Clementine: serious health benefits

For young and old alike, clementine is a dessert or snack that is both healthy and delicious.

• Serious benefits for health

A good source of vitamin C: Two clementines provide a quarter of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, which prevents fatigue, boosts the immune system and protects against premature cellular aging thanks to its antioxidant action. To preserve it, keep your clementines in a cool place and peel them at the last moment.

Rich in carotenoids: These orange pigments, which can be converted by the body into vitamin A, are also among the antioxidants. Its bark (to be consumed only when organic) contains violaxanthin, which has the particularity of protecting the retina against the harmful effects of blue light.

A supply of soft fibers: Clementine contains pectins, which smoothly regulate transit without attacking the fragile intestines. These fibers also help reduce the blood level of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and moderate blood sugar (sugar level) after meals.

Help in the prevention of cardiovascular disease: Several observational studies, carried out in France, Ireland, Finland, the United States and Japan, conclude that the risk of coronary heart disease (arteries supplying the heart ), myocardial infarction or stroke in the heaviest consumers of citrus. This protective effect is attributed to antioxidants and fiber.

• Other hybrid citrus fruits to discover

- Yuzu: Resulting from the hybridization of a mandarin tree and an Ichang lemon tree, this thick-skinned fruit with many seeds flavor dishes in the form of zest, juice or powder.

- Ugli: A cross between a mandarin and a pomelo, this citrus fruit with thick, wrinkled skin peels easily and reveals a juicy fruit with sweet flesh that is eaten raw.

- Bergamot: This is a mixture of bitter orange and lime. The oil from its bark perfumes tea, Nancy candies or even madeleines. Its zest goes well with shellfish and crustaceans.

- Calamondin: A hybrid of mandarin and kumquat, it produces small, edible but very acidic fruits. Grown in pots, it becomes a popular houseplant for its deliciously fragrant bloom.