Once most popular as a dessert, in the twentieth century, the number of oranges consumed by individuals grew significantly as the juice of the sweet, acidic fruit became increasingly popular. A better understanding of the health benefits provided by the orange, which contains significant amounts of vitamin C, is generally believed to have played a significant role in its sudden rise in public favor. Cultivated by humans for thousands of years, oranges are native to the Malay Archipelago and other tropical areas of Asia, but are grown widely around the world today. In the United States, orange juice is most closely associated with Florida, a state that prides itself on the deliciously sweet beverage its sun-ripened fruit produces.