?
Tangier (Morocco) was the port from which growers sent the first batches of the tangerine fruit to Europe.
Growers have cultivated tangerines for over three thousand years in Japan and China. However, it arrived in the U.S. in the mid-1800s.
China produces more tangerines than any other country. Most tangerines produced in the United States come from Florida and California.
Let’s turn to how I use tangerines for health benefits.
1. Tangerines and Health: Potential Skin Benefits
Vitamin C affects collagen production. I know collagen is my body’s most abundant protein, representing 30 percent of the substance.
Collagen provides strength, structure, and stability to my connective tissues, including my skin.
Collagen’s specific roles include:
- Giving structure, elasticity, and strength to your skin.
- Helping fibroblasts form in your skin’s middle layer (the dermis), facilitating new cell growth.
- Helping to replace dead skin cells.
- Providing a protective covering for organs.
- Helping your blood to clot.
Collagen, Vitamin C, and Skin
I am particularly interested in supporting my collagen, which decreases with age. A review of 12 articles revealed this:
Both oral and topical collagen can contribute to reducing or delaying skin aging. Moreover, vitamin C’s antioxidants may help by slowing free radical-induced skin damage.
In summary, the vitamin C content of tangerines may promote collagen synthesis. This synthesis can reduce aging signs and improve wound healing.
2. Tangerines and Health: Potential Heart Benefits
Tangerines contain antioxidants, including vitamin C, nobiletin, and tangeretin, that may promote heart health.
This health benefit theoretically sounds good, but does it translate to real health benefits?
I could find no direct evidence of health improvements associated with tangerine consumption. That said, Healthline offers this:
Vitamin C may improve risk factors for heart disease by reducing platelet aggregation and blood pressure, lowering blood triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, and improving blood vessel function.
In addition, a five-year study of over 500,000 adults showed that consuming at least a half cup of fresh fruit once daily may significantly drop cardiovascular risk.
Subjects with daily consumption of the fruit were roughly one-third less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke.
3. Tangerines and Health: Potential Eye Benefits
As I mentioned, tangerines have a lot of vitamin C.
This antioxidant may support eye health by delaying age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Vitamin C, in conjunction with other nutritional antioxidants, can help keep your eyes healthy longer.
Can You Drop Your Cataract Risk?
IT’S A TOP CAUSE OF BLINDNESS IN THE USA. You cannot prevent them with certainty, but your lifestyle choices may lower…medium.com
4. Tangerines and Health: Weight Loss Benefits
Tangerines may promote weight loss by increasing daily fiber intake.
Making one change – getting more fiber – can help with weight loss – Harvard Health.
www.health.harvard.edu
Citrus fruit includes insoluble fiber, a fiber type that does not ferment in the gut). Cellulose and lignan are examples.
Insoluble fiber makes us feel full; it slows food transit through our gut. As a result, your appetite may drop.
Moreover, higher fiber consumption is associated with weight maintenance.
5. Tangerines and Health: Brain Disease Benefits
While I cannot tell you that tangerines reduce chronic brain disease, the fruit’s antioxidants may protect against dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and schizophrenia. We need stronger proof, however.
Animal studies hint that tangerine peel substances (including nobiletin) may help with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, including memory loss.
While animal studies suggest promise, we need human studies.
Using Tangerines
Tangerine can be a great dessert option. If you enjoy its natural sweetness, you may wish to pair it with other fruits.
What about the tangerine peels? WebMD explains that they are easy to prepare if you have some time.
In China, it is traditional to dry tangerine peels in sunlight. First, scrape away most of the soft white material (the pith) in the peel.
Next, place the peels in sunlight to dry, turning them once daily for about one week.
If you are impatient, you can put the peels on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 30 minutes at 200 degrees F, taking care not to burn them.
I enjoy the taste of tangerine peel in many Chinese dishes.
Final Thoughts – Wonders In Tangerines
Do you enjoy tangerines?
The fruit is nutrient-rich, so you may be getting numerous health benefits.
Tangerine substances — such as antioxidants — may improve your skin, brain, heart, and more.
Thank you for reading “Wonders In Tangerines.”
