Orange you glad oranges exist?

An orange a day can help you look young even at 50. That’s right! The myriad of health benefits, not to mention the abundance of flavour, makes the orange one of the most popular fruits in the world. Let’s look at the health benefits and humble origins of this superfruit.

Health Benefits of Oranges

Oranges come loaded with antioxidants that protect our body from cell damage, and help in maintaining a younger looking skin. It is high in nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin C, calcium, folate, and potassium.

Oranges are known to help bring down the risk of common ailments such as cold and indigestion. They also aid in easing nausea, bloating, cramps, heartburn, and other health issues.

Research reveals that oranges have anti-cancer agents that help in preventing the development of cancer cells in our body. A 10%-15% reduction in colon cancer has been observed in people who consume oranges regularly, as per studies. However, those on beta-blockers, medicines that are used to treat a type of high blood pressure, should not have too many oranges because the potassium levels in the body will increase as a result of overconsumption of the fruit. Potassium levels past a certain limit can lead to kidney ailments. It is advisable to seek your doctor’s opinion before consuming oranges on a regular basis.

Supply chain management

Oranges originated in China and Japan, but Brazil produces the maximum number of oranges. Oranges grow in sub-tropical and frost-free tropical regions and are harvested during the months of March and April. The seeding is done during July and August.

India ranks 9th in the world in orange production, comprising around 3% of the total contribution. Only 1.72% of the total production is exported.

Khasi Mandarin, Darjeeling Santra, Nagpur Santra, Coorg Mandarin and Kinnow are some of the varieties that are cultivated in India. India produces around 29 lakh tonnes of oranges each year. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Assam, Karnataka, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh are the top orange-producing states in the country.

Recipe

Here are some quick, easy-to-make recipes with oranges.

Orange Marmalade

Ingredients

• 5 ripe oranges
• 4 cups of water
• 6 cups of sugar

Method

1. Wash the oranges thoroughly as this recipe requires the use of orange zest. Pat them dry and use a peeler to remove the zest. Make sure you remove only the zest and not the spongy white pith underneath. The pith adds a bitter taste to the dish.
2. Thinly slice the zest and keep it aside. Chop off the ends and the pith surrounding the oranges, and carefully cut each segment of the fruit. After chopping up the oranges, squeeze out the juice, and set aside the membrane and seeds. Add the zest, water and sugar to the sliced fruit and juice in a pot and bring it to a boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
3. Put the membranes and seeds in a double-layer muslin cloth over a bowl and tie it into a bundle. Place the muslin bundle into the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Do not stir and let it boil for five minutes.
4. Take a chilled plate (You can keep a plate in the freezer for a while), and put a spoonful of the mixture on it. Using a spoon, drag the mixture on the plate. If the marmalade is set, the spoon will leave a trail.
5. Squeeze out any excess marmalade from the muslin cloth bundle, turn off the heat and let the mixture rest for five minutes.
6. Transfer the marmalade to a clean jar with an airtight lid. Refrigerate it and use the spread on toast and biscuits.

Orange marmalade is similar to jams, but uses the whole fruit, as opposed to jams that require only the cut pieces of the fruit.

Why L’exotique?

Do you wish to lay your hands on premium quality oranges? If yes, then L’exotique is the brand for you. Here’s why L’exotique is the best.

• Premium quality: L’exotique provides premium quality, imported, hand-picked fruits which are sourced directly from the finest orchards across the globe.
• Excellent supply chain management: We are one of the top importers in India, sourcing fruits from 5 continents and 10 countries spanning both hemispheres, and supplying to 50 cities across India.
• Customer satisfaction: Customers are our top priority, and we believe in giving the best to our customers to keep them happy.

When you buy fruits from L’exotique, we guarantee quality, hygiene, and freshness. Our quality-assured farm-fresh exotic fruits go through in-depth standardized checks before they reach you. Our brand is built on quality and trust.