The orange diet

Orange is a healthy, tasty and low-calorie fruit that meets almost all the criteria for a weight loss diet. Even a special diet has been created - the orange diet. According to reviews, it allows you to quickly and comfortably get rid of a few extra pounds.

Oranges do not contain fat, but in terms of the amount of ascorbic acid they occupy one of the leading places. It is known that vitamin C successfully fights the negative effects of free radicals, activates carbohydrate metabolism, improves well-being and strengthens the resistance to infectious diseases. But the use of the orange diet still raises a lot of questions from users. In this article, we will try to answer the most relevant of them.

Orange or tangerine in a diet? What's better?

Both orange and tangerine can be safely classified as fruits that can be used by adherents of a healthy diet. Like all citrus fruits, oranges and tangerines are excellent sources of vitamins. For example, just one orange fruit is enough to cover the daily need of the human body for ascorbic acid. In addition, citruses are rich in vitamins B and A, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and copper. The fiber present in the fruit improves bowel function, and a small amount of calories (approximately 43 kcal per 100 g) contributes to the process of losing weight. And that's not all: citrus fruits contain flavonoids that prevent the development of malignant neoplasms and regulate cholesterol levels in the blood.

Orange juice contains many powerful antioxidants, including flavonoids (hesperetin and naringenin, predominantly in the form of glycosides), carotenoids (xanthophylls, cryptoxanthines, carotenes) and vitamin C in addition to other beneficial phytochemicals such as folate. All of them are believed to contribute significantly to the preventive effect of fruits and vegetables against cancer and heart disease. [1].  [2]. [3]

Among the disadvantages: both oranges and tangerines contain acids that contribute to the development of caries and can cause complications in patients with certain pathologies of the digestive system. In addition, the risk of an allergic reaction is the same.

The fruits in question are very similar, both in composition and in appearance. Why is the orange diet more popular than the tangerine diet? The answer is simple: tangerines contain a little more calories (about 52-54 kcal per 100 g), they have less ascorbic and folic acids.

Of course, nothing bad will happen if you replace one fruit with another. The orange diet is unlikely to become less effective. However, if possible, it is better to stick to the recommended diet.

Is it possible with a diet of oranges?

Citruses are massively used in dietary weight loss schemes. Many variations of the orange diet are known: for several days, a week or a month, strict or combined with other products. When choosing a dietary course, it is necessary to focus on indications and on the current state of health. It is imperative to follow all the rules and recommendations, which will achieve a good result. It is also advisable to first visit a doctor and be examined for the absence of contraindications.

The orange diet is associated with the regular use of oranges as the main products for weight loss. Many users point out that there are no particular restrictions in adding these fruits to the diet. However, it is important to monitor your well-being, and at the first sign of an allergy or digestive upset, you should immediately stop the process of losing weight and consult a doctor.

Can I have an orange at night with a diet?

There are conflicting opinions about the safety of eating oranges before bed. Some have nothing against eating citrus at night, while others insist on the negative impact of such a phenomenon. Despite the fact that these fruits are low-calorie foods, they stimulate the digestive system, activate the production of juice in the stomach, increase blood sugar, which generally adversely affects digestive function, can cause nighttime abdominal pain, and also strongly slows down nighttime weight loss.

If a person with a healthy gastrointestinal tract wants to get rid of a few extra pounds, then even low-calorie oranges are strongly discouraged when dieting in the evening or before bedtime. It is allowed to eat fruit about 3 hours before a night's rest, and just before going to bed, it is important to brush your teeth. Citrus fruits, along with their nutritional value, have erosive properties due to the presence of citric, malic, tartaric, benzoic, oxalic and succinic acids. [4]

Indications

A low-calorie orange diet is indicated for healthy people who aim to lose a few kilograms. Choosing a similar dietary course, you can focus on the following indicators:

