Fall foods (including the orange ones) are beautiful to look at, but more importantly, the color orange signals us that there are health benefits as well.
Many orange (and a few green) colored foods contain the antioxidant called beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is converted to Vitamin A in the body which is important with regards to vision, immune function, bone metabolism and skin health – among some others. Beta-carotene is also thought to help in reducing the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Other orange foods (like fruits) are also excellent sources of vitamin C, which is another antioxidant. It is important for immune function, skin/tissue healing, and repair/maintenance of cartilage, bones and teeth.
Orange Foods and Their Benefits:
- Fresh Pumpkin: Considered a squash, pumpkins are considered one of the best sources of Beta Carotene. This includes the canned (no salt) or the fresh. Pumpkin fact: In the U.S., more than 50 million pumpkin pies are baked and consumed, each year.
- Sweet Potato: This orange potato has a unique flavor and is right up on top of the list with the pumpkin in regards to beta carotene content. Yam or Sweet Potato? Although yams and sweet potatoes are both angiosperms (flowering plants), they are not related botanically. Sweet potato fact: 1.8 billion pounds of sweet potatoes were produced by major sweet potato producing states in 2007. North Carolina (667 million pounds) produced more sweet potatoes than any other state.
- Carrots: Raw or steamed, with a meal or as a snack – carrots are an overall favorite. Carrot fact: California produces about 60 percent of the U.S. carrot crop. About 25 percent of the annual crop goes toward the production on mini-peeled carrots.
- Oranges: Full of vitamin C and some beta carotene, oranges come in many varieties. Check to see which ones are in season in your area. Orange fact: Spain has over 35 million orange trees!
- Clementines: They are a hybrid of the tangerine. It’s small, easy to peel, is just about in season (October through January) and is consistently sweet. Clementine fact: In 1997, orange harvests in Florida were damaged during a particularly harsh winter. This created a surge in clementine popularity, which continues throughout the United States today.
- Apricots: The beta carotene in dried apricots is more concentrated – but be careful…so is the sugar. Don’t shy away for that reason, but just practice good portion control. The fresh are more forgiving. This fruit makes a great snack – just wash and eat. The best way to ripen is in a plastic bag (add an apple inside) until they give under a little pressure. Then put them in the fridge to ensure they don’t ripen too much. Apricot fact: Originally from China, apricots have been around for more than 4,000 years!
When "eating a rainbow" - you now have the orange category covered.
The copyright of the article The Color Orange in Food Facts is owned by Melinda Lund. Permission to republish The Color Orange in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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