Blood Red Oranges

I had no idea that different oranges had different benefits ... I mean aren't they famous for fighting colds, tasting sweet and looking pretty on your plate?  Last week I was fortunate to have lunch with a dear friend of mine who mentioned how she uses them so I picked some up on one of my runs to the market.

So here's the deal on the benefits:  they are grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Etna in Sicily and have high levels of antioxidants.  Their pigment (see pic below) is also the same found in blueberries that ranks high in antioxidants.  Anthocyanins are the natural compounds that are known for their antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, the ability to fight disease that comes with age, keeping LDL cholesterol from accumulating, preventing heart disease, cancer and diabetes.  Wow!  The list goes on ... Vitamin A does the job of keeping our retinas and skin healthy and the Calcium keeps our teeth and bones strong!  Although regular sweet oranges have benefits, they are not as nutritious as these blood red varieties.

So, once again there are all these facts (that I am terrible at recalling) that push us to eat colorful food.  No need to know why exactly you should be trying them,  just try to get color on your plates!   After the long winter most of us have endured, start introducing one new color a week if you can!  If you have young athletes and your Spring season has kicked off,  just put a plate out on the counter ... enjoy!

Wishing you much color this week!!
Krista