Tangerine Benefits

Tangerines got their name from the port that first shipped tangerines to Europe, Tangier, Morocco. There are multiple varieties of tangerines from Clementine to Satsuma. Tangerines are also called mandarins, as they are in the same family as mandarin oranges. Tangerines are flatter and more elliptical in shape than oranges and deliver a sweet, tart taste. Most tangerines have a red-orange color but a few varieties have a yellow-green peel.

History

Tangerines originated in China and Southeast Asia. While the fruit was enjoyed for thousands of years in Asia, it did not reach Europe and North America until the 19th century, notes Iowa State University. The first mandarin trees in the U.S. were planted in New Orleans and then brought to Florida in the mid-1800s.

Growing

Tangerine trees need to initially be planted in pots in the fall and winter indoors or a temperature-regulated greenhouse to keep safe and warm during the cold season. While tangerines have a fairly good cold tolerance, young plants can be damaged or killed by freezing temperatures. As the trees mature, their cold tolerances improve, according to Urban Harvest. Tangerine trees do not need to be pruned. Depending on the variety, tangerine harvest is from August to December.

Calories and Nutrition

One medium tangerine contains 50 calories, 13g of carbohydrates, 9g of sugar, 2g of fiber and 1g of protein. A tangerine is considered a healthy snack because it is low in calories and is low in fat, cholesterol-free and sodium-free. A single fruit provides 45 percent of the day's vitamin C, 6 percent of vitamin A and 4 percent of calcium. The Produce for Better Health Foundation states tangerine can be stored in the fridge for two weeks.

Tangerine Peel Benefits

A joint study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and KGK Synergize, a Canadian nutraceutical company, reported in a 2004 article in ScienceDaily, found skin of orange and tangerines contains compounds, called polymethoxylated flavones. These compounds are believed to effectively lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or "bad" cholesterol without affecting the good cholesterol or high-density lipoproteins. The testing was done on animals, but it shows promise for human trials.

Antioxidant Comparisons

Peeling a tangerine provides a higher concentration of one group of antioxidants, while juicing provides a different level of another group of antioxidants, according to a study published in the May 2010 issue of 'The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemicals." The research looked at the different components in juiced versus peeled tangerines which grew in chemical based, chemical safe and organic farms. Additionally the study found organic tangerines had higher overall levels of antioxidants versus the chemical based tangerines.