Boosting Immunity In, Comfort Zone Out

At this time, we are giving our immune systems a bit more support by nourishing our bodies with the right foods and supplements. Citrus fruits, no doubt, are a good choice in doing so. But what is beyond the lemon, limes and grapefruits that we are accustomed to buying. This is a perfect time to expand our horizons and step out of comfort zones and deeper into the world of citrus fruits. And who knows, you may find a citrus gem and that extra boost our body and spirit were looking for.

Bergamot Orange

Chances are you are no stranger to Bergamot, as its oil is often found in perfumes and colognes. But how many times have you added-to-cart these orange varieties for consumption? Slimmer chances. If the perfunctory memories are not enough to convince you to indulge in Bergamot oranges, their nutritional and healing benefits will be the winning nudge.

Before the Bergamot became, well, the Bergamot of perfume scents, it was used to bedeck the gardens of aristocratic Italian families. It was only later that the oil was introduced to France in order to create perfume components (thank you Francis Procopius).

Bergamot oranges are mostly grown in southern Italy but also in the Ivory Coast, Mali, Guinea, Brazil and Argentina. The use of Bergamots as a medicinal resource was used by ancient civilizations of Egypt, China and India. Fast forward to the present and not much has changed.

Bergamot has maintained its medicinal influence as a treatment for acne, eczema, food poisoning, headaches, insomnia and high-cholesterol, just to name a few. These uses are mostly invoked by the use of the bergamot oil. Yet, the juice from the bergamot is as valuable as the oil and is more effective as a treatment for some ailments, such as high-cholesterol.

Bergamots are believed to balance the solar plexus chakra (boosting confidence and inner courage) and aids digestion. And in many cultures, they represent prosperity, happiness and protection. Who doesn’t want in on that?!

Oroblanco

Be led to American luxury with the Oroblanco. Oroblanco translates to white gold in Spanish, though the fruit is through and through American and chartreuse in color. It is a hybrid of the white grapefruit and the pomelo, birthed after 9 years of nurturing by citrus expert and genetics Professor Robert Soost in partnership with honorary Professor of horticulture sciences and geneticist James M. Cameron at the University of California, Riverside.

What makes this fruit a luxurious treat is that it has desirable pedigree; bred without the bitterness found in most grapefruits while maintaining its medicinal benefits through a high concentration of vitamin C. This shiny and seedless fruit is sweet and also low in calories. It has a short harvest time, usually making its debut between September and December- the drop to anticipate perennially. We will call this hybrid collaboration by its scientific name, Citrus grandis X Citrus x paradisi. Grand and of paradise. Yes, and more.

High in vitamin C, it is an excellent source to boost immunity against illness particularly viruses. Grapefruit and its derivatives such as the oroblanco can interact with medications so be mindful about consumption, consult with your physician if necessary.

Recipe from Food & Wine.

Tangelo

The tangelo is a seductive fruit despite the lack of flesh, although it appears to have a “nipple” at the stem, distinguishing itself from other citrus fruits particularly oranges. The Tangelo is a juicy and tangy fruit (trading this feature for the lack of flesh), a hybrid between tangerine, pomelo and grapefruit. The name is a portmanteau, combining the words for tangerine and pomelo.

Unlike the Oroblanco, the tangelo is the result of natural hybridization, not grafted or a GMO. The two main varieties are the Minneola and the Jamaican tangelo or ugli. These two varieties differ in color and size. The Jamaican tangelo is smaller and has a green color peel while the Minneola has an orange outer peel. The Minneola tangelo is grown in Florida, where it gets its name from the city of Minneola, Florida, so they are an accessible fruit.

The tangelo provides health benefits including vitamin c for immunity, viamin A for eye health, flavanones antioxidants, calcium, magnesium and a high amount of dietary fiber for digestive health.

There are many recipes containing the tangelo and an easy way to add tangelos into your diet is to replace the use of tangerines for the tangelo. If you are looking to get creative, try tangelo-stuffed chicken recipe from Martha Stewart:

Calamansi

A citrus fruit that goes by many names yet having near exclusive producing and exporting location. The Calamansi is a hybrid of a kumquat and other citrus fruit such as mandarin orange, mainly grown in the Philippines where its juice is exported to the United States, South Korea, Canada and Japan.

The juice is sour while the peel is sweet (and delicate).

Calamansi is the Philippine English word for Tagalo (a language spoke in the Philippines). As mention, there are many names for the Calamansi- known in Florida as Calamondin, Philippine lime, Panama orange, musk orange, acid orange and bitter-sweets.

The medicinal features include supporting immunity, prenatal health, eye and skin health and protecting against cardiovascular disease. Calamansi contains antioxidants, removing toxins and aiding in weight loss and general wellness. In the Philippines, black pepper is added to the juices of calamansi to expel phlegm.

Finding a recipe for this is fruit is not hard as it is used often in dishes from the Philippines. And you can also substitute the use of lime in your current culinary repertoire.

Here is a salivant creation from Kawaling Pinoy.