There are few things better than a tangerine. They're portable and easy to eat -- it's much easier to open one of those than claw the peel off a navel orange -- and oh so tasty.

I apologize if I've set off a craving -- but after reading this I think you're going to want to indulge!

It's no secret that tangerines are good for you. Like any other citrus fruit, they're packed with vitamin C and fiber. They also deliver a healthy dose of vitamin A. But here's something that you may not have known...

Tangerines actually pack a powerful one-two punch against obesity and heart disease. Yep, that little orange fruit fights two of the biggest health challenges of our time.

Researchers at the University of Western Ontario found that tangerines contain a substance that prevents obesity and protects against type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis, and therefore of course heart disease and stroke.

They set up a model of metabolic syndrome by feeding mice an (unfortunately) typical American diet full of fats and sugars. One group became obese and ended up with all the nasty problems associated with metabolic syndrome -- high triglycerides, high levels of insulin and glucose, and a fatty liver -- putting them at a much higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

The other group, though -- well, they didn't become obese. And they didn't end up with metabolic syndrome. They were eating the very same diet as the first group -- with only one little difference.

The mice that stayed healthy were being fed Nobiletin, a flavonoid contained in tangerines.

And it didn't just prevent problems -- it seems that Nobiletin improved the health of the mice, stimulating genes that play a role in burning excess fat, and suppressing those genes that play a role in manufacturing fat.

For all intents and purposes, the mice in that second group were shielded against obesity. In the long term, Nobiletin also protected the mice against atherosclerosis.

This isn't the first time this particular group of researchers has found impressive results with citrus fruits. In 2009, they found that a flavonoid in grapefruit showed similar protection as that given by Nobiltein. The difference? The tangerine-derived Nobiltein appears to be ten times more potent than the flavonoid in grapefruit, with the added benefit of fighting heart disease.

The researchers want to conduct further studies to determine if Nobiltein might make a powerful treatment for metabolic syndrome, but given that tangerines are healthy in so many other ways, I think I might just start eating more of them. In fact, the thought of a nice juicy burst of flavor with my breakfast every morning has my mouth watering right now!

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