• The ratio of body weight and height (the well-known BMI - body mass index). In a person with a normal physique, it should not exceed 25 kg / m². The indicator is calculated as follows: the number of kilograms is divided twice by height (in meters). If the value obtained exceeds 25, then we are talking about overweight, and if it exceeds 30, then we can talk about the presence of obesity. If, after arithmetic operations, a value less than 19 is obtained, then it is strongly not recommended to “sit down” on an orange diet and deliberately restrict yourself in nutrition: experts warn that weight loss is no less dangerous than obesity. Excess body weight is an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders, overload of the osteoarticular apparatus. And the lack of kilograms creates the danger of a decrease in immune protection, the development of anemia and hormonal imbalance, which can negatively affect the state of health in general.
• Waist circumference in centimeters. The normal figure for women is no more than 80 cm, and for men - no more than 94 cm. If large numbers are found, this may indicate the presence of excess abdominal fat (dangerous visceral fat layer, the so-called "lifeline", accumulation of fat near the internal organs).
• Indicators of sugar and cholesterol in the blood. The normal level of cholesterol in the blood should not exceed 5 mmol / liter, and glucose should not exceed 6 mmol / liter. It is not superfluous to know the indicator of glycohemoglobin: it should not exceed 6%. If the figures are higher, then you may need a special diet, as well as medication. Therefore, it is necessary to visit a doctor.
• The percentage of lipids detected during the bioimpedance study. The norm of the percentage of fat is within 20% (for athletes - slightly lower).

You can think about the need for a diet, including an orange one, only after consulting a doctor. It is worth noting that most experts do not recommend "sit down" on diets without special indications. To normalize body weight in the vast majority of cases, it is enough to adhere to the principles of a healthy diet and physical activity.

Orange diet for weight loss

According to the nutrition guidelines a healthy eating plan is:

• An abundance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products.
• A variety of protein foods such as seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), soy products, nuts, and seeds.
• Low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars.
• The diet stays within your daily calorie requirement.

Nutritionists are sure that in order to lose weight, you must at least increase the percentage of fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables consumed. These products give the body the necessary vitamins and minerals, saturate well, and at the same time are low in calories. [5] At least this can be said about oranges. 

A whole citrus fruit contains significantly fewer calories and provides much more benefits when compared to orange juice or a heat-treated orange. In the process of an orange diet, it is ideal to combine citrus fruits with leafy greens, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, tomatoes and cucumbers.

In an effort to lose weight, do not forget about certain rules:

• it is undesirable to combine the use of oranges and milk, as this can provoke a digestive upset and abdominal pain;
• orange juice can be used as a dressing for vegetable and fruit salads;
• if you eat only citrus fruits, then you won’t be able to lose weight correctly: the weight will most likely return, and serious health problems may also be added;
• too much calorie restriction of the diet will lead to an energy and vitamin-mineral deficiency, which will lead to a deterioration in well-being and result in a period of overeating after a certain time.

To achieve optimal results on the orange diet, nutritionists advise eating 5 servings of different vegetables and fruits daily, or using a 50/50 ratio with each meal (50% vegetables and fruits, 50% protein). Protein products are not only meat, cottage cheese and fish, but also legumes, nuts, greens. In addition, a losing weight person should calculate the diet in such a way that it contains 0.4-0.8 g of fat per kg of weight. This, of course, is not about trans fats, but about healthy fats found in fish, seafood, some fruits, seeds and nuts. It is recommended to maintain a balance of proteins / fats / carbohydrates at the level of 30/20/50 (as a percentage in the daily diet).

It is important to remember: an orange does not contain absolutely all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body. Therefore, nutrition (even if it is a diet for weight loss) should be varied. In some cases, for support, you should take a course of multivitamin complex preparations, however, only after consulting a doctor.

General information of the orange diets

Many believe that the orange diet is the use of only citrus fruits in unlimited quantities for a certain period of time. But it's not. There are corresponding rules, depending on a particular diet.

It is advisable to start losing weight with a three-day course, after consulting with your doctor and eliminating possible contraindications. Nelya forget about the mandatory drinking of water throughout the dietary term. Physical activity is encouraged. It is also important to avoid stress and sleep well.

