How Healthy Is Citrus Fruit?

Oranges, grapefruits and the other members of the citrus family are at their sweetest and juiciest in winter, when weather conditions are ideal for them to ripen. And they’re bursting with nutrients that support your immune system and help your body heal.

Here are the top health benefits of citrus fruits, plus recipes from New York Times Cooking to help you make the most of their season.

Their vitamin C is worth the hype.

Citrus fruits are famous for their high vitamin C content — and for good reason.

One navel orange contains 83 milligrams of vitamin C and one half of a red grapefruit contains about 46. Both can go a long way in helping you meet the 75 to 90 milligrams recommended daily.

Vitamin C plays an important role in your immune system, said Natalie Allen, a dietitian and clinical associate professor of nutrition at Missouri State University. The vitamin — considered an essential nutrient because your body can’t make it itself — helps to form the cells that make up your immune system, she said. It also aids those cells in locating and fighting infections.

Vitamin C contributes to wound healing and tissue growth, too, so it keeps your skin, muscles and blood vessels healthy, Ms. Allen said. And the nutrient helps your body absorb “non-heme iron,” which is iron from plant-based foods like lentils and spinach.