|
Health Benefits of Citrus
Extending
the health benefits study by promoting orange juice based recipes
for particular health problems, Dr Sandra Cabot (PDF 260kb)
This project has been facilitated by Horticulture Australia Limited
(HAL) in partnership with Australian Citrus Growers (ACG). It
has been funded by voluntary contributions from Riverina Citrus
(RC), Murray Valley Citrus Board (MVCB) and the South Australian
Citrus Industry Development Board (SACIDB). The Australian Government
provides matched funding for all HAL's research and development
activities.
Dr Sandra Cabot graduated with honors in medicine and surgery
from the University of Adelaide, South Australia in 1975. As part
of her extra curricular medical training, she studied herbal medicine,
acupuncture, homeopathy and nutritional medicine. This was considered
somewhat unusual for a medical student during this era as such
treatments were still considered questionable. This did not deter
Dr Cabot’s inquisitive spirit, at a young age she could
see beyond the limitations of drug orientated medicine. Dr Cabot
began her medical career in 1980 as a GP Obstetrician Gynaecologist
and practiced in Sydney, Australia. During the mid 1980’s
she spent considerable time working as a volunteer doctor at the
Leyman Hospital, which was the largest missionary hospital in
India. Here she studied tropical and infectious diseases.
Dr Cabot believes that the most important health issues for people
today are;
- The control of obesity and the prevention of diabetes
- Educating our children about good diet and lifestyle
- Making hormone replacement therapy safe and as natural as possible
- The use of specific nutritional supplements to treat and prevent
disease
- Educating Doctors about the proper use of nutritional medicine
- The effective treatment of mental and emotional illness
- A supportive and well educated community where people have the
confidence and knowledge to find the best health care
The Health Benefits of Citrus
Citrus fruit are being shown to be a dynamo package of
health benefits.
CSIRO have completed a comprehensive literature review on the
health benefits of citrus fruits (funded from the national R&D
program) and shown that the nutritional depth of citrus fruit
is tremendous.
Citrus fruit contain hundreds of nutrients including high levels
of Vitamin C and significant amounts of dietary fibre, beta-carotene
and folic acid. They have low ratio of sodium to potassium, are
low in fat, nutrient dense and energy-dilute, have a low glycaemic
index and are extremely rich in antioxidants.
They also abound in non-nutrient compounds called phytochemicals,
which are believed to have a role in preventing a range of chronic
health conditions including cancer and heart disease.
An orange has over 170 different phytochemicals and more than
60 flavinoids, many of which have been shown not only to have
antioxidant effects but also to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour
and blood clot inhibiting properties.
This information will be used in the development of the national
domestic orange promotion.
Related documents:
The
Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits - Summary Booklet (PDF 1.11mb)
Nutritional
Tables (PDF 0.13mb)
CSIRO
Report - Executive Summary (PDF)
CSIRO
Report - Full Report (PDF 1.54mb)
Latest
research on the benefits of eating citrus
|