• The protein-orange diet involves the use of proteins from 3-4 eggs, 200 g of cottage cheese (fat content no more than 5%) and six oranges during the day. Meals are taken every 2.5 hours. Sample menu: for breakfast they eat the protein of one egg and an orange, after 2.5 hours - 100 g of cottage cheese and an orange, for lunch - 2 egg whites and an orange, for an afternoon snack - two oranges and one protein, for dinner - 100 g of cottage cheese and an orange.
• The egg-orange diet is usually short-term, lasting no more than one week. Meals consist of breakfasts consisting of 2 chicken eggs and one citrus fruit, lunches (usually salads, 150 g of fish or meat with vegetables) and dinners (permissible foods: 1-2 eggs, cottage cheese, salad, a few nuts and citrus). According to users, such a diet allows you to get rid of 1-5 kg per week. Fruits and vegetables give the body vitamins, and chicken eggs give protein, which allows you to maintain the muscles and tone of the skin. However, long-term adherence to such a diet is not recommended.
• An unloading diet with an orange and an egg for breakfast is a kind of unloading option for one day, during which you are allowed to eat about 1 kg of orange fruits and up to 5 chicken eggs. The essence of a one-day meal is simple: for breakfast you should eat 3 eggs and one orange, after 3 hours - one egg and an orange, after another 3 hours - 1 egg and an orange, and after another 2-3 hours - 1-2 oranges. No more food is eaten during the day.
• The diet on eggs and oranges most often lasts 5 days: usually this period is enough to get rid of a few extra pounds. The diet involves only such breakfasts as oatmeal and boiled eggs. They have lunch with a small (up to 150 g) piece of boiled meat or fish, vegetable salad. Dinner is always the same: 200 ml of kefir. Each meal is eaten with one citrus fruit, but there are some variations: for example, depending on taste preferences, the diet may include an egg and half (two) oranges, which practically does not affect the final result for losing weight.
• A more rigid version is also known, which is not recommended for long-term use, but can be used as a fasting day. The diet involves two eggs and an orange to be consumed three times a day: as a morning, afternoon and evening meal. They do not eat other foods. Be sure to drink water or unsweetened herbal tea between sets. Some people who lose weight adjust their diet “for themselves”, eating not a whole fruit, but only half of it. In return, at lunchtime, they allow you to add one serving of vegetable salad to the menu. Thus, the diet includes 2 eggs and half an orange for each meal, as well as a vegetable salad for lunch. This variation is more acceptable for the body, however, it should not be followed for a long time (optimally - no more than five days).
• Chicken-orange diet can last 2-3 weeks, which helps to achieve weight loss up to 8-9 kg. During the first week, they eat 1 kg of orange fruits and 200 g of boiled chicken breast daily, and also drink 2 liters of still water. Tea and coffee (without sweeteners) are also allowed. During the second week, 200 g of boiled buckwheat is added daily to the same amount of oranges and breasts. By the third week, the breast and orange diet expands even more: vegetables are added, and in any form (raw, boiled, stewed). Users note that after such course weight loss, body weight remains relatively stable, excess kilograms do not return.
• The diet on cottage cheese and oranges is designed for only 1-2 days, no more. During unloading, 400 g of cottage cheese (low-fat, from 0 to 5%) and 5-6 oranges should be eaten daily. Eating - every 2-3 hours, in uniform portions. Expected weight loss: 2-3 kg.
• The orange juice diet lasts up to 14 days, during which you can supposedly get rid of 5-6 kg. Every day for a couple of weeks, you should drink fresh orange juice before meals (not from the store, but squeezed with your own hands). On the first day you need to drink 200 ml of juice, on the second - 400 ml. Every day the volume of the drink increases, and on the sixth day it should be 1200 ml (drink during the day 40-45 minutes before meals). Further, the amount of juice must be reduced daily by 200 ml. During the final days of the dietary course, one glass of juice 200 ml is drunk. The rest of the diet remains virtually unchanged, but it is recommended to completely abandon bakery products and sugar.
• The apple-orange diet is calculated for a week, which helps to bring the weight back to normal for the owners of 2-4 extra pounds. During the specified time, they eat according to this principle. The morning meal should consist of several apples and 60-70 g of hard cheese, the day meal should consist of a couple of oranges and yogurt with crackers, and the evening meal should repeat breakfast. Snacks are allowed in the form of one acceptable fruit of your choice. In order to actively cleanse the body, one should not forget about drinking enough water.
• The kefir-orange diet involves a five-day food restriction. A glass of kefir and one citrus is included in each meal, which is repeated every 2.5 hours. Additionally, during lunch, it is allowed to eat up to 200 g of boiled meat or fish fillet. It is recommended to drink clean water and several cups of green tea throughout the day. Expected weight loss: 4 kg.
• Diet orange with grapefruit and 1, 2 eggs is observed for three days and is suitable for those who need to achieve quick results in a limited period of time. It is impossible to eat for such a long time, since the diet excludes the use of any products other than those indicated, which can adversely affect health. The mode of eating is approximately the following: in the morning they eat one egg and half a grapefruit, in the afternoon - an orange, and instead of an evening meal, they again eat one egg and the remaining half of a grapefruit. When you feel hungry, drink green tea. It is also allowed to take a sip of kefir.
• The diet on oranges and buckwheat is designed for one week. Allowed products: 1 kg of citrus fruits, 400 g of buckwheat in water without salt and sugar (you can add a little vegetable oil), still water and tea. This amount of food is eaten daily. For dinner, it is allowed to drink 100 ml of kefir. Expected weight loss: 4-5 kg.

