Just when you need them most, oranges make a juicy splash on the produce scene. A single sun-kissed fruit delivers the recommended daily intake of cold-fighting vitamin C. It's also rich in fiber and health-boosting antioxidants, including herperidin, a compound in orange skin (zest) that may help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, according to recent studies.

There's also evidence that oranges may have stronger immunity-enhancing potential than supplements. In a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition in April 2007, Italian scientists fro the University of Milan revealed that subjects who drank one glass of blood orange juice each day showed higher levels of vitamin C and more antioxidant activity in the their bloodstream than those who simply drank water fortified with comparable levels of vitamin C.

Plus, they probably enjoyed their dose a lot more. After all, oranges' incomparable flavor and versatility - everything but the pith and seeds can be used, and oranges are one of the few fruits that can be juiced without special equipment - are what makes them so popular. An there's no time like the middle of winter, when seasonal specialties like blood oranges and Cara Cara navels are available, to squeeze out all their delicious (Health-boosting) benefits. ~ Courtesy of Vegetarian Times-January/February 2008.