Orange Season

With shipping being what it is these days, oranges are always in season but from November to early May the California Navel orange, ideally suited for eating as a whole, sweet and delicious treat is available. Navels have a thicker, somewhat more pebbled skin, which is more easily removed by hand than some other varieties, and the segments separate more readily, making them ideal for fruit platters or salads. Another good “eating” orange is the Florida Temple, in season from December to March.

Why eat an orange? There are lots of reasons ranging from fiber to calcium, vitamin A to folic acid and carotenoids. The biggie everyone knows about an orange is it’s great amount of vitamin C. And what good is vitamin C again?

Vitamin C plays an essential role in the immune system. It is found in every cell of our body and performs various functions from helping the body fight off foreign invaders to producing collagen and antibodies, and it has natural antihistamine properties.

Since our bodies do not produce Vitamin C, it is imperative we get it from other sources.

So, why not eat an orange?

Fun Orange Facts

• One of the original orange trees, planted in California in 1873 is still producing fruit!
• Oranges are the fourth most popular fruit and orange juice is the most popular juice.
• 25 billion pounds of oranges are produced in California and Florida each year. (See www.dole5aday.com/FoodService/pdfs/FACTSHEET_Oranges.pdf)
• The calcium in fortified orange juice is absorbed better than the calcium in milk.
• Oranges contain about 50 mg of vitamin C—2/3 of a daily requirement. A good sized medium orange will provide you with 100% of the vitamin C you need.
• Cold is what turns oranges their orange color—therefore oranges from the tropics tend to be greenish. (See www.thefruitpages.com)
• It’s said that the name of the color (orange) was derived from the fruit.
• Brazil produces the most oranges in the world, the US is second with Florida state producing by far the most. The other states that grow oranges are California, Arizona, and Texas.
• Oranges came to California about 125 years ago, but have been enjoyed in other countries for over 1000 years.
• If you have never eaten a ripe orange right off the tree, I feel sorry for you. They’re fantastic! So much better than those you buy in a store.
• California oranges are known for their good looks and Florida oranges are known for their sweet juice.
• Valencia oranges are in season from late April through October and are good for juicing.

More Facts About Oranges

Unlike some fruit, oranges are never picked before they’re ripe. Rather, oranges are required by strict state regulations to be mature before being harvested and shipped.

Skin color is not a reliable consideration when choosing oranges in the supermarket or at a fruit stand. Green spots do not mean the orange is immature. Greenish oranges may tempt store owners or producers to artificially color them. When this happens the fruit must be labeled “color added.” But adding color has no effect on eating quality.

New research has found that oranges contain a substance called citrus liminoids which have been shown to help fight several different forms of cancer, and preliminary tests suggest that these may lower cholesterol.

Tips for Buying and Storing Oranges

When purchasing oranges look for firm, heavy oranges with bright-looking skin. Avoid light weight oranges, since they most likely lack flesh content and juice. Avoid very rough skin texture, dull, dry skin or spongy texture. Also avoid soft spots on the surface, and discolored, weakened areas of skin around the stem end or button. Dark spots or marbling will occur on some types of Florida oranges—these are not an indication that the orange is bad. Select navel oranges with small sized navels. Oranges with larger navels indicate that they were overripe when picked.

Store oranges in a cool place outside the refrigerator and it’s best to eat them within a few days. If you need to keep them longer, put oranges in a plastic bag and stick it in the refrigerate, or keep them in the vegetable crisper section of the refrigerator.

Orange Jokes

Since our food articles this month are about oranges, we apologize for this little bit of corn!

Why did the orange stop rolling down the hill?
It ran out of juice.

What's orange and sounds like a parrot?
A carrot.

Why did the blonde stare at frozen orange juice can for 2 hours?
Because it said 'concentrate.'

What can a whole orange do that half an orange can never do?
Look round! (http://www.spudart.org/etc/orange/)

Try a Fun Game with an Orange

Pass the orange is a game for a child’s birthday party or adult get together. Have you ever played it? Form two team lines (or more) with the same number of people. The person in the front of each line places an orange under their neck and when play begins they pass it off to the next player who has to grab it under their neck. No hands allowed. If the orange falls to the ground the team has to start over. The first team to pass the orange successfully all the way down their team line wins. The smaller the orange the greater the challenge.