
Nobody who knows about fruits would think of trying to hide a pineapple, or bet on surprise with a basket of guavas. Nor are soursop, oranges or tangerines useful for that. They are telltale fruits, which seduce with their aroma and invite you from afar, to taste their enigmatic flavor.
Today I will refer, precisely, to the tangerine, sister of the orange and cousin of lime and grapefruit.
It arrived in Europe from Asia and it is said that its name alludes to the coincidence between the color of its bark and the costumes of the mandarins of ancient China.
It is a citrus fruit of which about 20 edible species rich in vitamins, flavonoids and essential oils are known. The ease with which it is peeled and eaten, makes it the favorite of many. It contains a lot of water and despite its sweetness, it provides less sugars than other fruits so it is ideal for a low-calorie diet. Noticeable is its fiber content, especially in the white part that covers the pulp and that we often call skins, so chewing and swallowing it favors intestinal transit contrary to the popular belief of considering it indigestible.
Tangerine vitamins
Of all the vitamins it provides, C stands out, which although it is found in less quantity than in orange, comes accompanied by correct doses of folic acid and provitamin A, and this makes tangerine an “appetizing and healthy” gift of nature.
Vitamin C alone is involved in the formation of collagen, bone tissue, blood; It supports iron absorption at the cellular level and resistance to infections. Combined with folic acid, it participates in the production of leukocytes and red blood cells, in the synthesis of genetic material and in the formation of antibodies, essential tools for the immune system.
Particularly provitamin A or beta-carotene metabolized by the body to meet the demand for vitamin A is more abundant in tangerine than in other fruits of its genus and is vital for the proper functioning of the immune system, vision and tissue replacement in the skin, hair, mucous membranes and bones.
It also contains magnesium, citric acid (disinfectant), potassium (necessary for the functioning of cells in general and particularly those belonging to the nervous and muscular system) and to a lesser extent, B vitamins and calcium.
Few citrus fruits have been as subjected to crosses as tangerine and the result is that today we can find in the market four large groups of this fruit: Clementines, Clemenvillas, Hybrids and Satsumas.
The Clementines
Clementines are an intense orange, spherical and with very few seeds. Some claim that it is the result of the cross between tangerine and a wild orange from Algeria, but the truth is that its fruit is of extraordinary quality. Harvesting usually takes place between November and January. Its pulp is extremely juicy and easy to peel.
The clemenvillas are larger than the previous ones, with reddish orange rind and a lot of juice.
Tangerines called Hybrids are also distinguished by their good size and the reddish-orange color of their peel. Its abundant juice is rich in sugars and organic acids. The bark is thinner than in the previous groups and is very attached to the pulp so it is preferable to use it to make juices. Harvesting usually takes place in January or February, but the fruit can remain on the tree until April.
Satsuma comes from Japan and stands out for its exquisite aroma; The pulp, on the other hand, is at a taste disadvantage compared to the previous groups. The fruit is orange-yellow or salmon in color. The bark is thick and rough. Its harvest begins preferably in mid-September.
To choose tangerines in the market, regardless of the group to which it belongs, the important thing is its weight: the older it is, the more juice its pulp will have. Another important detail, in addition to its intense sweet smell when ripe, is that the highest quality are those with smooth, shiny and soft skin.
In general, fruits should be consumed fresh, but if for some reason you want to keep them for one to two weeks, tangerines will retain their properties if you refrigerate them below 3ºC and without reaching 5ºC.