Citrus
KING OF FRUITS
After having given the question of fruits twenty years of study and research not only by personal use but also by the direction and treatment of patients, I have arrived at the conclusion that the orange is king of all fruits. Very few would believe the length of time an individual can live and perform the hardest kind of work, both mental and physical, using absolutely nothing but oranges for food. Another very important thing: a sick person living exclusively on an orange diet, is not only getting all the nourishment that the body requires, but the orange will neutralize the acid in the system.
Hilton Hotema - Man’s Higher Consciousness first published 1952
After having given the question of fruits twenty years of study and research not only by personal use but also by the direction and treatment of patients, I have arrived at the conclusion that the orange is king of all fruits. Very few would believe the length of time an individual can live and perform the hardest kind of work, both mental and physical, using absolutely nothing but oranges for food. Another very important thing: a sick person living exclusively on an orange diet, is not only getting all the nourishment that the body requires, but the orange will neutralize the acid in the system.
Hilton Hotema - Man’s Higher Consciousness first published 1952
Oranges have been called a “perfect food” and contain an amazing array of healing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. They are high in vitamin C, vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, folate, beta carotene, lutein, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. Oranges have been known to help prevent cancer, lower high blood pressure, fight off viral infections, relieve constipation, prevent kidney stones and macular degeneration. Oranges contain a significant amount of glutathione which is critical for healthy eye and lung function. Oranges are very good for respiratory problems such as asthma or bronchitis and cardiovascular issues such as hypertension and COPD. (Medical Medium)
May it be told again and again. May it be an inspiration to thousands of suffering human beings, that they may be tempted to partake freely of this golden fruit whose substance has imbibed so freely of the life-giving properties of the sun that even the color of its skin bespeaks the gold that lies within.
(Correct Eating 1931 - from Hilton Hotema - Man’s Higher Consciousness first published 1952)
(Correct Eating 1931 - from Hilton Hotema - Man’s Higher Consciousness first published 1952)
Oranges, mandarins, pomelos, blood oranges, tangerines, meyer lemons, grapefruit, kumquat, clementine…all these juicy citrus fruits abound in winter at my local grocery.
So while citrus isn’t normally my top pick in terms of fruit, it has become so recently, for sure. There is something magical in partaking in the abundance of what’s in season, picked at optimum ripeness, radiating Light and Life.
So what is it about citrus that is calling to me?
Rather a perfect fruit for winter, resembling the Sun itself, citrus contains immune boosting and anti-depressant properties.
So while citrus isn’t normally my top pick in terms of fruit, it has become so recently, for sure. There is something magical in partaking in the abundance of what’s in season, picked at optimum ripeness, radiating Light and Life.
So what is it about citrus that is calling to me?
Rather a perfect fruit for winter, resembling the Sun itself, citrus contains immune boosting and anti-depressant properties.
Happiness
Since a dysregulation of the neuroendocrine and immune function is thought to be associated with psychosomatic or psychiatric disorders an attempt was made to restore their mental health by stimulation of one of the sensory systems. Fragrance (citrus was our choice) which comforts through stimulation of the olfactory system was applied to depressive patients. It was given to 12 depressive subjects and the results indicated that the doses of antidepressants necessary for the treatment of depression could be markedly reduced. The treatment with citrus fragrance normalized neuroendocrine hormone levels and immune function and was rather more effective than antidepressants.
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8646568)
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8646568)
In this long-term study of 82,643 women, age 36 to 80, doctors measured total flavonoids in the diet every two to four years, and chances for depression. Citrus flavonoids are found in the juice, skin and pulp of citrus fruits.
Women who consumed the most flavanols, flavones, and flavanones were 7 to 10 percent less likely to develop depression over the course of the study, with those at least age 65 at the start of the study showing the greatest benefit. Those who got two or more servings per day of citrus fruit or juice were 18 percent less likely to develop depression compared to women who got less than one serving per week. Flavones and proanthocyanidins were most effective in lowering chances for depression, doctors said.
(American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)
Women who consumed the most flavanols, flavones, and flavanones were 7 to 10 percent less likely to develop depression over the course of the study, with those at least age 65 at the start of the study showing the greatest benefit. Those who got two or more servings per day of citrus fruit or juice were 18 percent less likely to develop depression compared to women who got less than one serving per week. Flavones and proanthocyanidins were most effective in lowering chances for depression, doctors said.
