The orange is the fruit which is full of Medicinal Value

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• published: 12 Jan 2015
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The orange (specifically, the sweet orange) is the fruit of the citrus species Citrus × sinensis in the family Rutaceae. The fruit of the Citrus sinensis is considered a sweet orange, whereas the fruit of the Citrus aurantium is considered a bitter orange. The orange is a hybrid, possibly between pomelo (Citrus maxima) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata), which has been cultivated since ancient times. Oranges in Florida. As of 1987, orange trees were found to be the most cultivated fruit tree in the world. Orange trees are widely grown in tropical and subtropical climates for their sweet fruit. The fruit of the orange tree can be eaten fresh, or processed for its juice or fragrant peel.As of 2012, sweet oranges accounted for approximately 70% of citrus production. In 2010, 68.3 million metric tons of oranges were grown worldwide, production being particularly prevalent in Brazil and the U.S. states of Florida and California. Navel oranges are characterized by the growth of a second fruit at the apex, which protrudes slightly and resembles a human navel. They are primarily grown for human consumption for various reasons: their thicker skin makes them easy to peel, they are less juicy and their bitterness – a result of the high concentrations of limonin and other limonoids – renders them less suitable for juice. Their widespread distribution and long growing season have made navel oranges very popular. In the United States, they are available from November to April, with peak supplies in January, February, and March. According to a 1917 study by Palemon Dorsett, Archibald Dixon Shamel and Wilson Popenoe of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a single mutation in a Selecta orange tree planted on the grounds of a monastery near Bahia, Brazil, probably yielded the first navel orange between 1810 and 1820. Nevertheless, a researcher at the University of California, Riverside, has suggested that the parent variety was more likely the Portuguese navel orange (Umbigo), described by Antoine Risso and Pierre Antoine Poiteau in their book Histoire naturelle des orangers ("Natural History of Orange Trees", 1818–1822). The mutation caused the orange to develop a second fruit at its base, opposite the stem, as a conjoined twin in a set of smaller segments embedded within the peel of the primary orange. Navel oranges were introduced in Australia in 1824 and in Florida in 1835. In 1870, twelve cuttings of the original tree were transplanted to Riverside, California, where the fruit became known as "Washington". This cultivar was very successful, and rapidly spread to other countries. Because the mutation left the fruit seedless and, therefore, sterile, the only method to cultivate navel oranges was to graft cuttings onto other varieties of citrus trees. The California Citrus State Historic Park and the Orcutt Ranch Horticulture Center preserve the history of navel oranges in Riverside. Today, navel oranges continue to be propagated through cutting and grafting. This does not allow for the usual selective breeding methodologies, and so all navel oranges can be considered fruits from that single, nearly two-hundred-year-old tree: they have exactly the same genetic make-up as the original tree and are, therefore, clones. This case is similar to that of the common yellow seedless banana, the Cavendish, or that of the Granny Smith apple. On rare occasions, however, further mutations can lead to new varieties. Oranges, like most citrus fruits, are a good source of vitamin C.Being a citrus fruit, the orange is acidic: its pH levels are as low as 2.9, and as high as 4.0. Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy 197 kJ (47 kcal) Carbohydrates 11.75 g Sugars 9.35 g Dietary fiber 2.4 g Fat 0.12 g Protein 0.94 g Vitamins Vitamin A equiv. (1%) 11 μg Thiamine (B1) (8%) 0.087 mg Riboflavin (B2) (3%) 0.04 mg Niacin (B3) (2%) 0.282 mg Pantothenic acid (B5) (5%) 0.25 mg Vitamin B6 (5%) 0.06 mg Folate (B9) (8%) 30 μg Choline (2%) 8.4 mg Vitamin C (64%) 53.2 mg Vitamin E (1%) 0.18 mg Trace metals Calcium (4%) 40 mg Iron (1%) 0.1 mg Magnesium (3%) 10 mg Manganese (1%) 0.025 mg Phosphorus (2%) 14 mg Potassium (4%) 181 mg Zinc (1%) 0.07 mg Other constituents Water 86.75 g Sources :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_%28fruit%29