Evidence tier
Moderate
Research weight
Citations
10 verified / 10
Classification
Fruits
❝
What the evidence says. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent.
Nutrition per serving 1 medium (131 g)
- Water 113.7 g87%
- Sugars 12.2 g9%
- Fibre 3.1 g2%
- Other carbs 0.1 g0%
- Protein 1.2 g1%
- Fat 0.2 g0%
62 kcal1.2 g protein3.1 g fiber0.16 g fat
| Nutrient | Per serving | % daily value |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 70 mg | 77% |
| Fibre | 3.1 g | 11% |
| Folate | 39 mcg DFE | 10% |
| Potassium | 237 mg | 5% |
| Thiamin | 0.11 mg | 9% |
| Calcium | 52 mg | 4% |
| Total sugars | 12 g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 14 mcg RAE | 2% |
Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗
What is Orange?
Orange (Citrus × sinensis) is a fruit used for supports cardiovascular health (modest improvements in blood pressure and hdl in trials). NutriDex grades the human evidence as Moderate. Prospective cohort data associate higher citrus and flavanone intake with lower ischemic stroke and cardiovascular disease risk, and some RCT meta-analyses of orange juice show modest improvements in systolic blood pressure and HDL cholesterol, though effects on total/LDL cholesterol, glucose and inflammation are inconsistent or null. The whole fruit reliably delivers vitamin C, folate, potassium and soluble pectin fibre. Most disease-outcome evidence is observational and cannot prove causation; intervention trials often use juice rather than whole fruit, are short-term, and report modest effect sizes confounded by overall healthy-diet patterns. Overall the human evidence for cardiometabolic benefit is moderate (consistent cohorts plus mixed but supportive RCTs), not definitive.
Purported Benefits
✓Supports cardiovascular health (modest improvements in blood pressure and HDL in trials)
✓Associated with lower ischemic stroke risk in cohorts (flavanone intake)
✓Provides vitamin C for immune function and antioxidant defense
✓Soluble fibre (pectin) may aid cholesterol and glycaemic control
✓Potassium and citrate may modestly reduce kidney-stone risk
Dosing & Compounds
Typical Dose
One medium orange (~131 g) provides ~77% of the vitamin C Daily Value; typical intake is 1-2 fruits/day as part of a fruit-rich diet. Cohort benefits are seen at near-daily citrus intake.
Active Compounds
Safety & Cautions
Generally very safe. Sweet oranges do NOT cause the grapefruit/Seville-orange CYP3A4 drug interaction (regular oranges lack significant furanocoumarins), but Seville (bitter) oranges in marmalade can. The acid and natural sugars can affect dental enamel and blood glucose in large amounts (juice more than whole fruit); people with diabetes should favour the whole fruit. Oral allergy syndrome and citrus allergy occur in sensitive individuals. Potassium content warrants some caution in advanced kidney disease, though a single orange supplies only ~5% of the daily reference value. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Orange with any medicine.
Key Studies ★ 10 studies
Meta-analysis
Huang 2023
✓ Full text
Updated meta-analysis of 12 RCTs (589 participants) of hesperidin (the principal orange flavanone) reported improvements in lipid profile, fasting glucose and inflammatory markers (e.g., CRP).
Meta-analysis
Mas-Capdevila 2024
✓ PubMed
Updated meta-analysis of 12 RCTs (n=589) of hesperidin extracts/purified hesperidin found significant reductions in LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides but no significant effect on systolic blood pressure or CRP.
Meta-analysis
Phytotherapy Research 2024
✓ PubMed
Systematic review/meta-analysis of RCTs found hesperidin had no significant effect on systolic BP (-0.29 mmHg, 95% CI -2.21 to 1.63, p=0.77) or diastolic BP (0.79 mmHg, 95% CI -0.74 to 2.31, p=0.31).
Meta-analysis
Orange juice CVD MA 2023
✓ Full text
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 9 RCTs found orange juice supplementation did not significantly affect serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, or HDL-cholesterol.
Meta-analysis
Hesperidin dose-response MA 2023
✓ Full text
Dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs found hesperidin supplementation significantly reduced serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL, TNF-alpha, and systolic blood pressure in adults.
Meta-analysis
Li 2022
✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of prospective cohorts found each 50 mg/day increment of dietary flavanones (abundant in citrus) was associated with an ~11% lower stroke risk.
Meta-analysis
Li 2022 (OJ RCTs)
✓ PubMed
Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs found chronic orange-juice consumption improved systolic blood pressure and HDL cholesterol in overweight/obese adults, with no significant change in total/LDL cholesterol, glucose or inflammatory markers.
Meta-analysis
Wang 2020
✓ Full text
Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs on berries, citrus and cherries: orange/citrus interventions showed no significant improvement in most CVD risk factors (cholesterol, inflammation), underscoring that whole-fruit cardiometabolic effects are modest and uncertain.
Cohort
Cassidy 2012
✓ PubMed
Nurses' Health Study (69,622 women, 14 y): highest vs lowest flavanone intake was associated with ~19% lower ischemic stroke risk; citrus fruit/juice trended protective.
Cohort
Yamada 2011
✓ PubMed
Jichi Medical School cohort (10,623 Japanese adults): almost-daily citrus intake was associated with lower CVD incidence vs infrequent intake, driven mainly by reduced cerebral infarction.