If you love eating citrus fruits, you’ve probably enjoyed oranges. People typically consume oranges fresh and in juice form.
Orange trees originated in China many years ago and are now grown in many areas worldwide, including the United States, Mexico, and Spain.
Oranges are a treasure trove of essential nutrients and protective plant compounds, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Studies show that consuming oranges every day may benefit your health. But, how many oranges can you eat per day?
This article explains everything you need to know about earing oranges, including their nutritional value and potential health benefits.
How Many Oranges Are Safe To Eat Daily?
Oranges are full of vitamin C. A medium-sized orange weighs about 140 grams and has 48 mg of vitamin C. The daily intake of vitamin C for healthy adults is 60 to 90 mg, with a higher limit of 2000 mg per day.
Based on this information, it’s safe to eat three to four oranges a day. However, if you have a cold physique or a low metabolic rate, you can eat one or two oranges to let the body achieve balance.
Two oranges can easily meet the vitamin C requirement for a day. And taking extra dietary vitamin C is harmless to the body.
Although oranges are sweet, they are low-calorie fruits with low sugar content. A medium-sized orange has only 70 calories and 15 grams of sugar.
It is worth mentioning that sweet oranges have higher vitamin C and vitamin P content than most fruits. These two vitamins can increase the toughness and elasticity of capillaries and reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Therefore, regular consumption of oranges is beneficial for people with high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular problems.
Nutritional Break Down For One Orange Per Day
This table contains the nutritional breakdown for an orange (140 grams).
| Calories | 66 |
| Water | 86% by weight |
| Protein | 1.3 grams |
| Carbs | 14.8 grams |
| Sugar | 12 grams |
| Fiber | 2.8 grams |
| Fat | 0.2 grams |
| Vitamin C | 92% of daily value |
| Folate | 9% of the daily value |
| Calcium | 5% of the daily value |
| Potassium | 5% of the daily value |
What Happens if You Eat Too Many Oranges In A Day?
While oranges are a super healthy food in moderation, consuming too many of them may cause unpleasant stomach problems. The high fiber content creates undesirable results, including cramping, bloating, diarrhea, and nausea. According to Mayo Clinic, eating excessive amounts of Vitamin C may also cause troubling health problems, including headache, heartburn, vomiting, and even insomnia.
Because oranges are acidic, they can also cause some irritation in the stomach lining. In high doses, the acid content in oranges and other citrus fruits has been shown to cause digestive complications in individuals who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
So while there is nothing wrong with having a few oranges per day, it is best to include arange of fruits and vegetables in your diet. As per Healthline, many experts recommend eating a selection of different-colored fruits and veggies every day, rather than just one or two oranges. . “Eating the rainbow” is one of the simple ways to improve your overall health and ensure your diet has all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs.
How Many Oranges Per Day Can Aid Weight Loss?
Including whole oranges in your diet can help you lose weight. However, eating oranges doesn’t automatically cause your fat to begin melting off your body because oranges contain calories. Since oranges don’t add too many calories, they’re a healthier choice when weight loss is your goal.
If you want to lose weight and improve your metabolic rate, eating one or two oranges per day is a good start. Alternatively, having two and a half glasses of orange juice a day could reverse obesity and reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Tip: Navel oranges make a great weight-loss snack to fix your sugar cravings.
How Many Oranges Can You Eat A Day When Pregnant?
Oranges are safe to eat when pregnant, but you should consume them in moderation. They provide nutrients and are a rich source of vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, calcium, and more. You can eat 2 to 3 oranges every day during pregnancy to reap the benefits.
Some pregnant women can have a low tolerance to vitamin C and fiber, so eating oranges in excess can have some uncomfortable side effects. When eaten in excess, oranges have some uncomfortable side effects, such as abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
How Many Oranges Can Diabetics Eat Per Day?
Diabetics can include oranges in their diets, but they should eat oranges in moderation like anything else in life. 2-4 small to medium-sized oranges per day isn’t a major cause for concern.