Detailed menu for every day

• An orange diet for 3 days involves eating a spoonful of bran, low-fat cottage cheese or a boiled egg for breakfast. These products alternate throughout all three days of the dietary course. Wash down the morning meal with fresh orange juice, or replace it with one whole orange fruit. For lunch, choose salmon with beetroot salad with herbs, or a piece of lean meat with vegetable salad, or beans with vegetables (the volume of any serving should not exceed 200 g). The meal is also completed by drinking a glass of orange juice or eating one orange. An evening meal may consist of 150 g of boiled chicken, or veal, or liver with vegetable salad (cabbage, carrots, asparagus, greens). In conclusion, they eat one citrus.
• Orange diet for 5 days differs in the following menu:
  • Day I: breakfast with one orange, 50 g of boiled meat and coffee or tea without sugar; dine with one orange, 250 g of fresh vegetable salad and tea; dinner 50 g of boiled meat and 250 g of vegetable salad.
  • II day: breakfast with one citrus and two boiled eggs with coffee or tea; dine with one orange and 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese; dine with vegetable salad and 100 g of fish fillet.
  • III day: breakfast with one orange and a portion of oatmeal on the water with the addition of a couple of chopped nuts; dine with one citrus and a serving of unsalted vegetable soup; have dinner with 100 g of boiled breast and tomato.
  • IV day: breakfast with citrus and one boiled egg with tea or coffee; they dine with one orange fruit and carrot salad with cabbage; have dinner with a portion of stewed vegetables with tea.
  • V day: have breakfast with orange salad with an apple and a spoonful of cottage cheese; they dine with one baked potato and cabbage salad, dine with 150 g of fish fillet and one citrus.
• Orange diet for a week consists in the use of boiled eggs and citrus fruits. These foods should be consumed daily for seven days. It is allowed to replace chicken eggs with quail eggs. For breakfast, they eat two chicken eggs (your choice: boil or make an omelet) and an orange. They dine with another citrus and 200 g of chicken breast (or veal, or turkey) and beetroot or carrot salad. They have dinner with one egg and an orange (an egg can be replaced with a glass of kefir or 150-200 g of boiled fish).
• Orange diet for 10 days provides the same daily breakfast, which includes an orange and a slice of whole grain crackers with tea or coffee. The following meals for 10 days:
  • 1 - for lunch: one boiled egg with crackers, a cup of kefir; for dinner: tomato salad, cracker.
  • 2 - for lunch: one boiled egg with crackers; for dinner: 150 g of fish, tomato.
  • 3 - for lunch: 200 g of cottage cheese, crackers; for dinner: 150 g of chicken fillet, a glass of natural yogurt.
  • 4 - for lunch: vegetable salad, 50 g of hard cheese; for dinner: an apple, 100 g of boiled meat.
  • 5 - for lunch: a glass of kefir, vegetable salad; for dinner: scrambled eggs, tomato.

Further, the specified menu for 5 days is repeated again. Each meal ends with the use of one citrus fruit.

• An orange diet for 2 weeks includes the use of not only citrus fruits, but also cereals boiled in water. Breakfasts consist of avocado toast, or a serving of oatmeal with fruit, or a couple of chicken eggs. For lunch, you can serve 200 g of boiled meat, or a couple of eggs, or fish fillet with vegetables. Dinner may consist of buckwheat, beans with vegetables. Each meal should be completed with 1-2 citrus fruits.
• Orange diet for 3 weeks involves the following weekly diet, which is repeated every week:

