Fruits and vegetables are an important staple in any diet. While a diet containing a variety of fruits and vegetables is best, orange is one of the healthiest colors you can look for.
Orange vegetables contain beta-carotene, a form of Vitamin A, which is great for eyesight and eliminating free radicals. The beta-carotene gives the vegetable its orange color.
Some of the healthiest orange fruits and vegetables are sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, carrots, mangos, oranges and papaya. These fruits and vegetables are great sources of nutrients and usually have a sweet flavor, making them ideal for satisfying those cravings for sweets.
Let’s look at why these top 7 orange fruits and vegetables are so incredibly healthy:
Sweet Potatoes are one of the best orange foods. Part of the root family, they have huge amounts of beta-carotene, manganese, copper, fiber, B6, potassium, iron and just about anything else you think you could possibly pack into a small potato-like case.
Here are some interesting facts you might not know about sweet potatoes:
- Sweet potatoes are known to help stomach ulcers and inflamed conditions of the colon.
- Sweet potatoes appear to play a part in preventing cancer in certain organs and glands due to its high Vitamin A content.
- Due to the high content of Vitamins A and C, sweet potatoes help remove free radicals which damage cells.
- Sweet potatoes are great for people with diabetes because they help stabilize blood sugar levels.
Squash & Pumpkin. These two foods are closely related, and actually come from the same family of vegetables, known as squash. They’re loaded with fiber as well as beta-carotene.
- The squash family of vegetables is great at fighting off cancer, especially lung cancer, reducing the risk of heart disease and aiding in fighting against type-2 diabetes.
- Pumpkins specifically are great for urinary tract support and aid in the function of the kidneys. Years ago, pumpkin seed oil was even used to treat burns and wounds.
Carrots, a great food for eyesight, are the richest vegetable source for beta-carotene. Carrots reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, help prevent macular degeneration, and help control insulin levels to those with diabetes.
- While cooking foods typically removes some of their nutrients, this isn’t so with carrots. Lightly cooking them actually helps to release the carotenes, which are otherwise trapped.
Some of your favorite fruits are also some of the healthiest out there:
Mangoes are high in iron and help fight against anemia and reduce kidney problems, fever, and respiratory problems. They can even relieve clogged pores of the skin.
Oranges, the typical orange fruit, is not so typical when you take a closer look.
- Because of the vitamins and antioxidants in an orange,they’ve been proven to help with asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, prevention of kidney stones, high blood pressure, arthritis and diabetes.
- Oranges eaten in larger amounts can even decrease a runny nose.
Papaya contains digestive enzymes, which help break down some of the more difficult foods in our stomach, such as beans, dairy, and even meat. Due to the high fiber content, papaya also helps with constipation and even upset stomach.
- The one thing papaya has been known for around the world is its ability to prevent nausea, including morning and motion sickness if taken in the juice form.
Orange fruits and vegetables are a great way to battle off illness and disease. Combine them with a few servings of dark green vegetables and you have yourself a winning combination.
