Facts About Oranges

The History of Orange Fruit and Other Fun Facts

Oranges are not only the world's most popular fruit, they're also the star ingredient in our crepes suzette recipe.

Read along and learn where oranges come from and the types of oranges available.

Also, find out how to buy and store them and why they're so good for you!

History of Orange Fruit

In 1493, on his second voyage, Christopher Columbus brought the first orange to America. Later, Ponce de Leon is believed to have been responsible for planting the first orange trees in North America, near St. Augustine, Florida.

In 1769, Spanish missionaries led by Father Junipero Serra planted the first citrus seeds in California.

While oranges were first cultivated commercially around the nineteenth century, orange trees have existed for centuries. They are now produced in countries throughout the world including the U.S., Japan, Brazil, Israel and Australia.

Oranges have been revered for centuries and symbolize love and happiness. For the Japanese, orange blossoms stood for chastity and in the Middle East, oranges represented fertility.

Orange Production Today

Oranges have been produced commercially in Florida since the mid-1800s. Although not native to Florida, the state's sandy soil and subtropical climate turned out to be the ideal nursery for this fruit, which when combined with Florida's other citrus products, is a $9 billion industry.

Florida produces more than 70 percent of the United States' citrus fruits. It is second only to Brazil in the production of the world's orange juice supply.

While California produces just 24 percent of the nation’s oranges, it produces 80 percent of those sold in grocery stores or other markets. Other leading citrus states are Texas and Arizona.

Orange Nutritional Facts

One 8-oz glass of orange juice or 1 medium orange contain nearly 100% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.

Oranges also contain other healthy substances such as Vitamin B, carotene, potassium, and folic acid.

Eating them and drinking their juice regularly helps boost your immune system, lower your cholesterol and may guard against cancer and heart disease.

How to Buy and Store Your Oranges

Smaller oranges tend to be sweeter than larger ones.

Don't rule out oranges with color variations. A perfectly uniform color might be an indication of dyes or additives.

When in doubt, hold the orange up to your nose and sniff. Fragrant oranges are likely to be the tastiest.

Orange will stay fresh for about two weeks on your countertop and will last for up to a month in your refrigerator.

Fun Facts about Oranges

More than 100,000 pieces of fresh fruit are used in this parade which features floats like the jet airliner to the left, which was assembled using fresh oranges.

As a Valencia orange ripens on the tree, it turns orange. However, as the temperature increases, the skin of the orange may reabsorb chlorophyll, accounting for a greener hue.

As nights get cooler in its growing season, the skin of the blood orange intensifies in color.

Frozen orange juice concentrate was introduced in 1940 as part of the National School Lunch Act.

Fresh orange juice, zest and orange liqueur are the key ingredients of what may be the world's most famous dessert, crepes suzette. This dish was reputedly created in 1895 by French chef Henri Charpentier in Monte Carlo.

Sources for more Facts About Oranges:

• Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael T. Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno, 2005.
• The Healing Foods: The Ultimate Authority on the Curative Power of Nutrition by Particia Hausman and Judith Benn Hurley, 1989.
• The New International Encyclopedia, Volume 15, by Daniel Coit Gilman, 1906.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Florida Department of Citrus
• Sunkist Worldwide

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