Saturday Superfoods

I recently walked out to my backyard to check on my gardens. This time of year they look rather pathetic because I haven’t had the time or the heart to tear out all the dying plants. Sure enough, the tomato vines are yellowed and the peppers droopy. My basil plant looks like a bouquet of sticks.

There is one tree, however, that is bearing rich, plump fruit. My orange tree. The oranges are still a pale orange with a tinge of green. About the time my twelve nieces and nephews come for Christmas, they should be ripe enough to be picked.

This tangy-sweet fruit of the citrus family is native to Southeast Asia. It is considered to be an ancient cultivated hybrid between pomelo and tangerine. Today it is cultivated in most warm climates world-wide.

Probably everybody knows that oranges are rich in vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system. Did you also know that they are rich in calcium, helping your bones and your teeth? Oranges also contain a very powerful antioxidant, beta-carotene, that protects our cells from damage, and some nutritionists believe it can help prevent cancer. In addition, oranges contain folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and iron, all having great health benefits.

My experiences show that the more nutritious foods we eat, the less unhealthy foods we will want. The next you are shopping for groceries, load the cart with a bag of oranges. Or you can always stop by my house for one fresh off the tree.