Oranges to ward off heart disease, diabetes risk
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ISLAMABAD: (APP) Higher intake of citrus fruits like oranges and lemons can help keep you healthy as well as prevent harmful effects of obesity-related heart disease, liver disease and diabetes, a study has found.
Citrus fruits contain large amounts of antioxidants, a class of which are called flavanones.
When humans consume a high-fat diet, they accumulate fat in their bodies. Fat cells produce excessive reactive oxygen species, which can damage cells in a process called oxidative stress, Medical Xpress reported.
These oxidative stress coupled with inflammation in obese individuals increases the risk of developing heart disease, liver disease and diabetes, the researchers said.
"Our results indicate that in the future we can use citrus flavanones to prevent or delay chronic diseases caused by obesity in humans," said Paula S. Ferreira, a graduate student at Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) in Brazil.
"The study also suggests that consuming citrus fruits probably could have beneficial effects for people who are not obese, but have diets rich in fats, putting them at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and abdominal obesity," Ferreira explained.
