Everybody has encountered and tasted an orange; and hence, aware of its appearance and flavour. What would happen, though, if you were asked to distinguish between an orange and its twin, the tangerine? Are you going to be able to tell them apart? Okay, so maybe a few of you might pull this off, but most of the people would eventually fall short. In order to dispel your confusion regarding oranges and tangerines, let's discover their differences today.
The Origins
Oranges were first cultivated in ancient Indonesia or southern China. These days, the two main states that produce oranges are Florida and Sao Paulo, Brazil. These fruits, which are linked to other citrus kinds, are produced by the Citrus x Sinensis species. Surprisingly, oranges are a hybrid of a mandarin and a pomelo.
The first tangerine plantations were in Palatka, Florida. They got the nickname "tangerines" because they were imported through Tangier, Morocco, in the 1800s. These are crataegus tangerina tree fruits. From a botanical perspective, tangerines belong to the mandarin family. Bright reddish-orange mandarins are often mistakenly labelled as tangerines.
Flavour Profile
Oranges and tangerines are two fruits with a wide spectrum of flavours, and the variety of each fruit greatly affects its flavour.
Tangerines and oranges are both available in sweet and sour varieties. On the other hand, tangerines are often less acidic and a little sweeter than oranges. Furthermore, tangerines can have a more intense flavour profile than oranges.
Appearance And Size
Oranges vary greatly in size and form depending on the cultivar. But generally speaking, tangerine plants yield smaller fruit than orange trees do. The smaller size, flatter form, and lack of roundness of tangerines, frequently referred to as "baby oranges," make them a perfect on-the-go snack. While oranges are often thick and heavy, tangerines, when completely ripe, have a softer feel. Tangerines or oranges may have seeds or not, depending on the variety. However, Valencia oranges carry seeds, but navel oranges do not. Because of their distinctive reddish-orange tint, tangerines stand out from other orange varieties, which tend to trend more towards the yellow end of the spectrum.
Texture
Orange and tangerine peels are sensitive. However, oranges are usually more difficult to peel than tangerines due to their tighter skin. Tangerines are a convenient and pleasurable snack since their skin is considerably thinner than that of oranges and is easier to peel. Tangerines tend to cluster together, whereas oranges have segments that are a little bit easier to tear apart inside.
Nutritional Value
Oranges are a great source of nutritious carbs and contain twice as much vitamin C as tangerines according to the US National Institutes of Health. They also include somewhat more fibre than tangerines. Compared to 100 g of oranges, 100 g of tangerines has more vitamin A.
Tangerines and oranges are both very beneficial fruits, despite their distinctions. Together with a host of other elements including dietary fibre and high concentrations of potassium and vitamin C, they are both extremely nutrient-dense for human consumption.