Tangerine benefits are truly amazing! Tangerine. Mandarin orange. Clementine. A thing that looks like an orange but smaller.
Whether you come from a home that sticks tangerines at the bottom of Christmas stockings or you keep a vessel of this orange fruit as an everyday pop of color in the kitchen, this juicy winter citrus is at its peak now.
As for which term to use, the thing is that they are all very similar in their nutritional profile: Tangerines have just below 40 calories, around 1.5 grams of fiber, lots of powerful flavonoids, and almost as much Vitamin C as you’d expect from a little twin of an orange. Tangerine make absorbing iron much more efficient for the body and got approximately 3 times as much Vitamin A than orange. 1
To keep things simple, we are going with “tangerine” in the below health benefits, but do keep in mind that “clementine” is actually seedless.
Tangerine Benefits
Tangerine is a related variety of orange. In general, this fruit distinguished from orange by its smaller size, easily peelable skin, loose, and sweeter juicy flesh. In Europe, tangerines are also known as mandarin oranges, while in Japan there is a similar seedless variety of mandarin known as satsuma mandarin or Unshu mikan. Just as in orange, mandarins belong within the citrus family (Rutaceae), scientifically called Citrus reticulata.
Mandarin oranges originally come from South-Eastern tropical forests of China. Now, this fruit is widely grown all around the world, as far as South Africa, and California, as a significant commercial crop. 2
Tangerine benefits are much less known (compared to oranges), however, they are really impressive. Here are the health benefits of tangerines:
- Improve Skin and Hair Health
Adequate intake of Vitamin C doesn’t just boost the immune system, can also produce and maintain collagen, a significant protein found in skin and hair. Also, tangerine contains Vitamin A, which has been found to keep the hair moisturized through increased production of sebum. 3 4
- Improve Cognitive Functioning
Certain components of tangerines, such as folate, potassium, and numerous antioxidants are known to be responsible for neurological benefits 5 . Potassium has been associated with increasing blood flow to the brain and enhance neural activity, concentration, and cognition. Folate has been known to reduce the occurrence of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. 6
Moreover, tangerine is loaded with vitamin B6, which can prevent nausea and depression if consumed in adequate amounts. However, make sure not to consume too much.
The vitamin B6 higher limit is set to 100 mg for adults above the age of 18, however, adults do not need that much unless directed by the GP. 7
- Helpful for Pregnant Women and Babies
Tangerine benefits the neural tube formation and formation of red blood cell in prenatal babies due to its great content of B-vitamins and folate. A deficiency of folic acid in pregnancy may lead to the birth of underweight babies and could also result in neural tube defects in infants. 8 9
- Support the Cardiovascular Health
Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber have been known to improve the heart health. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the recommended daily allowance of potassium (4700 mg) isn’t obtained by many people in the U.S. despite the benefits of increased intake of potassium 10 . One research suggested that people who consumed 4069 milligrams of potassium a day had a 49% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared with persons who consumed about 1000 mg daily. 11
- Improve Digestive Health
Tangerines are an amazing source of fiber. Correspondingly, the daily recommended dose of dietary fiber for women and men are 25 grams and 38 grams. Fiber can make one’s movement easier to manage and help prevent constipation. 12
- Maintain a Healthy Blood Pressure
Tangerine is packed with potassium and has low sodium content, which it’s well known due to its high potassium content. A large tangerine has 199 mg of potassium and 2.4 mg of sodium. This aids the blood vessels unwind and maintains normal blood pressure. 13
- Fight Infections
Tangerine benefits the immune system by providing 53% of the Vitamin C daily needs. Vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and reduces cancer-causing free radicals in our bodies. 14
Tangerine Nutrition Facts
A cup of tangerines, raw (around 195 grams) contain 15 :
- 103 calories (5 from fat)
- 1-gram of total fat (saturated fat 0 g and trans fat 0 g)
- 4 grams of sodium
- 26 grams’ total carbohydrate
- 4 grams of dietary fiber
- 21 grams of sugar
- 2 grams of protein
- 87% Vitamin C
- 27% Vitamin A
- 7% Calcium
- 2% Iron
Safety profile
Pesticide sprays are usually applied over citrus yields. Therefore, it’s recommended to wash the mandarin oranges (and every other citrus fruit) in cold running water before usage. Organic fruits do not have any of these chemicals and are perfectly suited for preparation of zest. 16
Conclusion:
Tangerines, also called mandarin oranges, are a juicy and refreshing citrus fruit packed with various nutritious compounds, including potassium, folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and flavonoids, responsible for tangerine benefits. These nutritious components contribute to our health of all parts of our bodies, from cell DNA to the heart and bones.