(American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)
A Japanese study showed that smelling citrus for 10 minutes helped to boost participants’ moods for up to 30 minutes. The results, which were featured in an alternative medicine journal, showed:
“Inhalation of the aromatic yuzu oil significantly decreased total mood disturbance, a global measure of affective state, as well as four subscores of emotional symptoms (tension–anxiety, depression–dejection, anger–hostility, and confusion), as long as 30 minutes after the olfactory stimulation.”
Yuzu, the East Asian citrus fruit used in the study, looks like yellow tangerine, and has a taste and scent similar to that of a grapefruit mixed with orange.
Researchers used participants’ saliva to test their stress levels before and after smelling the yuzu oil, and found that women who had smelled the oil for 10 minutes had reduced levels of the chemical that we release when stressed about things like public speaking or taking a test–and that the results stuck around for up to a half-hour.
“Inhalation of the aromatic yuzu oil significantly decreased total mood disturbance, a global measure of affective state, as well as four subscores of emotional symptoms (tension–anxiety, depression–dejection, anger–hostility, and confusion), as long as 30 minutes after the olfactory stimulation.”
Yuzu, the East Asian citrus fruit used in the study, looks like yellow tangerine, and has a taste and scent similar to that of a grapefruit mixed with orange.
Researchers used participants’ saliva to test their stress levels before and after smelling the yuzu oil, and found that women who had smelled the oil for 10 minutes had reduced levels of the chemical that we release when stressed about things like public speaking or taking a test–and that the results stuck around for up to a half-hour.
An Ancient Fruit
Oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes are all hybrids, mixed and matched from 10 "wild" citrus species descended from a single Asian ancestor some eight million years ago, scientists said Wednesday.
A global team of scientists sequenced the genomes of 60 citrus varieties to draw up a family tree going to the very root of one of the world's best-loved fruit groups.
They traced the mother of all citrus to the southeastern foothills of the Himalayas in the late Miocene period, study co-author Guohong Wu of the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute told AFP.
That specimen, he said, likely resembled a present-day, inedible "papeda"—a bitter, sour fruit.
From this source emerged 10 wild or "natural" species—including the pummelo, wild mandarin, and a type of kumquat.
Some of the ten are extinct.
"All other citrus types, including the economically important cultivars (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes) are hybrids derived from two or more of the... 10 pure species," Wu said by email.
They spread rapidly throughout southeastern Asia during an ancient era of climatic change that resulted in a weakening of summer monsoons, the team found.
The new gene analysis, added Wu, provided the first full picture of the origin, dispersal and timing of ancestral citrus diversification, long considered controversial.
"This comparative genomic approach offers an unambiguous solution to the century-old chaotic status of citrus taxonomy," Wu said.
"Understanding the diversity and relationship among citrus fruits is the first step toward breeding desirable and disease-resistant citrus fruits."
The study is published in Nature. (Guohong Albert Wu et al. Genomics of the origin and evolution of Citrus, Nature (2018)
A global team of scientists sequenced the genomes of 60 citrus varieties to draw up a family tree going to the very root of one of the world's best-loved fruit groups.
They traced the mother of all citrus to the southeastern foothills of the Himalayas in the late Miocene period, study co-author Guohong Wu of the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute told AFP.
That specimen, he said, likely resembled a present-day, inedible "papeda"—a bitter, sour fruit.
From this source emerged 10 wild or "natural" species—including the pummelo, wild mandarin, and a type of kumquat.
Some of the ten are extinct.
"All other citrus types, including the economically important cultivars (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes) are hybrids derived from two or more of the... 10 pure species," Wu said by email.
They spread rapidly throughout southeastern Asia during an ancient era of climatic change that resulted in a weakening of summer monsoons, the team found.
The new gene analysis, added Wu, provided the first full picture of the origin, dispersal and timing of ancestral citrus diversification, long considered controversial.
"This comparative genomic approach offers an unambiguous solution to the century-old chaotic status of citrus taxonomy," Wu said.
"Understanding the diversity and relationship among citrus fruits is the first step toward breeding desirable and disease-resistant citrus fruits."
