Ancient Orange
Oranges are native to Southeast Asia. The Middle East had citrus fruit by 500 BC. In about the 700s, oranges were brought to Spain. Through years of careful breeding, oranges were made sweeter and softer. Before oranges became popular, there was no English word for the colour orange. It was called yellow-red.
Original Orange
There are only three original citrus fruits: the citron, the pomelo, and the mandarin. Citrons are lemon-like, and pomelos are enormous, sweet, grapefruit-like fruits (their scientific name is Citrus maximus). Other citrus fruits derive from these. Both oranges and grapefruits are a mix of mandarins and pomelos. Lemons are a mix of all three.
Orange Varieties
Oranges come in many different varieties, as citrus fruit mutates easily. The ones sold in stores are almost all navel oranges. These are the sweet, seedless oranges that are easy to peel. Valencia oranges are the most common juice oranges. Although the Valencia orange was developed in California, it was named after the Spanish town of Valencia, known for its sweet oranges.
Appeal of Navel Oranges
Navel oranges are unique in that they have a small second fruit at one end. This small second fruit creates a button that looks like a belly button. That is why they are called navel oranges. Navel oranges don’t make good juice. The fresh juice is sweet but starts turning bitter in less than an hour.
Navel History
Navel oranges originated in Brazil, but all the navel oranges we have today stem from two trees planted in California. They are called Washington navels because the seedlings were sent from Washington, DC, by the Department of Agriculture to Eliza Tibbits in California. The navel oranges became so popular that in the late 1800s, Eliza earned $20,000 a year selling cuttings from her trees.
Buying Navel Oranges
The best time of year to buy Navel oranges is December and January. That is prime navel season in California. Good oranges will have a fresh, citrusy smell. When they are old, they smell a bit sour and will get softer. In the summer and fall, navel oranges come primarily from Chile and South Africa.
Original Mandarins
Mandarin oranges are named after Chinese court officials, the same ‘mandarins’ that the Mandarin Chinese language is named after. Mandarins are one of the original citrus fruits. They are sweeter and less acidic than normal oranges and are even easier to peel than navels.
Christmas Orange
Before World War II, oranges were Christmas luxuries. You couldn’t afford one for most of the year, so it was a real treat. The tradition of putting an orange in each stocking is still practiced today.
Orange Production
Brazil is the largest exporter of oranges, but most oranges in Canada come from the US. Some also come from South Africa and Spain. Ninety percent of oranges grown for fresh consumption in the US come from California. At the same time, Florida produces nearly 90% of juicing oranges. Annually, 40% of oranges sold in the US are imported from Chile and 30% from Mexico. Oranges have one crop a year, so out-of-season oranges have to come from another part of the world.
Orange Flavor
Oranges grown in warm tropical areas are sweeter, have thinner skin, and are less acidic than in cooler regions. The best oranges come from places with hot days and cool nights. Hot days produce sugar, and cool nights add some acidic tang.
Orange Boost
It’s well known that oranges are high in vitamin C, almost a full day’s worth, but they also have a lot of folate, calcium, and potassium. Oranges also help you stay hydrated because they have so much water. They also have fibre, which helps feed your healthy gut farm. They also have compounds called flavonoids that protect against disease and inflammation as well as strengthen the immune system. The medicinal compounds in oranges have also been shown to lower the risk of cancer.
Oranges for Diabetes
Oranges are also one of the best fruits for diabetics. They have a lower sugar and lower GI index than apples, pears, peaches, and bananas. That means they create a smaller blood sugar spike and a much lower spike than bread, noodles, potatoes, or rice. Oranges even have some compounds that improve insulin sensitivity.
Peel Back Flavour
Oranges can be peeled or sliced. The end opposite the stem is usually a bit more flavourful and sweeter.
Juice Stripped Down
Orange juice has several healthy vitamins, minerals, and other compounds, but the juice strips out most of the fibre, so the sugar spike is much higher. Most commercial juice has some peel oil added to enhance the flavour. Rather than drinking the juice, eat the fruit.
A Peel of Oranges
Orange peels have two parts: the outer orange part (flavedo) and the inner white part (albedo). The peels are full of healthy oils and other compounds. The white of an orange is safe to eat, but it’s not as sweet as the rest of the orange and is a bit chewy as it has a lot of fibre. Most stores apply wax to the peel, so wash it with warm water. In general, only use peels from organic oranges. Zest the peel to add flavour to drinks. You can make a great tea from orange peels. Boil some water on the stove and add fresh orange peel and a few cinnamon sticks. Simmer for 15 minutes. Drink with a dab of honey.
Orange They Fresh
Oranges can stay in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Ideally, oranges should be stored at 5 degrees C, a bit warmer than the average fridge temperature, which is 2 to 4 C. The crisper drawer in the fridge is the best spot, but if the crisper drawer is full of leafy vegetables that need humidity, just put oranges on the fridge shelf. Once cut, oranges should be stored in an airtight container. If you don’t have room in the fridge, you can store them in a dark cupboard for a week.
Orange Treat
Not only do oranges taste great, but they are also super healthy. Instead of sweets, reach for an orange. They give you a sweet treat and smuggle in a ton of health benefits. Orange you excited to have an orange?
