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Oranges

Citrus x sinensis

Also known as Sweet orange, Navel orange, Valencia orange

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The sweet orange, a hybrid citrus grown commercially on every inhabited continent. Most of the world crop is pressed for juice rather than eaten whole.

CirculationHeart HealthImmune HealthWomen's Health

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Endothelial function

Circulation
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited for an effect on vascular function. A handful of trials report improved flow-mediated dilation after citrus flavanones, usually at doses higher than a single glass of juice supplies.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Healthy blood pressure

Heart Health
Limited evidence

Some trials of orange juice and of isolated hesperidin report small reductions in blood pressure. The trials are short, effect sizes are modest and several well-conducted studies find no change.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Immune function

Immune Health
Limited evidence

Vitamin C at supplemental doses has been studied extensively for cold duration, with small and inconsistent results in the general population. Trials of oranges as a food rather than vitamin C as a supplement are essentially absent.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Iron status

Women's Health
Insufficient evidence

Research suggests vitamin C eaten in the same meal as plant sources of iron substantially increases how much of that iron is absorbed. Whether this translates into better iron status over months is less consistently demonstrated than the single-meal effect.

What may be going on: Ascorbic acid reduces ferric iron to the more soluble ferrous form and chelates it, keeping it available for uptake despite inhibitors such as phytate and tannins.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Oranges

Ask about Oranges

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories47 kcal2%
Protein0.94 g2%
Total fat0.12 g0%
Carbohydrate11.8 g4%
Fibre2.4 g9%
Total sugars9.35 g—
Water86.8 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.015 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.023 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.025 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.018 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A11 µg1%
Vitamin C53.2 mg59%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.18 mg1%
Vitamin K0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.087 mg7%
Riboflavin (B2)0.04 mg3%
Niacin (B3)0.282 mg2%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.25 mg5%
Vitamin B60.06 mg4%
Folate30 µg8%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline8.4 mg2%
Minerals
Calcium40 mg3%
Iron0.1 mg1%
Magnesium10 mg2%
Phosphorus14 mg1%
Potassium181 mg4%
Sodium0 mg0%
Zinc0.07 mg1%
Copper0.045 mg5%
Manganese0.025 mg1%
Selenium0.5 µg1%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene71 µg—
Alpha-carotene11 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin129 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.44 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Oranges, raw, all commercial varieties (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169097).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • crushedReduces fibre and hesperidin

    Juicing discards the pith and membranes, which is where most of the pectin and most of the hesperidin sit. The juice retains the sugar and vitamin C but little of the fibre.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Interaction

    Reduced absorption of some medicines

    Orange juice inhibits the OATP intestinal transporters and can markedly lower blood levels of drugs that depend on them, including the antihistamine fexofenadine, the beta-blocker atenolol and some antibiotics. Separating the juice from the dose by a few hours is the usual advice.

  • Worth knowing

    Dental enamel erosion

    Citrus acid softens enamel, and frequent sipping of juice through the day is a well-documented contributor to erosive tooth wear. Brushing immediately afterwards makes the abrasion worse rather than better.

  • Worth knowing

    Potassium in advanced kidney disease

    Oranges and especially orange juice are concentrated potassium sources. People with advanced chronic kidney disease, or on potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, are often given specific limits on them.

  • Worth knowing

    Reflux symptoms

    Acidic citrus is one of the more commonly self-reported triggers of heartburn in people with gastro-oesophageal reflux, though it does not affect everyone with the condition.