What Are the Health Benefits of Ugli Fruit?
Written by Sara Ipatenco; Updated December 27, 2018
The ugli fruit is a member of the citrus family, and despite its name, the fruit has an attractive interior with a sweet flavor. Ugli fruit is a cross between a grapefruit, a Seville orange and a tangerine, and is available from late November through April. The large citrus fruit is packed with certain vitamins and minerals, and has only 45 calories per serving, making it a nutritious addition to your diet.
Fiber
A serving of ugli fruit, which is equal to about half of the fruit, contains 2 grams of dietary fiber. The part of plant foods that can't be digested, fiber offers a host of health benefits. Eating a diet rich in fiber cuts your risk of developing constipation by enabling your digestive system to work more efficiently. The nutrient also lowers your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes and can help control your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Women should aim to get between 21 and 25 grams of fiber each day, and men should get 30 to 38 grams, according to MayoClinic.com.
Vitamin C
The high vitamin C content in a serving of ugli fruit is another health benefit. A serving of ugli fruit contains 70 percent of the 75 to 90 milligrams of vitamin C you need each day. Vitamin C helps keep your immune system strong and acts an antioxidant to destroy free radicals, harmful substances that cause inflammation and tissue damage throughout your body. Over time, this damage can lead to chronic health problems such as cancer. Vitamin C is also essential for the formation of collagen, the connective tissue in your gums, muscles, skin and tissues. Collagen is also necessary for wound healing.
Additional Benefits
Ugli fruit contains 0 grams of fat and no cholesterol. A serving of ugli fruit supplies 2 percent of the 1,000 milligrams of calcium you need each day for strong bones and teeth. The same serving supplies 1 gram of protein, a nutrient that enables your body to repair and regenerate cells and also helps give you energy. Eating citrus fruits on a regular basis might lower your risk of cancer, stroke, hypertension, heart disease and cataracts, according to a 2002 article published in the "Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
Tips
Because of its sweet flavor, ugli fruit can be eaten on its own, but also makes a tasty addition to certain recipes. Add ugli fruit sections to a fruit salad, or replace orange juice with ugli fruit juice in your favorite marinade or sauce recipe. Have a glass of freshly squeezed ugli fruit juice for breakfast, or use the juice in your favorite fruit smoothie in place of orange juice. Make a salad rich in fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C by combining spinach leaves, ugli fruit sections, avocado cubes and sliced strawberries. Drizzle the salad with olive oil and season with black pepper. Add cooked shrimp to increase the protein content of the salad.