Menu for Mondays
1 meal	Orange, a glass of fermented milk drink
2	200 g boiled meat, salad with spinach
3	Vegetable stew
4	Orange
Menu for Tuesdays
1 meal	150 g cottage cheese and citrus
2	200 g boiled fish, mushrooms with vegetables
3	Vegetable salad
4	Citrus
Menu for Wednesday
1 meal	Citrus, a couple of boiled eggs
2	200 g boiled meat, tomato salad
3	Vegetable stew
4	Orange fruit, glass of fermented milk drink
Menu for Thursday
1 meal	Egg and citrus
2	200 g chicken fillet, stewed zucchini
3	Vegetable Salad
4	Citrus, a glass of fermented milk drink
Menu for Friday
1 meal	200 ml natural yoghurt, orange
2	200 g baked fish, one egg
3	Portion of stewed cabbage
4	Citrus, a glass of fermented milk drink
Menu for Saturday
1 meal	Orange, 150 g cottage cheese
2	Vegetable soup
3	100 g boiled meat with vegetables
4	Citrus, a glass of fermented milk drink
Sunday Menu
1 meal	Orange, 50 g hard cheese
2	Fish ear
3	Cabbage salad
4	Citrus, a glass of fermented milk drink

During the orange diet, you must drink at least one and a half liters of clean water daily without gas and sweeteners. Upon completion of the diet, ordinary foods are introduced as gradually as possible. For the first few weeks, it is advisable to eliminate baked goods and sugar. You can have dinner no later than 3.5 hours before going to bed.

Dish recipes

Despite the strong restrictions inherent in the orange diet, sometimes dietary meals are allowed. They are mostly eaten at lunchtime. Salt is not added: the taste can be balanced with the help of allspice or other seasonings, as well as herbs.

We recommend to pay attention to such recipes:

• Delicious vegetable salad. Ingredients for the salad: half a medium-sized cabbage, 1 apple, 100 g green peas, a few tablespoons of sesame seeds and the same amount of chopped walnuts. Dressing ingredients: juice from one orange fruit, 1 tbsp. L. Lemon juice, olive oil, two crushed garlic cloves, dried kelp to taste. Mix the ingredients, add a well-whipped dressing, let the salad brew for 15-20 minutes, after which you can serve.
• The salad is special. Salad ingredients: a couple of cucumbers, a medium tomato, a medium-sized lettuce bulb, arugula, 2 tbsp. L. Cedar nuts. Dressing Ingredients: Olive oil, 1 tbsp. A spoonful of lemon juice, a little cumin and sesame seeds, coriander, a mixture of peppers, chopped mint. Mix everything, sprinkle with nuts, serve immediately.
• Cabbage and celery salad. You will need: ½ kg of white cabbage, medium lettuce bulb, medium carrot, bell pepper, 200 g of celery root, medium green apple. All components are mixed and poured with a dressing of unrefined vegetable oil, two crushed garlic cloves and dried kelp. Allow the dish to stand for an hour, after which it is served to the table.
• Diet ratatouille. You will need the following products: eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, a little celery and parsley, a sprig of basil, vegetable oil. For filling: medium onion, a few tomatoes, vegetable oil, garlic, cloves and a mixture of peppers. Cut the ingredients, stew in a pan for 10 minutes. During this time, prepare the filling: chop the onion, remove the skin from the tomato and puree, add the remaining ingredients and mix, bring to a boil over low heat, cover with a lid. Put the stewed vegetables in a saucepan, mix with the filling and bring to a boil. Leave covered for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.

In an effort to diversify the diet as part of the orange diet, you must remember the basic rules for cooking. Firstly, it is not recommended to fry vegetables: this improves their taste, but adds calories and harmfulness. Secondly, it is undesirable to combine vegetables and fruits with ordinary milk, but kefir is possible.

Citrus juices (except grapefruit), dry herbs, garlic, and spices are great for dressing salads. If you plan to bake vegetables, then you should use a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Benefits

If you follow the orange diet, vitamins C, B ₂, B ₁, A, E, PP, as well as mineral salts, acids, pectins, essential oils, etc. Enter the body. If you properly approach nutrition, you can strengthen the immune system, speed up the metabolism, remove toxic substances from the body, improve the functioning of the nervous system.

Orange, which is part of the dietary course, not only adds variety and improves the taste of dishes, but also facilitates the digestion of protein foods. At the same time, nausea is eliminated, the body comes into tone. Orange fruits contain a lot of fiber, which improves bowel function and helps to remove toxins and waste.

