The Antioxidant Magic Of Blood Oranges
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blood oranges with Cara cara oranges
Have you ever thought about where your fruits come from and why they look the way they do?
Growing up in L.A., we mostly ate navel oranges. I can’t remember what other types we had, but they all looked the same: they were orange inside and out!
But my kids are more sophisticated with their fruits. They go through phases with their citrus. A few months ago, they were eating Satsuma mandarins by the boatload. Then Cara cara navel oranges. This month they are addicted to blood oranges. We have a whole drawer full of them in our fridge!
Today, we got curious. And this is what we discovered:
Blood oranges get their distinctly “bloody” maroon color from the high amount of anthocyanin polyphenols, which are antioxidants, common in many fruits like blueberries, raspberries and Concord grapes but very unusual in citrus. They are native to Italy and the Southern Mediterranean, where they have been cultivated since the 18th century.
What does a blood orange taste like? It tastes a bit like raspberry with a hint of tartness in addition to the orange flavor.
In addition to being divine when eaten by itself, it also goes well with sliced fennel, olive oil and a little apple cider vinegar.
What’s your favorite variety of orange? Leave a comment!
