Mia Lane
If you are in the supermarket, there are always different citrus fruits. A legitimate question arises: What is the difference between tangerines, oranges, clementines and satsumas?
Winter time is orange time! We love the delicious and healthy citrus fruits! But what is the difference between tangerines, clementines and the like?
These are the differences between tangerines, clementines, oranges, and satsumas
One thing is the same for every tangerine, clementine, satsuma, and orange around the world: the number of pieces. It’s… well… who knows? Nine! We have put together an overview of the differences for you here:
Tangerine
- Where does she come from? Mandarins form the largest group of citrus fruits and are, so to speak, the supergroup of all the fruits mentioned here. The other fruits are all hybrids of the tangerine. It is native to northern India and southwest China.
- How does it taste? The original tangerine tastes rather sour.
- What is special about her? Tangerines only reveal themselves after peeling: one fruit has up to 20 seeds. When the fruit is overripe, the skin separates from the flesh and the tangerine dries up from the inside.
Shelf life: About two weeks.
Clementine
Where does she come from? A cross between a tangerine and an orange. Her homeland is in the Mediterranean. So she has the shortest route to us.
How does it taste? Fruity sweet.
What is special about her? Clementines have a thicker skin than tangerines and are usually a little larger. There is a small hump at the base of the stem. There are few or no seeds in the flesh.
Shelf life: Up to two months.
Satsuma
Where does she come from? Like the clementine, the satsuma is a cross between a tangerine and an orange, but from Japan.
How does it taste? More acidic, sometimes more neutral than clementines.
What is special about her? The skin of the satsuma is thinner and light orange in color. The fruits contain no seeds.
Shelf life: Up to two months.
Orange
Where does she come from? It is a cross between the tangerine and the grapefruit and comes from China or Southeast Asia.
How does it taste? Sweet, less acidic and also less intense than their smaller counterparts.
What is special about her? It is larger than the tangerine and its subspecies and harder to peel. It is the most grown citrus fruit in the world.
Shelf life: About four weeks in the refrigerator.
Difference Between Tangerines And Clementines: Which Citrus Fruit Is The Healthiest?
The vitamin and energy content of tangerines, clementines and satsumas is about the same: around 40 mg of vitamin and around 50 calories per 100 g. The orange contains 50 mg of vitamin C per 100 g.
What is the best way to store citrus fruits?
When storing, you don’t have to consider any differences between tangerines, clementines and the like. But keep in mind that citrus fruits go moldy quickly. They should not be stored in plastic bags, but in an airy place.
How do I recognize ripe tangerines, clementines, oranges and satsumas?
In fact, the search for ripe tangerines, satsumas, oranges and clementines resembles a gamble, because the peel says little about the degree of ripeness. The difference between tangerines and satsumas doesn’t say anything either.
Some varieties have a greenish skin and are still ripe. Anyone who has bought very sour fruit will not benefit from leaving it for a few days. Because citrus fruits no longer ripen after harvesting.
After all, the peel provides information about the juice content. The more fine-pored it feels, the more juice is in it. mmmmmm…
A little tip: Would you like to squeeze an orange? Put them in the microwave for a few seconds beforehand! This will loosen up the firm flesh and a lot more juice will come out.
