The promoter of the Portuguese gastronomy, Maria de Lourdes Modesto, gave them first reference honours in one of the many books she left us, stating that orange is, definitely, the most appreciated citrus fruit in Portugal, the tangerine being some sort of aromatic small orange with a very particular flavour. In both cases, she highlighted, although most commonly consumed fresh, they are a great ingredient for cooking , aromatizing different sweet and savoury dishes, sometimes using also the peel. Both orange and tangerine are winter fruits, this being the best season to consume them . Oranges are for sale all year long, since they are very easy to preserve and there are many mid-season varieties and late varieties that go until August – but the same does not apply to tangerines, which are exclusive of the coldest months. Did you know that: Oranges are of millenary origin, in Asia, and its culture in the Iberian Peninsula was developed by the Arabs. In the 16 th century, the Portuguese played an important role in the dissemination of sweet oranges to other geographies . Portugal is referred in many international publications as having some of the best oranges in the world. For instance, the orange species planted on the Tuileries Garden, in Paris, in the 17 th century, came from Portugal. “The sweet orange from Portugal”, as it was preached by sellers, was the great novelty at the time, for the ones the French knew then were bitter varieties, which they used to make jam. There are many varieties of oranges, but the most famous are Valencia and Navel. Among us, the oranges grown in the Algarve enjoy special prestige, but also those from Vidigueira (Alentejo) and Setúbal. Portugal is the fourth producer of oranges in the European Union, with around 340 thousand tons annually, but also has to import some in order to satisfy the high demand. Tangerine has also been grown for long in Asia, but its introduction in Europe is more recent. The clementine variety, resulting from a cross between tangerine and bitter orange, reaches ripeness from November to February, and has a peculiar and slightly acidic taste. A 100 g orange contains 2 g of fibre (that is, 8% the daily recommended dose – DRD), 53.2 mg of vitamin C (66.5% DRD), 181 mg of potassium (9.1% DRD) and 40 mg of calcium (5% DRD). A medium tangerine (88 g) provides 26% of DRD vitamin C. Practical advice: Tangerines can be used in recipes in alternative to oranges, however taking into consideration the fact that they are sweeter . Oranges and tangerines should be consumed when ripe and should be kept (whole) at room temperature, thus maintaining a perfect condition for weeks. If you wish to peel/cut them in advance, they should be kept in a recipient in the fridge. When you make juice, it should be consumed shortly after. However, remember that it is always preferable to consume the whole fruit, for it contains fibre, while the juice has more sugar and calories (you need more than one orange to fill up a glass of juice). When buying oranges and tangerines, better follow the experience of Maria de Lourdes Modesto: “ Pay attention to the appearance of its peel, which should be smooth, fine and shiny. There are also good quality varieties with rough skin, but they are less juicy ”. Sources: Doze meses de cozinha (Twelve months of cuisine), Maria de Lourdes Modesto, 1975 National Program for the Promotion of Healthy Eating (DGS) Oranges: nutrients, benefits, juice, and more , Healthline 9 intriguing benefits of tangerines , Healthline Read the recipes by our nutritionists Alexandra Lima , Maria Inês Cardoso , Mónica Santos , Sara Moço , Raquel Barbosa and Simone Fernandes . Meet the nutrition clinical team from Hospital da Luz network.
