The nutritional value of the orange a fruit known and cultivated worldwide has always been subject of studies and analysis.

The orange is a rich source of vitamin C in addition to several important other minerals, vitamins and fiber. The orange is now associated as an efficient weapon that helps the body in the combat of infections as well as good formation of bones and teeth and healing of wounds and burns. It is also an excellent fruit that helps in the protection against the development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, certain kinds of cancer and even Alzheimer, as shown in recent researches. (Sources: "Laranja Brasil", "Toda Fruta" and "Vitaminas e Cia".)

Available in Brazil year round the orange can be consumed as fresh fruit, in juice and beverages in general cooking in sweet and salty dishes. Although there are several varieties of oranges in general all of them have similar nutritional wealth.

In the orange we also find Pectin, a gelatinous fiber, present in the white part of the fruit (albido). According to many studies pectin helps in the decrease of LDL cholesterol, known as the bad cholestrol without changing the HDL level, the good cholesterol. Also it is of great benefit to diabetics as it is responsible for the formation of a barrier in the internal walls of the bowels, blocking the passage of the excess of glucose while helping in the elimination of residues and substances highly toxic and also constituting an efficient protection against the toxic effects of certain diet products.  (Source: "Laranja Brasil") 

Besides all these benefits of the fresh fruit, it is also possible to extract from the orange: 

• Oil and essences, used as natural aroma in beverages and food, besides the application in pharmaceutics, cosmetics and perfume industries, cleaning products in general, solvents and the manufacture of adhesives.   

• Citrus Pulp Pellets , used mainly as a complement for animal feed.   

• Pasteurized or concentrate juice, as rich as the fresh fruit, with its many benefits - antioxidant action, increases immunity and cellular energy, cancer prevention (presence of the limonoids, that aid in the destruction of certain cancerous cells), among others, mentioned here.    

Each orange has, approximately:   

• Calories: 62 kcal  

• Carbohydrates (15.4g) : They are organic substances with anticoagulant, lubricant (avoids drying of the eyes, for instance), healing and antigenic (activates the immunologic system) functions. 

• Proteins (1.2g): They are organic compounds that help in the consistency and elasticity of the tissues (collagen, keratin and others), in the defense of the body against strange substances (antibodies) in obtaining energy and in other hormonal, enzymatic and conductor functions. 

• Fibers (3.1g): They are food components that are not digested by the body, but are crucial to our diet.  As they are not digested the fibers go to the bowels, where they act as "brooms" that carry the food residues and the excess of fat by the bowels, reducing the level of cholesterol absorbed. With that, they help us to prevent heart diseases and bowel cancer.  They also give the sensation of fullness helping in the loss of weight, besides guaranteeing a beautiful and healthy skin. 

• Potassium (237mg): It is an essential chemical element to men. Epidemiological and clinical studies indicate that the high ingestion of potassium decreases the arterial pressure, both of normotense and of hypertense people.  High ingestions of potassium reduce the risk of cerebrovascular accident, heart arrhythmias in people with isquemic heart disease, congestive heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy. In addition, the higher ingestion of potassium has prophylactic action against kidney damage, especially the tubular lesion. Ingestions of potassium reduce the excretion of calcium, what reduces the risk of kidney stones and helps to block the osseous demineralization.  

• Vitamin C (69.7mg): It is a molecule whose main functions are to give resistance to the bones, teeth, tendons and blood vessel walls.  Moreover, it helps to combat diseases, prevent colds, muscle weakness and infections, positively acting on the immune system and in the cellular respiration.  It also stimulates the supra-renal glands and protects the blood vessels. 

And the fruit can be utilized the following manner:

• Juice: 44.81%
• Frozen Cells: 2.67%
• Essential Oil: 1.79%
• D’Limonene: 0.92%
• Essences:  0.57%
• Citrus Pulp Pellet: 49.24%

(Source: “ Laranja Brasil ”, numeric data)