Chemical component of citrus fruit and juice

The genus Citrus is one of the most important taxonomic subunits of the family Rutaceae. Citrus fruits are commonly known for their valuable nutritional, pharmaceutical and cosmetic properties.

Citrus fruits contain carbohydrate, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and a variety of phytochemicals.

Fruit composition is influenced by a large number of natural factors, namely the variety of fruit, the geographical location, the climatic zone, the soil, the degree of maturity as well as other factors.

The composition of juice products may be influenced by technology used in processing and packaging. Fruit juices contain organic acids, minerals and trace elements, vitamins, polyphenolic and other biologically active compounds.

The most important group of secondary metabolites in the fruit of lemon includes flavonoids and other compounds, such as phenolic acids, coumarins, carboxylic acids, amino acids, and vitamins. The main compounds of essential oil are monoterpenoids, especially D-limonene.

In the whole fruit, other flavonoids are additionally detected: flavonols—limocitrin and spinacetin, and flavones—orientin and vitexin. Some flavonoids, such as neohesperidin, naringin and hesperidin, are characteristic for lemon fruit.

Citrus fruits are a particularly good source of vitamin C, with one medium orange or grapefruit providing approximately 70 mg and 56 mg, respectively. A 225 ml glass of orange juice contains approximately 125 mg of vitamin C.

Citric Acid is a weak acid with a chemical formula C6H8O7 This acid is usually found in citrus fruits like lemons, oranges etc. It is considered as a tribasic acid. Lemon juice and lime juice are rich sources of citric acid, containing 1.44 and 1.38 g/oz, respectively. Lemon and lime juice concentrates contain 1.10 and 1.06 g/oz, respectively. The citric acid content of commercially available lemonade and other juice products varies widely, ranging from 0.03 to 0.22 g/oz.

One medium orange and one 225 ml glass of orange juice provide approximately 235 mg and 500 mg of potassium, respectively.
Chemical component of citrus fruit and juice

What are the health benefits drinking orange juice?

Citrus fruit juice and in particular orange juice dominates the fruit juice market. Orange has long been regarded as one o the most healthful of vitamin C.

Orange juice is a good source of vitamin C and potassium. Most 100 percent orange juices provide 60 mg of vitamin C or more and 80 to 100 calories per cup.

Oranges are one of the best fruit sources of the main mineral calcium that in combination with the mineral phosphorus is beneficial for protection from infections and viruses.

Both minerals assist in the formation of bones and teeth and prevent rickets.

Orange juice is beneficial for the maintenance of healthy skin and hair, as vitamin P and C work together to produce collagen, the substance that joins skin tissues.

Orange juice can be given to infants from 3 weeks who are not fed on breast milk. Juicing oranges in a juice machine is ideal for infants because it removes the fiber, which is too aggressive on their small bowels. They should be given 15 ml to 120 ml. of orange juice daily according to age. It will prevent scurvy and rickets and helps to increase growth.

Fiber free juice is also rich in nutrients than juice from a squeezed orange because the pith which contain cancer –preventing bioflavonoid.

Orange juice, sweetened with honey, is highly beneficial in the heart disease. On cardiac conditions like coronary is infraction, when only liquid food is advisable. The use of orange juice with honey is very safe energy boasting liquid food.

Fresh squeezed orange juice loses 6- percent of its vitamin C when stored for 24 hours at room temperature, or 20 percent when orange juice is refrigerated.
What are the health benefits drinking orange juice?

Citrus juice health benefits

Citrus is botanically a large family whose dominant members are the sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), mandarin or tangerine orange (Citrus reticulate), grapefruit (Citrus paradise), lemon (Citrus limon) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia).

Citrus fruits and juices are excellent sources of vitamin C containing more than the minimum daily requirements of 60 mg of vitamin C in 240 ml of juice. Citrus fruit are also a good source of folic acid, vitamin B1, thiamine, the minerals calcium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium.

The rich content of various micronutrients found in citrus juices has several potential health benefits.

The flavonoids are concentrated in the white pulp surrounding the fruit. Bioflavonoids help the body to retain and use vitamin C. Together these two nutrients improve the permeability and strength of capillary walls. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant and critical for production of collagen.

This is why citrus juice helps heal bruises more quickly than if they were not treated with citrus juice. 

Common colds benefits greatly from a diet rich in citrus juices. Unfortunately while convenient, pasteurized, frozen, and concentrated citrus juices do not produce the same health benefits as fresh squeezed citrus juices.

Folate is a key nutrient possible for prevention of neural tube defects. Potassium functions to maintain intracellular fluid balance and as such a high intake is associated with lower of blood pressure and a reduced risk of stroke.

Citrus juices taken in excess can leech calcium from the system, softening bones and teeth. If drink more than three to four 6 ounce glasses per week, make sure to get extra exercise to burn excess acid. 

Epidemiological data, clinical investigation, and animal studies provide storing evince that citrus juice consumption is beneficial with respect to CHD, cancer and overall mortality.
Citrus juice health benefits

Citrus Juice

Among citrus juice, orange is by far the most important. Lemon, lime, grapefruit and tangerines are also processed as juice.

One of the characteristics of citrus juice is that it is to be consumed mainly as a cloudy drink.

The most important quality requirements of fresh citrus for the manufacture of juice are content of solids, a sugar-acid ratio appropriate to the kind of citrus and color.

Thus, not all varieties are equally suitable for juice-making and not all growing areas are equally suited for their production.

Although the biggest percentage of that juice is made of diluted first extraction juice that does not require enzyme treatment most of the time, there is an appreciable production of by-product that are made from pulp and the peels, and these are marketed either as second quality juice or as natural cloudifiers.

After processing, the composition and quality of the citrus juices is affected strongly by the expression and finishing conditions, namely mechanical pressure shear and residence time.

Its color is caused by anthocyanins, their glucosides and condensation products, its taste by acids, sugars and phenolics and its aroma by a diverse mixture of volatile secondary metabolites in very low concentrations.

Citrus juice can be blend with other juices, or added spices or sugar prior to heating to make a beverage to meet local preferences in taste.
Citrus Juice

Important Nutrients for Children from Citrus Juices

Important Nutrients for Children from Citrus Juices
Citrus juices is an important contribution to total nutrient intakes in children. Citrus juice and milk intakes have declines during the last two decades whereas consumption of carbonated soda drinks has increased.

Reposts estimate that the percentage of US children achieving the recommended intake for fruit was approximately 30%.

Some health care professionals have expressed concern about the contribution of excessive fruit juice intake to failure to thrive and/or childhood obesity.

The researchers determined that 42% of children who drank more than 12 oz/d of fruit juice were below the 20th percentile for height for age compared with 14% of those who drank fewer than 12 oz/d.

Citrus juices are nutrient dense food that provide significant levels of important nutrients for children and adults.

These juices also contain several other bioactive components. Ongoing and future research will explore the logical effects and potential health benefits do these bioactive components.
Important Nutrients for Children from Citrus Juices