That’s right! More about the Orange. The most important color in Jiu Jitsu that you can award to yourself.

Unlike the flavor of the month foods and jiu jitsu moves, oranges have always and will always be the most popular fruits on the planet. No they did not win any contest or are the funniest kid on the block, they are packed with nutrients, easy to carry, cheap and down right delicious. As you know from last weeks article (you read last weeks article right?!) oranges come in many different shapes, sizes and flavors. Luckily you know how to select the right on for every occasion now but today I will get into how you will benefit from said orange, helpful tips and even a badass printable recipe designed just for you. Let’s roll.

Smile, your aches and pains will be over soon.

General Information

Where did oranges get their name? Well a long, long time ago in Asia some farmer thought, what do I want to call these things? How about oranges! I don’t think he used those exact words. They could be lost in translation. But you get my point. Oranges are orange in color, round, thick skinned fruits filled with soft, juicy flesh on the inside. Oranges have been around for thousands of years and not always so readily available or cheap. So you should be so grateful that such a powerful food won’t only be consumed at special events reserved for the ultra wealthy.

Probably the most nutritional thing you will find bouncing around in your gear bag.

Today oranges are one of the most widely available fruits on the planet. The major players growing oranges are Brazil, Mexico, Spain, China, United States and Israel. Who grows the best? I will avoid any conflict and say everyone grows them equally as well while subtly chanting to myself “U.S.A, U.S.A!” Universally though we can rest assured no matter where you get your produce from, you will reap the benefits that improve your Jiu Jitsu Performance and overall health.

When to eat Oranges

Time of year: With all of the various countries producing different oranges at different times of year we have the luxury of having oranges always available. Check back on last week’s article to get a more accurate season for your favorite types of oranges.

All. Damn. Day.

Time of day: All, damn, day. Orange juice in the morning is a great way to get loaded on your nutrients and get a nice natural sugar supply in your system to help kick start the metabolism. Having an orange handy before class or in the middle of your day is a good way to recover and get the boost you need. Also wrapping up your day with having orange juice with dinner or as a dessert never hurts.

What do I get out of Oranges?

Thankfully not as much attitude as the annoying orange!

Oranges scream Vitamin C. But they are actually powerhouses for more than just that reason. Oranges contain many different phytonutrient compounds. One in particular is known to reduce high blood pressure and lower your cholesterol, pretty awesome right? I know you young bucks do not care, but you will when the ticker stops ticking so well and you say, “shit, I should have had some oranges.” The same flavanone is also a potent anti-inflammatory. The issue though is this compound resides in the skin and pitch of oranges, so orange juice has none. A simple fix would be roughly peeling your oranges and tossing that into your blender with your smoothies in the morning instead of orange concentrate or orange juice.

Don’t you wish that everyone’s guard opened this easily? Actually this is not as easy to open as it seems either.

Benefits

• VITAMIN C! One of the best antioxidants around. Vitamin C shoots in on free radicals, disarms them and then submits them before they can run the risk of submitting you with illness, funky digestive issues or worse, colon cancer.
• Free radicals also damage cellular structures which causes painful inflammation. Vitamin C will have your back. This doesn’t truly mean, oh I am sore from lifting, an orange will cure it. What it means is as we age and work our joints into stiffness, vitamin C will help alleviate and prevent that.
• Creates a health immune system overall. Less time spent sick, the more time spent on the mat.
• Promotes healthy cardiovascular system.
• Orange juice and oranges provide way more complex compounds of vitamin C than a typical Vitamin C supplement.
• Citrus contains limonoids, which have been shown to fight all sorts of cancers and promote overall good health. These limonoids are found attached to the natural sugars within citrus fruits. Luckily we humans have a complex stomach that can digest the sugars which separate the limonoids to do their job!
• Fiber! We all know what fiber is good for.
• Citrus helps reduce the risk of Kidney Stones. This alone should be a reason to start chugging orange juice.

How can I get some?

