1. Sugar Content of Oranges Ranks in the Middle Among Fruit
Whether you are a diabetic or just watching caloric intake, you know that all fruit contains natural sugars and therefore calories. But that happens with wide variation: a half-cup serving (about the size of a tennis ball) of oranges delivers between 38 and 70 calories, depending on variety, according to The Complete Book of Food Counts (Corinne T. Netzer, Dell Publishing). Compare that to watermelon and strawberries (about 25 calories), apples (81), bananas (105-130) and raisins (110-130), and you see that oranges fall in the middle.
2. Considerable Nutrient Benefits Ride with the Sugar
Like all fruits and vegetables, oranges contain much more than calories. For starters, the vitamin C content of a single orange contains more than 100 percent of the daily-recommended amount for an adult. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, a substance that quells free radicals thought to contribute to various cancers, asthma, osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions. It also can reduce cholesterol and generally contributes to a healthier immune system - hence its reputation for preventing colds. Other nutrients present in oranges: thiamin, folate, Vitamin A, potassium and calcium.
3. Whole Oranges Differ from Orange Juice
According to the US Department of Agriculture, Americans consume about 44 percent of their fruits in juice form. So is something lost or gained in that? Animal studies show that orange juice still has a cancer-prevention effect. But fiber in oranges is reduced in even pulpy juice versions while the sugar tends to concentrate, adding about a third more calories in the juice variety (84 calories versus 62). Be sure to look for "100% juice" on the label of orange juices, because other varieties (look for the words "drink, beverage, -ades, blends and cocktails") tend to have fewer antioxidants and more sugar and calories. And if you make your own juices from whole fruit, use a blender that retains the entire fruit instead of juicers that discard the pulp.
4. Sugar in All Forms Affects Diabetes and Blood Sugar
As most diabetics know, it is smart to avoid rapid rises in blood glucose. But the presence of other, slower digesting foods can affect how a higher-sugar item is absorbed (e.g., a whole orange with pulp versus orange juice with no pulp). When someone eats protein and fat, such as in an egg, along with the orange juice, the latter will be less likely to spike sugar levels.
5. Orange Varieties Differ in Sweetness
Sweet oranges include navel varieties (Washington, Trovita, Cara Cara, Lane Late and Robertson), that are seasonal in availability. The more unusual blood oranges (Moro, Sanquinelli and Tarocco) are exotic in both appearance and taste, while Mandarins (which also include Clementine and Tangerine varieties) are favored for easy peeling and snack sizes. Note that canned orange slices generally are packed in sugary syrup, which adds calories. But weather conditions can greatly affect sweetness and sugar content in any variety-hence the caloric content variability in oranges.
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