Clementines are a type of mandarin orange. They are small, easy to peel and free of seeds. They are a favorite of many children because they are easy to eat and are sweeter than other types of oranges. While it may be tempting to eat several clementines at a time, you may experience side effects if you eat too many due to the vitamin C content and the acidity in the fruit.
Vitamin C
The daily-recommended allowance of vitamin C is between 75 and 90 mg per day. To put this into perspective, a Clementine has 36 mg of vitamin C. Thus, eating two to three clementines would be all the vitamin C you would need in a day. When you factor in vitamin C from other sources, or if you eat more than two to three clementines a day, you may well exceed this amount.
Vitamin C Side Effects
Medline Plus recommends that individuals stay below 2,000 mg of vitamin C per day to avoid side effects. To get this much vitamin C from clementines alone, you would have to eat 56 in one day, an amount that is highly unlikely -- and far over the daily-recommended allowance -- unless you are a competitive eater. Regardless, excessive vitamin C intake most often results in diarrhea, stomach cramping, migraines and possible kidney stones.
Nutritional Deficiency
Eating too many clementines may cause you to be deficient on other vitamins and nutrients needed for optimal health. You need a wide variety of foods to fulfill your daily nutrition needs. Eating too much of one food will fill you up and prevent you from eating other foods. For example, if you eat several clementines at each meal, you may not be hungry enough to eat other foods with needed nutrients such as calcium and protein.
Increased Blood Sugar
Some individuals may experience increased blood sugar from eating too many clementines. They contain 9 g of carbohydrates in each piece of fruit. Anyone with diabetes should use caution when eating clementines and other fruits that may cause the blood sugar to spike. Balancing sugar intake with protein, getting physical exercise and checking blood sugar levels routinely are all important in maintaining a healthy blood sugar. Each person's body responds differently to sugar intake, including natural sugar in fruit.
