In Need of a Boost? How to Better Your Health With Sunny Citrus

Brighten up the coming winter months with some edible sunshine — the delicious, healing powers of citrus fruits.

Lemons, oranges, limes, tangerines, grapefruit and kumquats are all available at your local supermarket. They’re inexpensive, too! To prevent your citrus from going bad quickly, remove the fruit from any plastic bags it may have come in and store it in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer.

Each of the colorful fruits has its own health benefits. Take a look at all the ways they help your body and mind.

Scientists say adding just a few of these yellow cuties to your weekly menu can help you shed pounds without dieting! They’re rich in antioxidants that block fat absorption in the intestines and help the liver with blood sugar control and burning stored fat!

One grapefruit in the morning will help keep your skin radiant all winter long. The fruit is rich in flavonoids and vitamin C, which boosts the formation of collagen, an important component that keeps skin looking young and healthy.

These sweet little orange-like fruits are loaded with hesperidin, a nutrient that quickly energizes germ-killing immune cells, cutting the body’s recovery time from a cold or flu by days.

The compounds that give these green gems their distinctive scent can calm down rattled nerves or relieve tension within one minute, say Brazilian researchers. Cut the lime in half and breathe in to calm your central nervous system. Then you can use the juice in a glass of ice water or save it to include in a dinner recipe for chicken!

According to researchers in Poland, the plant acids that give the bright yellow fruit its tang are powerful natural anti-inflammatories, plus they speed the breakdown of a metabolic waste product called uric acid that can make your joints feel creaky. Simply squeeze a tablespoon a day into a cup of tea and you’ll feel the results in a week!