Las oranges are a valuable source of vitamins y fiber. Its nutritional benefits are enhanced when consumed fresh. However, there is a crucial detail to take into account: if you usually cut the orange with a knife, including the white part, you are committing a mistake! great loss of nutrients!
The nutritionist Hernan Maroni explains that by cutting citrus this way, you will lose much of the albedo (the white layer that surrounds the pulp). On the other hand, if you use a peeleryou will be able to maintain this valuable white part.
Why is albedo so important?
The white part of fruits such as orange and others citrus is called albedo (o pith) and forms the mesocarp, a spongy tissue that protects the fruit. In addition, it facilitates the transport of water and nutrients inside the orange.
One of the main reasons to keep this part of the fruit is that this is where the flavanoneconsidered the eighth most important component anti-inflammatory in the dietary index. The flavanone They are a type of polyphenols which are found practically only in the citrusmentions the expert. Maroni emphasizes that its key benefits include: reduce your inflammation, protect your blood vessels y improve the health of your arteries.
The nutritionist’s recommendations Maroni are based on the Dietary Anti-Inflammatory Index (DII)a scientific tool created in the University of South Carolina at Columbia, USA
He albedo o pith contributes fiber, vitamin C y phenolic compounds (flavonoids) with a powerful effect antioxidant y anti-inflammatory. Among them are flavonoids specifics such as hesperidin, eriocitrin, narirutin and naringenin derivatives, which are They concentrate especially on the white part and the shell.
Although he DII (Dietary Inflammatory Index) does not include “orange albedo” or any food in a direct list (since it is calculated from nutrients and bioactive compounds), the truth is that this part of the orange es rich in vitamin C, fiber and flavonoids that contribute to a most anti-inflammatory dietary index when consumed in the context of a diet healthy y balanced.
Let us remember that the antioxidant phenolic compounds help in protection against oxidative damage. Among its benefits are positive effects on the cardiovascular healthlipid metabolism and the modulation of inflammation.
Los nutritionists agree to recommend eat the orange with part of the albedo (you don’t have to eat it all, for the taste), as this helps increase your intake of fiber y flavonoids that contribute to a anti-inflammatory dietary pattern.
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