Typically, Christmas is not a time of year when we’re particularly mindful about what we’re eating or trying to be extremely healthy.
The festive season is full of indulgences, from the classic Christmas dinner to cheeseboards and mulled wine, and of course an abundance of chocolate too.
So it’s no wonder that our nutrition levels can take a hit at this time of year.
However, there’s one fruit that’s often eaten around Christmas that has been dubbed one of the healthiest in the world – so it could be worth tucking into a few this week.
Researchers at the BBC uncovered a list of the most nutritious foods, from meats and fish to fruits, vegetables and seeds, based on what vitamins, minerals and other nutrients they contain.
Scientists studied more than 1,000 foods, assigning each a nutritional score.
The higher the score, the more likely each food would meet, but not exceed your daily nutritional needs, when eaten in combination with others.
And the classic Christmas fruit, the tangerine, ended up very high on the list with an impressive score of 14 out of 100.
According to the pros, this orange citrus fruit – traditionally given in your stocking at Christmas time – is rich in carotenoid cryptoxanthin, which is then converted to vitamin A in the body.
This vitamin is hugely beneficial for things like your vision, hair, skin and nails, as well as immune function.
Not only this, but it’s also a great source of vitamin C – and one tangerine provides 26 percent of your daily vitamin C needs, according to Healthline.
Our bodies need this nutrient for tissue growth and repair and the formation of muscles, so it’s essential that you’re getting enough of it.
Snacking on tangerines could also be an effective weight loss tool, according to the experts.
Citrus fruits, including tangerines, contain insoluble fiber.
This type of fiber promotes feelings of fullness by slowing down the passage of food through your digestive tract. This helps to regulate your appetite, which may promote weight loss.
As well as this, research shows that people who eat more fiber are better able to maintain their body weight or prevent weight regain compared with those who eat less of it.