Super markets and produce stands are the way to go. Clearly a super market is the most readily available. Hell I’m sure you have seen oranges for sale in 7-11 for Christ’s sake. I shouldn’t need to be writing this but I am. Strictly to reinforce not all oranges are the same. Use the keys from last weeks guide to select the correct orange for any application and remember to focus on organic oranges rather than those bright uniformly colored ones. They can be pumped with dye.

Which do you pick? Note, only one of them is the correct answer, the rest will be like Valentine’s Day chocolate boxes, aka look delicious but taste like toothpaste.

Selecting the Right Orange

There are a few keys to pay attention to when selecting the best oranges, follow them and you will have the cream of the crop every time!

• Don’t be fooled by the color. Bright orange color is actually not a key to a perfect orange. The color actually does not matter at all. Brown/green oranges can be just as ripe as full blown orange…oranges. So follow the other keys first. Yes you just got Tarantino’d.
• Eat with your eyes. Do you see any traces of mold? If so, keep moving to the next orange.
• Get your grips. Now that we have eyed up our mouths training partner get your grips. If the orange has nice and smooth skin along with a firmer texture this is a good sign.
• Check your weight. We are obsessive about our own weight sometimes and we should be with our oranges. The best oranges are the ones that feel heavier than they appear. This means they are full of juice!
• Size does matter. Bigger is not always better. Smaller oranges tend to be the juicer of oranges.

Orange Variations:

The types of oranges vary as I have mentioned many times over and I will link back again to solidify my point. Last weeks article is a crucial read before this. Though there are alternatives to whole oranges.

Alternatives to Whole Oranges:

Save 10%OFF using GOURMET10 at checkout! This stuff is the….whatever likes oranges…knees.

Warrior Orange, Orange Juice, and Frozen Orange concentrate are my favorite for smoothie time.

Flavor Pairings: basil, brandy, chipotle peppers, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, ginger, Grand Marnier, mangoes, olives, pecans, sherry, strawberries and vanilla.

Ways to Enjoy

• Add orange segments to mixed greens, chopped fennel or any other fruit salads for a refreshing pop.
• Don’t waste the skin. Add orange zest to roasted cauliflower, sauteed mushrooms or in your marinades.
• De-glaze your fish and chicken with orange juice mixed with fresh thyme.
• Add peeled whole oranges into every smoothie.
• Use orange juice in the last minute of sautéing vegetables especially onions, ginger, asparagus or mushrooms. This will create a nice glaze to pour over your salmon or chicken breast.
• Always have one in your gear back, they do not require utensils OR refrigeration. You would be crazy to not have one always on the ready.
• Want some cool tips on how to work with oranges? Keep an eye out for the Grappler Gourmet Cookbook that is currently in its final stages! Sneak peak?!

  That is one nasty cutting board right?! And I mean nasty as in cool, not filthy. It is so clean you could eat off of it.

Two of the best foods in one…come on, it does not get much better than this.

Recipe

Conclusion

Bro, come on. You saw this coming.

Oranges are the king of the citrus world. They have proven time and time again to be super beneficial in a lot of different aspects of life. BJJ is demanding on our bodies and not just because it is hard work but because we are constantly depleting our bodies natural energy stores. A great way to prevent muscle loss, fatigue and general soreness is to replenish those lost nutrients are quickly and efficiently as possible and you know what? An orange is one step in the right direction buddy. You can find them whole, juiced, powdered, you name it. You have zero excuse to not be having oranges, unless you are allergic to them of course, and I mean allergic in the sense that you will die if you eat them. Not “I don’t like the taste” That is not being allergic that is being a diva, we have enough of those in this world, lets keep that off the mats. If you are looking to add some new threads to your collection head over to Inverted Gear and use grapplergourmet for 10% off. Already have all the tools you need and want to stay on the top, or one might say to Stay Alpha? Then you need to check out Q5 Combat and use GOURMET10 for 10% off. Like those type of deals and these type of posts? Sign up for the Grappler Gourmet Weekly newsletter for FREE below! Eat well, train hard. Oss