Oranges are citrus fruits that are a hybrid of ancient cultivated species, possibly the pomelo and tangerine. Oranges are unknown in the wild. They are technically a type of berry produced by small, flowering trees with evergreen leaves. They are considered berries because they contain many seeds, are soft and fleshy and come from a single ovary.
History
For many thousands of years, oranges remained an oriental delight. The orange was being cultivated by the Chinese by 2500 BC. In the 10th century, oranges were introduced from their native habitat in Southeast Asia to the Mediterranean region. Arab traders provided the sour varieties to southern Europe until the 15th century when the Genoese introduced sweet oranges. They were first brought across the Atlantic in 1493 with Christopher Columbus.
The first appearance of the word "orange" in English was in the 14th century. The name of the color orange derived from the fruit and first appeared in this sense in 1542.
Geography
Oranges originated in Southeast Asia but today they are grown in groves across the globe in warm climates. Brazil is the top producer of oranges with 27% of world production. In the United States, California and Florida are top producers of oranges and orange juice. Mexico, India, China and Spain all produce oranges for the world's market.
Features
Oranges are round to oval and can be 2 ½ inches to 3 ¾ inches wide. The outer rind contains essential oils and is colored yellow to dark orange when ripe. The inner rind is white and spongy. The meat, or pulp, is yellow to orange in color and contains concentrated juice sacs in 10 to 14 wedges, easily separated in segments. Each segment contains 2 to 4 white almond-shaped seeds. Some varieties of orange, however, are seedless.
Types
There are several types of oranges, all with different features. Blood oranges are small and round with orange-red skin and meat with a reddish tint. They are known for their intense flavor. Mandarin oranges are small, juicy and sweet. They are smooth with a light orange skin. Navel oranges are large and can be round, oval or anything in between. They are sweet, juicy, seedless and easy to peel. Tangerines are also a type of orange. They have pebbly pumpkin colored skin and contain many seeds. They are known for their distinctive sweet taste.
Benefits
Oranges have many health benefits. In addition to being a large source of vitamin C, they also contain citrus limonoids. These limonoids have been shown to fight mouth, lung, breast, and colon and stomach cancers. When exposed to limonoids, human liver cells produce less apo B. This compound is associated with high cholesterol levels. Oranges are also shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and many other health problems.
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