The sour, sweet, and refreshing taste of oranges makes this fruit loved by everyone, including children. Besides being delicious, citrus fruits also have a myriad of benefits for children's health. you know.
Although it is easy to find and the price is relatively cheap, there are still many parents who rarely give citrus fruits to their children. In fact, oranges are rich in important nutrients needed by the body, such as carbohydrates, fiber, protein, vitamin C, antioxidants, folic acid, potassium, thiamine, and calcium.
Benefits of Oranges for Children's Health
Seeing the many nutritional content in oranges, it is fitting for you to include this fruit as part of your little one's healthy menu. The various benefits that can be obtained from consuming oranges are:
1. Increase endurance
Citrus fruits are very famous for their vitamin C content. One medium-sized orange is known to meet a child's daily vitamin C needs.
Now, Fulfilling the need for vitamin C is very important to increase your little one's immune system. By regularly consuming oranges, he can avoid various types of diseases caused by viruses, such as flu or COVID-19.
2. Reduce the risk of anemia
Vitamin C in citrus fruits also plays a role in increasing the absorption of iron from the food consumed so that it can reduce the risk of anemia in children. In addition, vitamin C can also maintain a healthy heart and blood vessels.
3. Supports digestive system health
Oranges are a good source of fiber to maintain a healthy digestive system. With the fulfillment of your child's fiber intake every day, he will avoid digestive disorders, such as constipation.
In addition, the fiber in oranges also increases feelings of fullness for longer, so it can reduce your little one's desire to eat unhealthy snacks.
4. Prevent dehydration
The next benefit of oranges for children is to prevent dehydration. This is because in one orange, 80% of it is water. However, of course Mother should not depend only on oranges, but also must continue to meet the fluid needs of the Little One through water, breast milk, or formula milk.
5. Maintain healthy skin
Bun, oranges can keep children's skin healthy, you know. This property is obtained thanks to its antioxidant and vitamin C content which can prevent skin damage and help the body produce collagen so that the skin remains firm and moisturized.
That's a series of benefits of oranges for children's health. Mothers can serve this fruit directly after peeling the skin or in the form of ice cream Homemade, fruit salad, jelly, and juice. However, make sure you give fruit juice when your little one is 1 year old, okay?
Also keep in mind that oranges are acidic. Infants and children are generally more sensitive to sour tastes. If given too much, acid can cause irritation in the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines.
Stool can also be more acidic and can eventually irritate the skin in the buttocks area. In infants, this will increase the risk of diaper rash which is very uncomfortable.
In addition, citrus fruits can cause allergies in some children. If your little one experiences allergy symptoms after eating citrus fruits for the first time, such as itching, rash, diarrhea, and vomiting, immediately take him to the doctor for proper treatment.