You may need to lower your daily orange intake if you want to eat them every day. Measuring glucose levels when you’re adding new food to your diet is essential.
Ensure that you accurately record your sugar content consumption and add it to your daily allowance of sugar and carbs. You may or may not have plenty of room for the sugar and carb content of 3-4 oranges every day without missing out on other healthy foods.
Are Oranges Doctor-Approved For Diabetes?
Don’t always believe everything you read on the Internet; many scams may be providing false information. However, the American Diabetes Association considers oranges one of the diabetes superfoods because of its benefits to diabetics.
The ADA has included most citrus fruits in that category, including oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, lemons, and a range of other fruits that all provide great levels of fiber, vitamin C, and folic acid, and potassium.
You can mix and match most citrus fruits, but oranges may be the top pick for diabetes when you compare them all together.
How Many Oranges Can Babies Eat Per Day?
Introduce oranges slowly and in small amounts. A few orange slices a day might be a good place to start.
Watch for any reaction during the next two days. Look for reddening skin around the baby’s mouth and check whether or not they develop a diaper rash. Diaper rashes may be unrelated to citrus fruits, but it’s important to keep track just in case the two are related. If your baby has hives, swelling, vomiting, or trouble breathing, seek medical attention right away.
Make sure the orange slices are cut into small pieces. And, always be near your baby when they are eating. You should also remove the skin and any seeds that might be hard for your baby to swallow.
General Health Benefits of Eating Oranges Everyday
Vitamin C in oranges can help your body in many ways:
- It protects cells against damage.
- It also helps the body make collagen, a protein that gives you smoother skin.
- It makes it easier to absorb iron to fight anemia.
- It boosts the immune system, your body’s defense against germs.
- It slows down the advance of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a primary cause of vision loss.
- Vitamin C in oranges helps fight free radicals in your body.
- It lowers your cortisol levels and your blood pressure.
Some other benefits of eating oranges daily:
Anti-inflammatory – Some foods alert your immune system it’s under attack. This triggers inflammation. When inflammation turns into a long-term issue, it can cause diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, colon cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Oranges have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Fiber – The 3-grams of fiber in a medium-sized orange help keep your bowels healthy, lower cholesterol, and risk heart disease. Fiber also slows the way your body absorbs sugar — a big benefit if you have diabetes.
Calcium – Oranges are high in this essential nutrient, which keeps your muscles, bones, and organs strong.
Folate – Oranges are a nice way to naturally get a big dose of folate. Your body uses folate to divide cells and make DNA. Because folate helps prevent birth defects, it’s an important B vitamin for pregnant women.
Healthy sugar – The 12-grams of sugar in oranges are natural. That’s different from the type of sugar you’d find in a candy bar. Plus, all the vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants in oranges make it a better choice for your body. Choose raw oranges, which contain less sugar than the dried kind.
Potassium – This nutrient reduces your blood pressure, and oranges have so much of it.
Citric acid and citrates – These compounds can help prevent kidney stones from forming.
Health Risks of Eating Oranges Every Day
Too many oranges at one time can give your body more fiber, sugar, and vitamin C than it needs.
Watch out for vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, stomach aches, headache, and insomnia.
Oranges are high in natural acids, which can worsen the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
If you’re taking beta-blockers, too many oranges can increase your potassium intake and lead to kidney damage.
If your body naturally stores more iron than it needs, high doses of vitamin C can increase iron levels in your blood and damage your tissues.
Vitamin C can also increase absorption from medicines that contain aluminum and phosphate binders and increase your estrogen levels if you’re on hormone replacement therapy.
How to Prepare and Store Oranges For Daily Use
You can store oranges at room temperature out of direct sunlight. But if you won’t eat them for a few days, put them in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Eat Three Oranges A Day?
Yes, it’s completely safe to eat three oranges a day.
Can I Eat Four Oranges A Day?
Yes, eating four oranges a day is good for your overall health.
Can I Eat Ten Oranges A Day?
Eating ten oranges a day can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
What happens if you eat too many navel oranges?
Eating too many navel oranges can cause stomach aches and diarrhea.
