Health Benefits of Citrus
Extending the health benefits study by promoting orange juice based recipes for particular health problems, Dr Sandra Cabot (PDF 260kb)

This project has been facilitated by Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) in partnership with Australian Citrus Growers (Citrus Australia). It has been funded by voluntary contributions from Riverina Citrus (RC), Murray Valley Citrus Board (MVCB) and the South Australian Citrus Industry Development Board (SACIDB). The Australian Government provides matched funding for all HAL's research and development activities.

Dr Sandra Cabot graduated with honors in medicine and surgery from the University of Adelaide, South Australia in 1975. As part of her extra curricular medical training, she studied herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy and nutritional medicine. This was considered somewhat unusual for a medical student during this era as such treatments were still considered questionable. This did not deter Dr Cabot’s inquisitive spirit, at a young age she could see beyond the limitations of drug orientated medicine. Dr Cabot began her medical career in 1980 as a GP Obstetrician Gynaecologist and practiced in Sydney, Australia. During the mid 1980’s she spent considerable time working as a volunteer doctor at the Leyman Hospital, which was the largest missionary hospital in India. Here she studied tropical and infectious diseases.

Dr Cabot believes that the most important health issues for people today are;
- The control of obesity and the prevention of diabetes
- Educating our children about good diet and lifestyle
- Making hormone replacement therapy safe and as natural as possible
- The use of specific nutritional supplements to treat and prevent disease
- Educating Doctors about the proper use of nutritional medicine
- The effective treatment of mental and emotional illness
- A supportive and well educated community where people have the confidence and knowledge to find the best health care

The Health Benefits of Citrus
Citrus fruit are being shown to be a dynamo package of health benefits.

CSIRO have completed a comprehensive literature review on the health benefits of citrus fruits (funded from the national R&D program) and shown that the nutritional depth of citrus fruit is tremendous.

Citrus fruit contain hundreds of nutrients including high levels of Vitamin C and significant amounts of dietary fibre, beta-carotene and folic acid. They have low ratio of sodium to potassium, are low in fat, nutrient dense and energy-dilute, have a low glycaemic index and are extremely rich in antioxidants.

They also abound in non-nutrient compounds called phytochemicals, which are believed to have a role in preventing a range of chronic health conditions including cancer and heart disease.

An orange has over 170 different phytochemicals and more than 60 flavinoids, many of which have been shown not only to have antioxidant effects but also to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour and blood clot inhibiting properties.

This information will be used in the development of the national domestic orange promotion.

Related documents:

The Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits - Summary Booklet (PDF 1.11mb)

Nutritional Tables (PDF 0.13mb)

CSIRO Report - Executive Summary (PDF)

CSIRO Report - Full Report (PDF 1.54mb)

Latest research on the benefits of eating citrus