Autumn and winter is a period when the human body lacks vitamins and requires a lot of nutrients that help to ensure the normal functioning and functioning of organs. Along with this, in the cold season, freshly harvested citrus fruits go on sale. What is citrus fruit and what is their feature? Let's take a closer look at what they are and what is their difference from each other.
What are citrus fruits? Definition
The very name comes from the Latin "citrus". And this word is translated as "lemon." That is what it was called a thousand years ago by the Arabs. By the way, they brought this type of fruit to Europe.
Everyone knows about the fruits with sour taste, but what are citrus fruits? The Explanatory Dictionary defines them as fruit trees or shrubs to which lemon, orange, and some other types of plants belong.
The total number of such fruits totals several tens, and all of them were brought by the person from wild grades.
The most popular and common citrus fruit is, of course, an orange. For the first time, and a very long time ago, he appeared in China. It is believed that he is a hybrid of mandarin and pomelo. Now orange grows in almost every southern country. If you look at the statistics, it turns out that the use of this fruit is much more than even apples. Although in our country they are most common.
Speaking about what citrus fruits are, one should not lose sight of other fruits, no less tasty than oranges. For example, tangerines, grapefruits, pomelo and lime. All of them also belong to this category and are in no way inferior to the leader. Each of them has found application.
Mandarin appeared in our country from East Asia and, by the way, took root very well in the subtropical climate.
Another fruit of this family, grapefruit, was brought to us from Asia. It is also considered a hybrid, but what exactly is unknown.
Less popular and familiar - it's a broomstick. Refers to a subspecies of grapefruit. Outwardly - green with a thick peel. Most often used for candied fruit or jam.
But lime is probably the newest of all citrus fruits. They started talking about him only in the nineteenth century. And thanks for that I have to say to British sailors. The very name of the fetus in American slang sounds like "lime", and translates as "Englishman."
All of the above species are eaten only without a peel. But kumquat, which is considered a subspecies of an orange, can be eaten with the skin. It tastes somewhat like mandarin.
Useful material
What citruses are, and what fruits belong to them, it is already clear, but what is their feature and what useful properties do they have?
Most importantly, it is one of the richest sources of vitamin C. Moreover, its level persists until spring due to the fact that the fruit has a very thick, impenetrable peel.
Many people think that the more acidic the fruit, the more vitamin it contains. In fact, this is completely wrong. Its content does not depend on taste. For example, the same parsley, which is not acidic at all, contains it much more than lemon.
Champion in Vitamin C - Orange. A medium-sized fetus contains approximately the required daily allowance. The second place went to grapefruit.
In addition, citrus fruits also contain other substances. First of all, folic acid, which is extremely beneficial for the nervous and reproductive systems. One fruit contains the daily norm of this vitamin, which is also called B9.
What else do citruses contain and how do they attract attention to themselves? They are considered strong antioxidants that reduce the inflammatory processes in the body and slow down aging. They help to normalize blood pressure, as well as reduce appetite.
Lemon
If you are asked what citrus is, then most likely the thought of a lemon will immediately come to mind. Although an orange is considered a more popular type, but if a person suddenly gets cold, he immediately remembers the lemon, and not in vain. It has always been used as a medicine because it contains a lot of ascorbic acid and citrine, which helps the body better absorb vitamin C. In addition, lemon is also taken to prevent diabetes. The smell of this fruit perfectly helps to relax and eliminate stress.
Orange
The most popular type is an orange, containing not only a lot of vitamin C, but also containing vitamins B. Do not know why they are needed and what is it? Citrus, rich in this vitamin, is good for the health of the whole body, as well as for vision. Pectin - another indispensable substance, also found in orange, helps to improve the functioning of the stomach and the entire digestive system as a whole.
Mandarin
Although the fruit is very tasty, but it is slightly inferior to its counterparts in the content of useful elements. Vitamins C and A are also present here. They help with diseases of the stomach, especially if there is an upset, they build appetite. And the juice from tangerines is recommended to drink with bronchitis, as it perfectly cleans the airways.
Grapefruit
If an orange is a leader in terms of usefulness, then a grapefruit is an eating leader among people who look after their figure. Why is it believed and what does citrus do, as a result of which it helps to lose weight? It contains vitamins PP and D, which burn calories well. Grapefruit is recommended for dieters, as well as those who are overweight. If you eat half the fruit after eating, you can burn half of the calories obtained. There are even special diets where the basis of everything is oranges and grapefruits. But that is not all. It restores energy, has a tonic effect on the nervous system and helps to recover faster after operations or infectious diseases.
Lime
Who is not familiar with this fresh aroma and bitter taste? It is these features that made lime so popular in the preparation of various dishes from the cuisines of Vietnam, Mexico and Thailand. It is also rich in various vitamins, calcium and even iron. It has antiseptic and antiviral effects on the human body. It soothes and relieves stress.
Do not confuse lemon and lime. Some people even think that they are the same, and the green color indicates that the fetus has not ripened. This is the most common misconception. These fruits are completely different. They are not even replaced in the preparation of dishes or drinks, otherwise all taste and charm will be lost.
What is citrus? Contraindications and recommendations
It would seem that such healthy fruits can be eaten by everyone and in any quantity. But as it turned out, despite the great benefits, there are some contraindications. Therefore, do not lean too much on the fruits if you are at risk.
First of all, citrus fruits - in general and any - are contraindicated in the presence of stomach ulcers or gastritis, in which the body has an increased acidity.
Some of them contain a lot of sugar, so they are not particularly recommended for people with diabetes.
Limit your intake if you are allergic.
Dental problems are another ban on eating acidic fruits. They contain acid, adversely affecting the already not too good enamel.
If you like juice from oranges, then after using it, be sure to rinse your mouth to eliminate acid residues.
Do not eat a lot of fruit during pregnancy. There is a risk that the child will be allergic to citruses or severe diathesis.
As for the recommendations, citrus can and should be eaten during the diet. They are low-calorie, unlike bananas and grapes. They are also useful for people with bowel problems.