Just one large orange, or one and a half medium-sized ones, gives the body the daily required amount of ascorbic acid. Vitamins A and E have an antioxidant effect, help strengthen immune defenses. Phosphorus and calcium strengthen the bone frame, and potassium optimizes the functioning of the nervous system, heart and blood vessels. According to experts, regular consumption of oranges eliminates the harmful effects of toxic substances, including alcohol and tobacco smoke.

Nevertheless, with all the positive aspects of the orange diet, it should be taken into account that a short-term dietary course, if it leads to weight loss, is only due to the withdrawal of fluid and a decrease in muscle mass. The loss of subcutaneous fat is unlikely to be significant. In addition, the orange diet is not suitable for those who have diseases of the digestive tract or are allergic to citrus.

What can and what can not?

Most often, the orange diet involves the use of such products:

• vegetables (any);
• potatoes (only baked with skins);
• fruits (preferably oranges, but others are possible, except for ripe bananas and grapes);
• nuts (50 g per day);
• dried fruits (raisins or dried apricots - 50 g per day);
• croutons from dark breads, diet bread;
• kefir, fermented baked milk, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese;
• poultry meat (chicken, turkey, quail);
• Fish and seafood;
• vegetable oil (sunflower, olive, linseed, sesame, corn);
• coffee, green or black tea, herbal nastia (sugar free);
• vegetable juices or orange fresh (no added sugar, only homemade).

This list is approximate, as each type of orange diet involves different restrictions. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the conditions of a particular dietary course.

In the process of the orange diet, it is imperative to exclude the use of sugar, sweets, bakery products, convenience foods and fast food - this is mainly due to the high calorie content of these products. Foods with salt, which leads to fluid retention in the body, are also prohibited. A complete "taboo" on alcoholic and carbonated drinks, whole milk, sausages and sausages, fatty meat (pork or beef) and butter.

What is prohibited:

• rolls, white bread, pita bread, buns and donuts;
• ice cream;
• cakes, pastries, pies, puffs, cookies, sweets, gingerbread;
• chocolate;
• salt, sugar, any sauces;
• smoked, processed and sausage cheeses, hard cheese with a fat content of more than 40%;
• sausages, sausages, dry and boiled sausage, brisket, carbonade, lard;
• canned food, stew, smoked fish and meat;
• marinades, canned vegetables and fruits, seasoning mixtures containing salt.

Contraindications

Before you “sit down” on an orange diet, you should always consult with your doctor. The problem is that this diet is contraindicated for people with acute and chronic diseases of the digestive system and kidneys, metabolic pathologies, as well as for pregnant and lactating women.

If there are no such diseases and conditions, and there is only excess weight, then in this case it is recommended to visit a doctor to conduct a complete examination of the body and find out the cause of fullness. We cannot exclude the possibility that a person does not always know about the presence of a particular disease. In such a situation, following an orange diet can indeed lead to very undesirable consequences.

You also need to understand that intense physical and mental activity requires additional energy, which is already lacking for dieters. For this reason, you should not choose the orange diet if you are expected to have such loads.

Another contraindication is an allergic tendency and individual intolerance to citrus fruits and other products recommended for an orange diet.

In addition, we must not forget that too long a dietary course will sooner or later negatively affect the state of health and the process of losing weight in general. Restricted eating programs that aim to quickly shed extra pounds do not promote healthy eating habits. Therefore, unfortunately, for most users, severe restrictions lead to the fact that the lost kilograms are regained and even added.

If you still decide on a weight loss course, then you should not keep the orange diet for too long: a few days are enough. A longer period is fraught with the appearance of health problems even in initially healthy people.

Possible risks

Even the most useful, at first glance, orange diet always has certain risks. Indeed, many of the users agree to endure the most stringent restrictions in order to see the treasured numbers on the scales. However, rapid weight loss often leads to undesirable consequences. According to nutritionists, the optimal rate of weight loss is no more than 1 kg per week.

What risks do we face when choosing a rigid type of food for ourselves - in particular, an orange diet?

• Weakening of the immune defense. Diet courses that create a large calorie deficit make the body susceptible to various infections, including influenza and coronavirus infection. A person loses the main amount of vitamins and microelements, the organs are in a stressful state. At the same time, the natural responses of the body to the penetration of viruses and microbes are suppressed.

Another unpleasant consequence of such stress is increased cravings for sweets and high-calorie foods.

Women have risks associated with the work of the reproductive system. For many girls, the monthly cycle is disrupted, there are difficulties with conceiving a child.

