Among all the delicious seasonal goodies in winter, orange has to be our favourite. The zesty fruit packs a punch and has a host of health benefits to offer. Loaded with antioxidants and Vitamin C, orange is the perfect way to level up your immune system during changing weather. The citrusy delight may also boost skin health, regulate blood pressure and also keep inflammation in check! Luckily, there are so many ways that we can add oranges to our diet other than consuming them raw. The humble orange can be incorporated into our diet in several forms, and here are a few that are worth trying.
(Also Read: You Can Try Out These 7 Apple-Based Desserts Treat At Home)
Here Are 5 Quirky And Fun Ways To Add Oranges To Your Diet:
1. Juice It Up
The simplest and most fuss-free way of enjoying oranges is in the form of juice. This miracle potion can prove extremely beneficial for weight loss, immunity, detoxification and so much more. You can even make drinks like lemonade, cocktails or mocktails with orange in it. If you want to consume oranges in the form of a drink, try this healthy detox drink made with oranges and ginger. Click here for the recipe.
Orange juice is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D
Photo Credit: iStock
2. Use It In Desserts
What better way to relish the goodness of oranges than in desserts? From pudding to flavoured yogurt, cakes to tarts and more, the flavour of orange can impart a citrusy zing to it all. Orange also makes an excellent topping to desserts such as oats chia pudding. Even Indian desserts like kulfi, kheer and barfi can become delicious with the use of oranges in them. You can try this amazing and classic orange pudding (recipe here), or else, give your usual sevaiyan a twist of orange with our interesting orange quinoa sevaiyan recipe. Click here.
3. Add It To Salads
While we all love vegetable salads, a single fruit added to the salad can make all the difference. The addition of oranges, especially, can make the salad taste unbelievably delicious. If you want to experiment with oranges in your salad, we have just the recipe you need. Roasted beetroot, Valencia orange and walnuts come together in this wholesome salad recipe. Find the recipe here.
4. Make Dips With It
Believe it or not, the flavours of orange can actually amp up your usual dips and make them taste like never before. Orange hummus, for instance, is a unique and quirky recipe that not many people know of. Pair it with crackers and you have a winner! Click here for the recipe. You can also make a desi-style orange chutney, orange marmalade, orange salsa or santre ka achaar.
5. Use It As A Dressing Or Garnish
Sometimes, the oranges that we get in the market are simply too sour to consume raw. Enter - salad dressing! Squeeze some orange juice on top of your usual salad, or sprouts chaat and see the difference in the taste. You can also garnish it on your favourite dishes.
Orange dressing will lift up your salad.
Photo Credit: iStock
(Also Read: 5 Grape-Based Recipes That Can Be A Healthy Addition To Your Diet)
How To Store Oranges | Store Oranges Easy Technique
If you want to use oranges in your cooking, it is important to store them correctly. The best way is to store oranges whole, not peeled. For 1-2 days, they can be stored at room temperature, but post that, they should be transferred to a drawer in the refrigerator. Make sure the oranges are not cramped up and have some breathing space. This can prevent the spoiling of oranges and make them last longer.