Fresh oranges , if you enjoy them, fit perfectly into a varied diet that is balanced.
Today we explore this wonderful fruit: orange calories, macro- and micronutrients, and benefits for athletes.
Let us begin!
How Many Calories Are in 100 Grams of Orange?
How much energy do oranges provide? Let us see.
Orange Calories
100 grams of orange contain 68 calories. This refers to peeled orange with its pulp.
Orange Macronutrients
100 grams of orange contain these macros:
- Protein: 1 g – 4 kcal – (6% of total energy)
- Carbohydrates: 16 g – 64 kcal – (94% of total energy)
- Fat: 0 g – 0 kcal – (0% of total energy)
Orange Micronutrients
What about the micronutrients in oranges?
Vitamins:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine): 0.087 mg
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 0.04 mg
- Vitamin B3 (niacin): 0,274 mg
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 0.25 mg
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): 0.063 mg
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid): 39 micrograms
- Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin): 0 micrograms
- Vitamin C: 48.5 mg
- Vitamin A: 0 micrograms
- Vitamin D: 0 micrograms
- Vitamin E: 0 mg
- Vitamin K: 0.1 micrograms
Minerals:
- Calcium: 40 mg
- Iron: 0.09 mg
- Magnesium: 10 mg
- Zinc: 0.06 mg
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Potassium: 179 mg
- Phosphorus: 17 mg
- Selenium: 0.05 micrograms
How Much Does an Orange Weigh?
It varies, but a medium orange generally weighs 150 g to 200 g.
How Many Calories Are in an Orange?
What are the calories in a standard orange ? One provides approximately 80 to 85 calories.
How Many Calories Are in Fresh Orange Juice?
What about fresh orange juice? Approximately 250 ml with pulp contains 130 calories.
Is Drinking Orange Juice Good for You?
A serving of orange juice can fit when freshly squeezed, with pulp, alongside other foods and an active lifestyle.
For satiety, consider the whole meal’s glycaemic response rather than only one food’s glycaemic index . Drinking orange juice alone differs from pairing it with a kiwi and wholemeal toast with lean ham.
However, eating whole oranges is not equivalent to drinking orange juice: each affects the body differently.
Understanding free versus intrinsic sugars explains why.
Free Sugars vs Intrinsic Sugars
How do they differ?
- The term free sugars describes simple carbohydrates absorbed rapidly. They may be added to soft drinks, sweetened coffee, biscuits and processed foods, or released when part of a food’s matrix is broken down, as when squeezing an orange.
These free sugars in juice are no longer within the original food matrix, so digestion is rapid and satiety limited. Glucose enters blood quickly, stimulating pancreatic insulin release to move glucose into cells. Energy becomes available quickly with little digestive work.
- By contrast, intrinsic sugars remain within a food’s natural matrix and produce a different response from added sugars. Eating a whole orange includes its complete matrix and intrinsic sugars. Digestion and entry into blood are slower, blood glucose rises less rapidly, and insulin has less immediate demand placed on it.
5 Benefits of Eating Oranges
Oranges offer many beneficial properties , including:
- Positive immune effects. Oranges provide compounds relevant to oxidative stress and immunity, including vitamin C and flavonoids. You have probably heard that oranges prevent colds. It is not that direct or miraculous: one food alone will not fight a cold. However, oranges have properties described as antiviral and antibacterial, helping neutralise free radicals and support defences.
- Improved iron absorption. Pair foods rich in vitamin C , such as oranges and strawberries, with foods rich in iron, particularly plant-derived non-haem iron found in pulses. The form non-haem iron is less readily absorbed than haem iron , found mainly in animal foods. Vitamin C improves absorption, so pairing plant iron sources with oranges helps maximise uptake.
- Better hydration and water intake. Almost 90% of an orange is water. Eating oranges alongside other fruit daily supports water intake and good hydration in sport.
- Improved bowel movements. Like most fruit, oranges are an excellent fibre source, both soluble and insoluble, particularly in the white sections. Eat the whole fruit without discarding these to support bowel regularity and the microbiota.
- Encouraging local fruit consumption, with 0 km food miles. This benefit depends on consciously choosing oranges by season, variety and origin. Oranges are eaten worldwide, and Spain is a major producer, especially Murcia, Andalusia and Valencia. Let us make the most of local fruit!
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