Tangerines

Tangerines yield a unique juice, simultaneously sweet and tangy.

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The tangerine is a cross between the mandarin orange and the bitter orange, and is named for the main mandarin shipment port of Tangier, Morocco. Today, tangerines are grown mainly in the southeastern United States. This loose-skinned orange hybrid is a deep, almost red color, and peels easily.

Varieties

Among the varieties of tangerine are the Japanese satsuma, a small, sweet, and mostly seedless variety that often appears around the holidays at the end of the year, and is usually available canned; the clementine, grown in Europe, North Africa, and Israel, is sold in markets under its own name. Tangerines are difficult to distinguish from clementines as both are mandarin–bitter orange hybrids; the main difference is that clementines are often seedless.

Buying and storing tips

Choose richly colored tangerines and expect skin that feels loose on the fruit. As with oranges, tangerines may have green areas on the rind that do not affect taste quality. These often small fruits are best when freshest, but may be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Availability

The tangerine season peaks November through January.

Preparation, uses, and tips

Tangerines yield a unique juice, simultaneously sweet and tangy. Use tangerines any way oranges are used, such as eating them out of hand, cut up into fruit salads, added to sauces, or to decorate cakes.

Nutritional Highlights

Tangerine, 1 (fruit, raw)
Calories: 37
Protein: 0.53g
Carbohydrate: 9.4g
Total Fat: 0.16g
Fiber: 1.9g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin A (772.8), and Vitamin C (25.8mg)

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily Value.

Health benefits and concerns

Allergies and sensitivities (food and chemical)

A low-allergen diet, also known as an elimination diet, is often recommended to people with suspected food allergies in order to find out if avoiding common allergen foods gives relief from symptoms. This diet eliminates foods and food additives considered to be common allergens, including citrus fruits. Some popular books offer guidance to people who want to attempt this type of diet. Most elimination diets are quite restrictive and increase the likelihood of nutritional deficiencies. A successful elimination diet is usually followed by reintroduction of eliminated foods one at a time, to see which ones are truly allergens for the individual person and therefore need to be eliminated indefinitely. Strict avoidance of allergenic foods for a period of time (usually months or years) sometimes results in the foods no longer causing allergic reactions. Restrictive elimination diets and food reintroduction should be supervised by a qualified healthcare professional.

Hives

Allergy to foods and food additives is a common cause of hives, especially in chronic cases. Citrus fruits are among those foods most commonly reported to trigger hives. Numerous clinical studies demonstrate that diets that are free of foods that commonly trigger allergic reactions typically produce significant reductions in symptoms in 50–75% of people with chronic hives. People with hives should investigate the possibility that food allergies are causing their problem by consulting with a doctor.

Kidney stones

Citric acid is found in citrus fruits and may also protect against kidney stone formation. Lemons are the best food source commonly available. One preliminary trial found that drinking 2 liters (approximately 2 quarts) of lemonade per day improved the quality of the urine in ways that are associated with stone prevention. Lemonade was far more effective than orange juice. The lemonade was made by mixing 4 oz lemon juice with enough water to make 2 liters. The smallest amount of sweetener possible should be added to make the taste acceptable. Further study is necessary, however, to determine if lemonade can prevent recurrence of kidney stones.

Health benefits and concerns for fruit
Many health benefits and concerns associated with this food are applicable to other fruit. Read about health benefits and concerns for fruit for a full description.

The information presented in this website is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.