Can I eat oranges during my menstrual period?

Generally speaking, women can eat oranges during their menstrual period, but they should control the amount consumed. The detailed analysis is as follows:

Oranges are rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber, and various minerals. These components help enhance immunity, promote digestion, and relieve fatigue, offering certain benefits to women during menstruation. Particularly, vitamin C aids in iron absorption, which may be especially important for women experiencing blood loss during their period. Additionally, the sweet and sour taste of oranges may improve loss of appetite during menstruation, helping stimulate appetite and promote metabolism.

However, hormonal changes during menstruation can weaken gastrointestinal function, and the citric acid in oranges may irritate the gastric mucosa, causing acid reflux or diarrhea. Individuals with a cold body constitution often experience symptoms such as cold hands and feet, cold abdominal pain, dark menstrual blood with clots, and the cooling nature of oranges might exacerbate uterine contractions, worsening dysmenorrhea. Excessive consumption of oranges may also cause gastrointestinal discomfort or diarrhea.

It is recommended that women prioritize warm-natured fruits like apples and longan during their menstrual period. When consuming oranges, removing the peel and soaking them in warm water may reduce the cold stimulation. If abdominal discomfort occurs after eating oranges, drinking brown sugar ginger tea may help alleviate the symptoms.