During the cold winter, many people enjoy eating juicy and delicious fruits, and oranges are often a popular choice in supermarkets. While oranges are known to be rich in vitamin C and have a sweet taste that is suitable for both the elderly and children, many people may not be fully aware of their nutritional value. Oranges contain a variety of nutrients such as pectin, iron, vitamin B2, protein, and more, which have the effects of promoting saliva secretion and relieving thirst, as well as improving digestion and stimulating the appetite.

Nutritional Value of Oranges

Oranges are rich in various nutrients such as pectin, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins B1, B2, and C. Among these, oranges contain the highest amount of vitamin C. In traditional Chinese medicine, oranges are believed to have the effects of promoting saliva secretion and relieving thirst, soothing the liver and regulating qi, promoting lactation, improving digestion and stimulating the appetite, and providing overall nourishment. Modern medical research suggests that oranges are high in vitamins C and carotenoids, which can soften and protect the blood vessels, lower cholesterol and blood lipids, and are also effective for treating dry skin, making them particularly suitable for consumption during the dry autumn and winter seasons. Orange peels contain hesperidin, which has the effects of strengthening the stomach, removing phlegm, suppressing cough, relieving nausea and vomiting, and relieving stomach pain, making them especially suitable for early pregnancy women.

Effects and Benefits of Oranges

1. Harmonizing the stomach and relieving nausea: Oranges have a sour taste and a cool nature, entering the liver and stomach meridians. They have the functions of harmonizing the stomach and relieving nausea and vomiting, especially for cases of vomiting caused by indigestion or stomach discomfort.

2. Clearing heat and relieving chest discomfort: Oranges have a cooling nature and can clear heat and descend adverse qi. They are good for clearing heat in the lungs and chest. When heat accumulates in the lungs or is caused by external wind-heat, it can lead to the formation of phlegm in the chest, causing chest pain, coughing and wheezing, and sticky yellow phlegm. Oranges can help clear heat, remove phlegm, widen the chest, and stop bleeding, with significant effects.

3. Treating goiter: Goiter can be caused by external pathogenic factors, emotional trauma, or weakness in constitutional strength, which leads to the blockage of qi and the accumulation of phlegm. Oranges can help clear heat, resolve phlegm, and disperse nodules, especially when the phlegm accumulates on both sides of the throat, causing a lump-like swelling.

4. Neutralizing the toxicity of fish and crab: Oranges have a sour and fragrant taste, and their acidic nature can kill bacteria. They can also awaken the spleen, harmonize the stomach and descend adverse qi, making them effective for relieving the symptoms of excessive alcohol consumption or detoxifying dishes made with fish or crab. They can enhance the taste and aroma of dishes, making them more enjoyable.

5. Distinguishing between oranges and orange kernels: Orange flesh and orange kernels have different medicinal effects. Orange flesh is mainly used to stop nausea and vomiting, widen the chest and disperse nodules, and neutralize the toxicity of fresh fish and crab. Orange kernels are more effective in treating hernia, urinary disorders, and lower back pain. Externally, they can be used to treat acne and pimples on the face. In general, oranges are more suitable for treating liver and lung disorders, while orange kernels are more suitable for treating kidney-related issues.