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Nutrition and daily life

Orange — fruit card: vitamin C and some caution

Lankaran citrus fruits are the bright fruits of winter. The orange is a source of vitamin C, and its thick skin is peeled away. This card explains how to eat oranges during treatment and when to be careful.

Last updated: ~2 min read
Bright oranges and a cut half on a dark board.
Figure 1.A Lankaran orange — Orange — fruit card: vitamin C and some caution

01Short answer

Oranges provide vitamin C, folate, potassium and fibre. The thick skin is peeled, but wash the orange first, because knives and hands can carry germs inside. With mouth sores or mucositis the acidity can hurt; then choose cooked or soft fruit. Do not buy fresh-squeezed juice at the market; choose sealed pasteurised juice. Ordinary sweet oranges usually do not interact with medicines the way grapefruit does, but bitter (Seville) oranges can.

02Simple explanation

Oranges: vitamin C.

Wash before peeling.

Acidity stings mouth sores.

Juice: pasteurised.

03Scientific explanation

Interactions: bitter (Seville) oranges contain furanocoumarins like grapefruit and can affect some medicines; ordinary sweet oranges carry little of this risk.

WHO: at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables a day is recommended; during treatment the amount may vary with appetite and your doctor’s advice.

FDA: wash produce under running water before cutting or peeling, because a knife can carry germs from the skin into the flesh.

04What happens in the body?

How to eat it

Wash, peel and divide into segments. Keeping the white pith adds fibre.

Orange segments on a white plate.
Figure 2.Peeled segments — Orange — fruit card: vitamin C and some caution

Juice

Sealed pasteurised juice; once opened, keep it in the fridge.

A sealed container and a glass of orange juice.
Figure 3.Choose pasteurised juice.

Washing and peeling

Wash your hands, rub the fruit under running water, dry it with a clean towel, then peel or cut it. Soap or bleach solutions are not needed.

Cut fruit

Keep cut fruit in the fridge and eat it within 1 day; do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

05Fruit: four steps

Whole fruit, swap bruised, wash and peel, eat cut fruit soon.

Whole fruit — No spots.1Whole fruitNo spots.
Not bruised — Fresh and whole.2Not bruisedFresh and whole.
Wash and peel — Running water.3Wash and peelRunning water.
Eat soon — Fridge, 1 day.4Eat soonFridge, 1 day.
VitaminsA natural source.
FibreFor the gut.
SafetyWashing.

06Key points at a glance

TopicIn brief
How to eat itWash, peel and divide into segments. Keeping the white pith adds fibre.
JuiceSealed pasteurised juice; once opened, keep it in the fridge.
Washing and peelingWash your hands, rub the fruit under running water, dry it with a clean towel, then peel or cut it. Soap or bleach solutions are not needed.
Cut fruitKeep cut fruit in the fridge and eat it within 1 day; do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

07Key terms

Folate
A B vitamin needed for cell division.
Furanocoumarins
Compounds that affect how medicines are broken down.
Neutropenia
Low neutrophils, raising infection risk.
Potassium
A mineral for the heart and muscles.
Fibre
The part of plants that helps the gut work.

08Key points

  • Oranges give vitamin C.
  • Wash and peel.
  • Care with mouth sores.
  • Wash under running water.
  • Eat cut fruit soon.

09Frequently asked questions

Do oranges interact with medicines?

Ordinary sweet oranges usually do not; bitter oranges and grapefruit do (see “Grapefruit — fruit card: the best-known food–drug interaction”).

Is fresh-squeezed juice allowed?

Squeezed at home from washed fruit and drunk at once, usually yes; during neutropenia ask your team.

Does this fruit treat leukemia?

No. It is a pleasant part of eating, not a treatment.

10Questions for your doctor

Take these questions to your appointment. The ones you save are collected on the “My questions” page and stay on this device only.

  1. Do oranges interact with medicines?

  2. Is fresh-squeezed juice allowed?

  3. Does this fruit treat leukemia?

My questions

12Sources

  1. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Diet Guidelines for Immunosuppressed Patients
  2. U.S. FDA. Selecting and Serving Produce Safely
  3. NHS. 5 A Day: what counts?
  4. National Cancer Institute. Eating Hints: Before, During, and After Cancer Treatment
  5. USDA. FoodData Central
  6. Clinical Nutrition, 2021. ESPEN practical guideline: Clinical Nutrition in cancer
  7. National Cancer Institute (NCI). Constipation and Cancer Treatment
  8. World Health Organization (WHO). Drinking-water — fact sheet
  9. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Grapefruit Juice and Some Drugs Don’t Mix
  10. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Using Dietary Supplements Wisely
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.
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