Working Out with Oranges

 

We all know that oranges--along with their cousins honeybells, tangerines and grapefruit--are superfruits that boost our nutrition. But did you know that they are also great for working out?  With springtime around the corner, we want all the support we can get to get back in shape and ready for the warmer weather. In this blog we'll look at some great ways that these superfruits can be a great asset to our fitness goals.

Before Your Workout 

A lot of us struggle with the question of if we should eat before exercising, what to eat, and when. Whether you run, walk, lift weights, or do yoga, we don't want to eat too much and feel sluggish, but we don't want to feel hungry and undernourished, either. Enter citrus! Having a single orange, honeybell, or tangerine about thirty minutes before working out has a number of benefits. At only 65 calories, it provides both natural sugars and hydration, which offers fast energy, water, and electrolytes without packing in unnecessary calories. Forget the sports drinks; a navel orange is nature's perfect way to give you all you need. In addition, the high vitamin C content of citrus is an essential component of collagen production, which is timely in terms of the collagen that will need to be rebuilt after the exercise-induced micro-tearing down of muscle fibers. A bonus: these benefits from eating an orange right before your workout, combined with the potassium found naturally in the fruit, will result in less soreness afterwards.

After Your Workout

If you've had a particularly strenuous workout, eating an orange right afterwards and drinking a large glass of water is a smart choice. Vitamin C is especially important, and if you didn't eat an orange before your workout, then it is that much more critical to consume an orange afterwards to get that collagen repair going as soon as possible. Likewise, the natural carbohydrates in citrus help restore depleted energy, and the fiber helps retain water in your cells as well as add as much hydration as possible.

As Your Workout

As delicious as oranges are to eat, they are also great to work out with! When you go for a walk, take a palm-sized orange (tangerines work well for smaller hands) and toss it up in the air slowly from one hand to another. Not only is this a fun way to spice up a stroll, but it is fabulous for hand-eye coordination, proprioception, and communication between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Combined with the boosted blood flow from walking, this fun exercise is as good for brain fitness as it is for the body. 

Want a team sport? Consider the "Moving Oranges" game: you will need ten oranges and four hula hoops. Put five oranges on each side of the playing space, inside a hula hoop. Put an empty hula hoop next to the one with the oranges. Each player has to bend down and pick up an orange using only their knees, then walk the orange over to the other hoop and deposit it inside. The first player to get all five oranges into the opposite hoop wins. Note: this game is not recommended for someone with bad knees. 

Of course, you can simply toss an orange back and forth to someone for an easy recreation break. However, if someone gets hungry in the midst, your "ball" might be devoured...and we can't say we'd blame them.

So, stock up on oranges and let's get in shape for spring!

SOURCES:

Oranges - The Complete Athlete Guide

To Eat Orange Before Or After Workout? Which Should Choose?

Is It Good To Eat Oranges After A Workout

Fitness Stuff #276: Eat an orange before a workout, you will experience less muscle soreness and they help you stay hydrated.

Working Out After Eating: Should You Do It? - Fitness Oriented

7 Foods You Should Be Eating Before A Workout (And 4 You Shouldn't) Slideshow

Oranges and Bodybuilding: The Surprising Benefits of This Common Fruit - Muscle Growth Expert

Pass the Orange Game | Skills Converged

Minute to Win It: Moving Oranges Game

Want to Sync the 2 Hemispheres of Your Brain? Neuroscience Says to Do This Daily (It Only Takes 4 Minutes)

Citrus for Galentine's Day!

Happy Galentine's Day! This spinoff of Valentine's Day, celebrated on February 13, was invented in 2010 by comedienne Amy Poehler during an episode of her award-winning sitcom Parks and Rec. In Season Two, she hosted a "Galentine's Day" brunch, and the made-up tradition quickly became official. It seems that a real celebration honoring the many merits of female friendship was something that many of us were longing for, and it's no wonder: Friendship love has many health benefits!

Gal Pals Live Longer, Love Stronger

While friendships between any combination of gender identities are important to our health and well-being as social animals, research has shown that this is especially true of platonic female and female-identified friends. Biologically speaking, this may be because women release more of the "love hormone" oxytocin, which can counteract stress and promote relaxation and feelings of ease and belonging around others. When a woman feels close to another woman, oxytocin flows. Since stress is the leading cause of disease and shortened lifespan, it isn't a stretch to say that these friendships are great for our health. 

But why women in particular? Don't men produce oxytocin as well? They do indeed--but in this case, nurture wins over nature--at least in our current culture.  Women are traditionally raised to connect with others, to share, and, well to nurture. Unfortunately, most men are conditioned to do just the opposite: they are encouraged to be self-reliant, tough, and non-emotive. As we learn and evolve and as gender fluidity becomes more the norm, however, this model is slowly dissolving, and men can also reap the health benefits of close friendships. 

We can also get support from the foods we eat to boost our oxytocin levels and maximize these friendships. As it turns out, citrus is the key!

Citrus Boosts Oxytocin Levels

The key nutrients needed for maximum oxytocin levels in our body are Vitamin C, Vitamin D, magnesium, and healthy fats such as olive oil, salmon, avocados, eggs, cheese, and chia seeds.  Of these four, citrus fruits are loaded with Vitamin C--they contain one of the most bioavailable forms of Vitamin C in all of nature--and they also have a respectable amount of magnesium. While they aren't that high in Vitamin D, it turns out that Vitamin C significantly increases the uptake of Vitamin D from other foods. Citrus also enhances your overall mood due to its uplifting fragrance and effect on increasing serotonin levels, which is also good for your health. Citrus is high in fiber, which makes you more regular and thus less irritable--all beneficial for fostering real friendships. Add to that the immune-boosting properties of these superfruits and you are sure to be in peak health to go out there and make genuine connections with present and future friends. 

Not sure which citrus fruits to pick? Go for a sampler like a Grove Basket, pictured above.

Galentine's Brunch

Putting all of this information together, it makes sense that a great way to celebrate Galentine's Day is by enjoying a brunch that features oxytocin-rich foods. Imagine a mouthwatering spread replete with cheese and avocado omelets and citrus parfaits. You can make an easy grapefruit parfait, pictured below, using ruby red grapefruit, vanilla yogurt, and a drizzle of honey or a dash of chia seeds on top, if desired. Substitute oranges, mandarins, or create a trio of these three for some variety. You can also make citrus-infused water with filtered water, orange slices, and mint sprigs for a delicious and artistic way to hydrate while spending precious time with your beloved besties! 

Whether you're single, hitched, male, female, or nonbinary, Galentine's Day is a commemoration of true friendship love for everyone. Celebrate it the healthy way with citrus--after all, citrus is love! :-)

Sources:

Why Galentine's Day is an important celebration of female friendship

The Importance Of Female Friendships | The Well by Northwell

Oxytocin: The love hormone - Harvard Health

Oxytocin in Males: How the Love Hormone Works in Men | Good Health by Hims

How to Boost Oxytocin: Foods that Increase It | Well Wisdom

Effects of Citrus Fruit Juices and Their Bioactive Components on Inflammation and Immunity: A Narrative Review - PMC

Super Delicious Orange Infused Water - Savory Thoughts