The study is published in Nature. (Guohong Albert Wu et al. Genomics of the origin and evolution of Citrus, Nature (2018)

The Citrus Family Tree - Almost all existing citrus fruits grown today are hybrids, all descended from those three original fruits. The meyer lemon is a hybrid of a citron and a mandarin/pomelo hybrid (so, it includes the genetic lines of all three ancient fruits). The sour orange (citrus aurantium) has the mandarin orange and pomelo as parents, while the sweet orange (citrus sinensis) has the mandarin orange as a parent and the pomelo as a grandparent. Sometimes the citrus family tree can get a bit confusing. If you're looking for a tiny, sweet, easy-peeling orange, you might ask for clementines, tangerines, or satsumas, which are all mandarins.
The Energy of Citrus
I can tell you from my own personal experience that when I fasted for six months on organic navel oranges, I never felt better and more in tune with
God and nature. Always trust nature, God and your inner intuition to know the truth. (Dr. Morse)
God and nature. Always trust nature, God and your inner intuition to know the truth. (Dr. Morse)
Citrus, and especially the tangerine and orange colored varieties, relate to Swadisthana Chakra. Translated as “One’s Own Abode,” the sacral energy center represents creativity, sexuality, and life force energy. Swadisthana chakra is related to the womb, the kidneys, and bladder. Consuming the bright tangerine orange colors found in citrus activates and strengthens your reproductive organs, enhances creativity, and gives life more “juiciness” and joy.
Citrus Detox
Citrus is an excellent choice for mono-fruit fasting. If you are fasting in winter I recommend a short three day fast interspersed with a high fruit, raw vegan diet. You could also do one day fasts weekly in tandem with your high fruit, raw vegan diet. If you are on are on a more serious healing journey that requires faster results you can increase the length frequency of the citrus fast. Fasting on oranges alone, or mandarins, tangerines is one option - as well the Master Fast with only lemon water is extremely powerful. You can also add lemon juice to a mono-grape fast to increase the intensity. Many people have excellent results with achieving kidney filtration through a mono-grape fast with added lemon juice.
Lemons are a powerful healing fruit that contain phenomenal antibiotic, antiseptic, and anti-cancer properties. Lemons are rich in vitamins C and B-complex and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, silicon, copper, and potassium. They are considered to be a wonderful tonic and can help to cleanse and detoxify the entire body. Although lemons have an acidic taste they actually have a very strong alkaline reaction on the body and can help to alkalize blood, cells, lymph, organs, and tissues. Lemons are known to help destroy putrefactive bacteria in the mouth and intestines which can help alleviate flatulence, indigestion, and constipation. Lemons contain a compound called limonene which is used to dissolve gallstones and kidney stones and can help to fight oral, lung, skin, breast, stomach, and colon cancer. Lemons are also rich in bioflavonoids which can significantly boost the immune system and reduce inflammation in the body. Lemon juice is known to be particularly beneficial for colds, coughs, sore throats, hiccups, ear infections, fevers, arthritis, heart disease, COPD, atherosclerosis, diabetes, high cholesterol, autoimmune disorders, stroke, and cancer. (Anthony William)
Lemons are a powerful healing fruit that contain phenomenal antibiotic, antiseptic, and anti-cancer properties. Lemons are rich in vitamins C and B-complex and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, silicon, copper, and potassium. They are considered to be a wonderful tonic and can help to cleanse and detoxify the entire body. Although lemons have an acidic taste they actually have a very strong alkaline reaction on the body and can help to alkalize blood, cells, lymph, organs, and tissues. Lemons are known to help destroy putrefactive bacteria in the mouth and intestines which can help alleviate flatulence, indigestion, and constipation. Lemons contain a compound called limonene which is used to dissolve gallstones and kidney stones and can help to fight oral, lung, skin, breast, stomach, and colon cancer. Lemons are also rich in bioflavonoids which can significantly boost the immune system and reduce inflammation in the body. Lemon juice is known to be particularly beneficial for colds, coughs, sore throats, hiccups, ear infections, fevers, arthritis, heart disease, COPD, atherosclerosis, diabetes, high cholesterol, autoimmune disorders, stroke, and cancer. (Anthony William)
Citrus Notes
Citrus combines well together, and with other acid fruits (remember, “acid” fruit produces alkaline ash, so it is considered an alkaline food) like Pineapple. Citrus does not combine well with sweet fruits, or with other food. I generally eat citrus in the morning and transition to other foods in the afternoon and evening. One exception would be lemon juice – lemon juice combines well with most other foods.