Originally published October 17 2005
Some experts claim oranges are a superfood
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Superfoods Rx,authored by Scripps Memorial Hospital's Dr. Steven Pratt, argues for oranges to be one of 14 foods with extraordinary health benefits, including disease prevention.
Miller, whose farm produces Cayucos Summer Oranges, is on a crusade to bolster awareness of what's been called the country's first health food.
Oranges are packed with fiber and vitamins, and Miller says people should eat more of them.
In the book "Superfoods Rx" (William Morrow, $24.95), Scripps Memorial Hospital's Dr. Steven Pratt writes that oranges are one of 14 foods that have extraordinary health-promoting effects.
When eaten in the right amounts, he writes, they can reduce the risk illnesses including cancers, heart disease and obesity.
He said reading about the obesity epidemic is irritating because he's seen people shy away from citrus.
"It's frustrating because even in all those stores, I'm still out-producing what people are selling," he said, noting that his oranges are sold in 600 Vons and Albertson's markets across California.
The potassium helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, and nutrition experts advise patients to cut down on sodium and increase their potassium intake.
Fiber is known to help promote cardiovascular health and digestion, while folate can reduce the risk of birth defects and breast cancer, Berner said.
Oranges are also rich in vitamin C, which has a number of health benefits.
The scientific community is still relatively undecided on how much vitamin C can help those suffering from the common cold, but large amounts of it before a cold strikes have been shown to shorten the duration of the illness, according to a 2003 article in Nutrition Journal.
Berner said people are drinking less and less orange juice -- same with milk -- and are instead replacing those beverages with sodas, which has deleterious health effects.
"The effect on teeth is a combination of time of exposure and how it sticks in your teeth," she said.
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