Benefits of citrus health

Posted on May 16, 2014 by john in Benefits of fruit

Citrus fruits have become an important ally for health, especially in winter. In fact, the current dietary recommendations recommend consuming a citrus a day to maintain levels of vitamin C. This vitamin is water soluble characteristics, which means it can not be stored in the body and need to be ingested regularly to avoid deficit. Although there are fruits with higher content of vitamin, citrus part of our diet since time immemorial and its possibilities in the kitchen are numerous, which makes them ideal for keeping the levels of vitamin C during the winter, where the consumption of fruits and vegetables usually decline.

Another recommendation that features citrus is encourage consumption when foods are eaten in iron, especially iron ‘ non-heme ‘. This is because this type of iron, present in the plant, has a low bioavailability and the presence of both vitamin C and ascorbic acid favor absorption.

There are no contraindications in citrus consumption in healthy people and, on the contrary, as mentioned, your daily intake is recommended children. However, under certain conditions can create discomfort, as in the case of GERD or ulcers in the stomach or mouth. If you notice that your consumption does not suit you, it is necessary for you to secure the supply of vitamin C through other fruits and vegetables.

Citrus fruits in the kitchen

Citrus fruits have been used in combination with other ingredients in the kitchen of many cultures, whether to provide flavor and aroma, or to help you cook some food through its acidic juices. For example, the ceviche, a popular dish of Peru, consisting of strips of white fish marinated in lime juice ( or lemon ), usually mixed with other ingredients such as chopped onions, chili pepper and cilantro. Citric acid denatures the fish proteins, so if need to provide heat cooking. Another example of its use is found in India, where the combination of lime with fresh coconut is characteristic of many of the curries are prepared there.

Although the use of lemon and orange identify quickly with its use in baking, there are many recipes that combine with savory or umami ingredients. For example, in Morocco lemons are cooked in the tagine in Greece are used in the roast lamb and the Spanish culture is central to making sauces like mayonnaise.

If you want to make the most of the kitchen should know that the taste of citrus pulp is very different from the shell. Most of the citrus scent is in the outer epidermis. The thin layer covering the skin is full of tiny glands that hide aromatic oils, widely used in the kitchen. The white part of the rind is rich in pectin gelling, whose properties have also been used for many culinary experts, especially when creating jams with the addition of plenty of sugar.
Sample recipe with citrus

Here ‘s how to prepare a dish using these fruits : Autumnal citrus salad for four people:
Autumn citrus salad

For four people.
ingredients

200 g of endive.
1 orange sweet.
1 grapefruit.
½ red onion.
8 anchovies.
Extra virgin olive oil.
A piece of ginger root.
Fleur de sel.

preparation

Wash escarole and let it drain. Chop the onion and then paring orange and grapefruit, removing the white part of the skin to remove the bitterness, and cut thinly with a sharp knife.
To assemble the dish, place a base of endive, switch over slices of orange and grapefruit. Garnish with some chopped red onion, anchovies and dress with the oil mixed with a little grated ginger. Add a few flakes of sea salt to taste and serve.