Description

Blood orange is a variety of orange. It is the colour of the flesh which has determined the name of the fruit as it resembles the ruby red colour of blood. If squeezed it will result in a red to bright red juice. Sometimes there may be tones or spots of red colour on the skin as well. It is smaller than regular orange but tends to be easier to peel than other oranges. They often have fewer seeds and a sweeter taste. It is a winter fruit, and their season ranges from December through April. Blood orange is a mutated variety of the regular orange. It is the presence of Anthocyanins that makes the flesh of this orange-red color. The colour develops when this citrus fruit ripens during warm days tempered with cooler nights. Anthocyanins, start to develop along the edges of the orange peel and then the edges of the segments and finally moving into the flesh. So they can be lined or streaked with red colour instead of fully blood-colored, which depends on the season of their harvest and their particular variety. Sicily in Italy is the origin of blood orange. Commercial blood oranges are commonly grown in Italy, California and Texas in the US and in Spain. Common varieties of blood orange include: Moro, which is a deeply red-colored and a bit bitter orange. Ruby, which, unlike its name isn't very red inside. Sanguinello, which is a sweet orange with red streaks and a few seeds. Tarocco is very sweet and easy to peel orange. Other varieties of this orange include Burris, Delfino, Khanpur, Red Valencia, Sanguina Doble Fina, Washington Sanguine, and Vaccaro.

Health benefits

• Blood oranges are abundant in vitamin C which supports a lot of metabolic functions in the body and helps in repairing cells, tissues and ensuring healthy gums. It also aids in healing wounds.⁽¹⁾
• They also contain a good amount of folic acid which protects the body against some cancers and heart disease. It also prevents birth defects in unborn babies. Anthocyanins present in blood oranges have anti-inflammatory properties that are good in preventing various diseases. They also protect the body from oxidative damage.⁽¹⁾
• They contain a considerable amount of calcium too which strengthens our teeth and bones and prevents osteoporosis.⁽¹⁾
• Finally, blood oranges are a source of Vitamin A which is responsible for the health of the tissues of the retina. It also keeps the skin healthy and promotes the development of skeletal tissue.⁽¹⁾

Selection Guide

Choose Blood Oranges that are firm and weigh heavy for their size. Check that they are free from blemishes and moldy spots. They should be well-rounded rather than being shrivelled. It is best to choose blood oranges with darker, redder skins as they are more likely to match the flesh.