A sharp change in nutrition often causes a significant blow to the nervous system. A prolonged orange diet, despite all the benefits of citrus fruits, causes a lack of many nutrients and contributes to the imbalance of certain hormones, such as serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, leptin, cortisol. This leads to mood swings, a person becomes easily excitable, irritable. With endocrine imbalance, the risk of developing a depressive state and anxiety disorders increases.

In addition, due to a calorie deficit in the body, a resource saving mode is launched: motor activity slows down, concentration worsens.

Due to the fact that the orange diet involves the rejection of salt, fluid begins to be actively removed from the tissues. Possible consequences of such a process: headache, feeling of fatigue, dryness and lethargy of the skin, brittle nails and hair, the appearance of wrinkles. The metabolism slows down, as the body tries to save the maximum amount of energy and, if possible, compensate for energy costs. The construction of muscle fibers slows down, muscle mass begins to be lost.

With a long absence of a full-fledged diet, digestion is disturbed, the risks of forming stones in the bile excretion system increase.

Similar dangers lie in wait for any losing weight who tends to lose more than 1.5 kg per week.

Complications

The most common complication that occurs after following the orange diet is an allergy to citrus fruits. This is due to the fact that orange fruits contain a lot of allergens, much more than many other fruits and vegetables. When ingested, allergens cause active production of histamine, which leads to a specific inflammatory reaction.

Even in adulthood, a person who does not have a tendency to allergic reactions can become allergic to oranges: for this, it is enough just to eat a lot of citrus fruits at once. A critical level of the allergen arises in the blood, which provokes the development of a response pathological process. One of the factors contributing to its appearance is a weakened immune system. The body's defense system fails, an overly bright response to unacceptable substances starts, inflammation begins.

Oranges and tangerines are on the list of the most common provocateurs of allergic reactions. It is noteworthy that among all citrus fruits, lemons contain the smallest number of potential allergens, which cannot be said about oranges.

In the presence of certain factors, people are at an increased risk of developing allergies with an orange diet. These factors are:

• hereditary predisposition (if any of the relatives is allergic to citrus fruits, then the child has a high probability of its occurrence);
• diseases of the digestive system (in some pathologies, there is an increase in the ingress of allergens from the digestive organs into the bloodstream);
• ignoring the primary processing of oranges (sometimes an allergy occurs not to the fruit itself, but to the chemicals with which it is processed).

Clinical manifestations of allergy after an orange diet can be different and occur individually. The intensity and duration of symptoms depends on the amount of fruit consumed, and on the mood of the immune system, and on the hereditary factor. Possible damage to the respiratory or digestive system, skin. Among the most common symptoms:

• redness of the eyes, lacrimation;
• difficulty in nasal breathing, sneezing;
• skin rashes (urticaria);
• skin itching;
• nausea, diarrhea;
• pain in the head.

After drinking orange fruits or juice, there may be a burning sensation in the mouth, the mucous membrane swells. Severe allergies often lead to swelling of the oropharynx and suffocation.

If an allergic reaction is suspected, it is important to eliminate the effect of the allergen as soon as possible in order to prevent the most dangerous manifestations of the pathological process, such as anaphylactic shock or Quincke's edema.

Results

It is really possible to achieve the most effective result with an orange diet and “lose” excess weight if the following conditions are carefully observed:

• completely abandon salt and sugar;
• completely exclude alcoholic beverages, including low-alcohol ones;
• do not eat lard, sausages, fatty meat or fish;
• refuse milk in its pure form (meaning whole milk of any fat content);
• correctly allocate time for sufficient sleep and rest;
• avoid both physical inactivity and too intense physical activity;
• regularly walk in the fresh air;
• take multivitamin complexes, especially if the orange diet is designed for a long period (more than a week).

If you take into account all the indicated recommendations and strictly follow the rules of the orange diet, this will allow you to get the expected result and even save it for a long time.

The orange diet can be used at any age, except for children, by both men and women (excluding pregnancy and lactation). The diet is compiled individually, which also depends on how long changes in nutrition are expected, as well as on the general state of human health, the presence of allergies to certain foods, etc. It is important to first pay attention to contraindications: to make sure that they are absent, it is advisable visit a doctor in advance and perform a diagnosis. If everything is done correctly, following all these rules and recommendations, then a positive result in the form of dropped kilograms will really not be long in coming.