Thursday, September 9, 2010

Orange Facts



  • Very low in saturated fat
  • No cholesterol
  • No sodium
  • Very high in dietary fiber
  • High in potassium
  • High in thiamin
  • Very high in vitamin C
  • Low calories (approximately 85 calories, depending on size of the fruit)
Loaded with vitamin C, oranges are a great fruit to boost your immune system. With the fall, comes the chilly weather and the coughs, colds, and flu's, and you should keep yourself healthy starting with your diet.

A great way to enjoy oranges is to slice them up. Orange juice is also good, however there is more sugar, and your better off eating the orange than drinking the store bought juice.

For the kiddies: give them a 4 oz serving of Orange juice, and dilute with 2-4oz of water. Or, dip orange slices in low fat vanilla or chocolate yogurt.


Types of Oranges

Navel


Available from November through May, with peak supplies in January, February and March. Navel oranges are easy to spot in your produce aisle. They're the ones with the button formation opposite the stem end. Considered the world's finest orange for eating, navels are seedless, and they peel and segment easily.

Valencia

Available from February through October, with peak supplies in May, June and July. Valencia oranges are small to medium sized, and they may have a few seeds. They are usually thin-skinned.

Moro (Blood)

Moro oranges are available from January through mid April. Moro's are small to medium sized with a thin skin and few or no seeds. Slice open a Moro and you'll see a dramatic and beautiful bright red to deep maroon interior. Take a bite and you'll become a fan of the intense orange taste that hints of fresh raspberry.

Cara Cara

Available January through April. Their outward appearance is similar to other navels, but their interior is a distinctive pinkish red and has an exceptionally sweet flavor with a tangy cranberry-like zing. Cara Cara's are a rich source of Vitamins A and C, fiber and Lycopene. A perfect snack served as wedges, they're also a colorful addition to beverages or squeezed into a vinaigrette salad dressing.
Brands

Sunkist are from California and Arizona.
http://www.sunkist.com/products/oranges.aspx

Florida Orange
http://www.floridaorange.com/Florida-Oranges-s/97.htm