Oranges Were Once Only For 'Rich People'

Oranges are grown in the tropical areas of North and South America, Asia and Africa.

One hundred years ago, when my father was a boy, oranges were only for ’rich people’, so he received one orange a year in the toe of his Christmas stocking. He treasured this annual bounty by sucking the juice from it on Christmas day. On the second day, he opened the orange and ate the pulp. On the third day, he ate the skin. Things have changed greatly over the years and now oranges are inexpensive and available everywhere.

Oranges are naturally variable in their color, especially early in the season. They may be dyed to a uniform orange color by using a vegetable dye. Oranges so treated are stamped ‘color added’. Oranges may be ripened in rooms with ethylene gas. This is a harmless procedure which augments the natural ethylene gas that is produced by most ripening fruit.

There are two popular varieties of orange, the navel orange, which has a thick skin and is seedless, and the Valencia or juice orange which is thin skinned and has seeds. There is also a sour orange, as differentiated from the sweet orange, that has no popular commercial use.

Frozen orange juice concentrate was developed in the 1940’s as an efficient way to market their product.

Oranges are rich in vitamin C, one orange supplies a person’s daily need. They are also a source of dietary fiber and supply folate as well as the minerals, potassium, calcium and magnesium. The white skin under the peel contains the Bioflavonoids for which citrus fruits are noted, so eating this part of the orange is very good for your health.

(R.D.)

Oranges, raw, navels, 1 fruit

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005)