Orange vs. Nectarine — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Minerals

Nectarines have a higher iron, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, and copper content than oranges. Nectarines have 26mg of phosphorus, while oranges have 14mg of it. Oranges provide more quantities of magnesium and calcium.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Orange

2

Nectarine

6

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+566.7%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+∞%

Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+11%
Contains more IronIron	+180%
Contains more CopperCopper	+91.1%
Contains more ZincZinc	+142.9%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+85.7%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+116%

~equal in Magnesium ~9mg

~equal in Sodium ~0mg

Macronutrients

Fats

Oranges and nectarines do not have significant amounts of fats. Oranges have 0.12 grams of fat per 100 grams of fruit, while nectarines have 0.32 grams. The two fruits do not contain any amount of cholesterol.

Cardiovascular health

Regular consumption of oranges and nectarines can provide a successful defense against cardiovascular diseases. They both produce many compounds that help maintain a healthy heart.

Oranges help to boost heart health since they are high in vitamin C, carotenoids, and flavonoids, especially hesperidin (3) (4) (5). A study (6) shows that regular consumption of orange juice reduces cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as LDL cholesterol and C-reactive protein.

Nectarines may help in the treatment of anemia. This condition is caused by a lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin (7). This is due to nectarines' vitamin C content, which helps to convert iron into a more absorbable form (8). When combined with iron-rich foods, nectarine consumption can help to lower anemia risks.

Diabetes

Both fruits are good choices for people with diabetes. Oranges help to regulate sugar levels by containing higher amounts of fiber. A study (9) shows that people who had consumed oranges and citrus fruits were 36% less likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than those who had not eaten significant amounts of them.

The antioxidants in nectarines help to keep blood glucose levels in check. The four major antioxidant groups produced by nectarines are catechins, anthocyanins, chlorogenic acids, and quercetins. These phenolic compounds have anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity properties (10).

Cancer

Both nectarines and oranges have cancer-preventing effects due to their various compounds.

Oranges are involved in the prevention of lung (11), stomach (12), mouth (13), and nasopharyngeal (14) cancer.

Because of their antioxidant properties, nectarines may help to prevent cancer, though further research is needed to confirm this claim. Some studies have linked polyphenols in nectarines to cancer prevention (15). Men who eat nectarines regularly have a lower risk of lung cancer (16).