Pathogens are multiplying and evolving at an alarming rate, and it is because of this that we need to make sure that we’re equipped with the good health to help us combat these everyday threats. One of the best ways to protect your body against illness and disease is by eating a healthy diet.
Vegetables and fruits offer thousands of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that strengthen our immunities and prepare us to face the onslaught of unseen contaminants that we come in contact with everyday. This is the reason why you should make it a point to alter your diet to contain more of these healthy alternatives.
Among the most common and most nutritious fruits is the orange. Jam packed with vitamin C, this healthy tasty treat is known for boosting our defenses against common illnesses. Despite its popularity however, there are some who are still confused about some orange varieties. Mandarin oranges and tangerines, for example, are often mistaken for one another.
What exactly sets these two apart? Read on to find out.
What is a Mandarin Orange?
Sometimes called the mandarine, the mandarin orange is a variety of the typical orange. This particular type of orange differs in taste from its traditional counterparts, presenting with much more sweetness than sourness. What’s more, the mandarin orange is also different in terms of shape. While traditional oranges are rounder, the mandarin orange has flat upper and bottom surfaces making it look more like an oblong when observed from the side. Finally, the mandarin orange’s peel is a lot thinner than other orange varieties, making them much easier to peel.
What is a Tangerine?
The tangerine is another orange variety that is closely related to the mandarin orange. Sometimes, the tangerine is even considered a type of mandarin orange. Tangerines share many of the same characteristics with mandarin oranges, which is why they’re difficult to distinguish from one another. However, genetic studies have shown that both of these orange varieties aren’t completely the same under a microscope. Generally however, tangerines are also less rounded, less sour, and posses a thinner skin compared to traditional oranges – all qualities shared by the mandarin orange.
What Sets Them Apart?
There is very little that sets these two orange varieties apart aside from their genetic make-up. Some tangerines develop a much redder color than mandarin oranges, however, which make them easier to spot and differentiate from its lighter orange counterparts.
