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Oranges |
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Oranges have been popular since the ancient times for their multiple functions; the earliest recorded history of oranges was the poem "For Liu Jing-Wen" by Su Dong-Po in the Song Dynasty that wrote: "The good things to be remembered in a year are the times when oranges are yellow, and mandarins are green." Books in the historical archive have also described the uses of oranges; their uses as medicine are also described in the "Kai Bao Ben Tsao" written by Liu Han and Ma Zhi in the Song Dynasty; according to the ancient written references, oranges are of cold sweets that quench thirst, and are best for thirstiness and dryness. |
| Even though we hear the motto “5 veggies everyday” all the time, people rarely achieve this goal. Almost 80% of people lack sufficient amount of vegetable and fruit intake in their daily diet. Fresh vegetables and fruits provide us with high concentration of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need for good health, and also contain large amounts of fibers to assist digestion. The Taiwanese orange is one of the best choices this season. |
| Research indicates that oranges contain high concentrations of vitamin C and bioflavonoids (what we call vitamin P) for effects of coordinating biofunctions; oranges provide a wide range of benefits with great taste; the vitamins and gelatine in the fibers help with gastric digestion and constipation; have some oranges after meals can help rid the greasiness; some oranges after drinking alcohol can also ease the discomfort. |
During the recovery period of a sickness, eating some oranges usually help with urinating and getting back on track with normal metabolism. Thus, orange juice is usually a popular choice in wedding banquets or parties. Additionally, orange peels can also be used in tea beverages or baths with in accompany of ginger.
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How to buy fresh Oranges?
California, Florida, Texas, and Arizona produce our
year-round supply of oranges.
Leading varieties from California and Arizona are the
Washington Navel and the Valencia, both characterized
by a rich orange skin color. The Navel orange,
available from November until early May, has a
thicker, somewhat more pebbled skin than the
Valencia; the skin is more easily removed by hand,
and the segments separate more readily. It is ideally
suited for eating as a whole fruit or in segments in
salads.
The western Valencia orange, available from
late April through October, is excellent either for
juicing or for slicing in salads.
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Florida and Texas orange crops are marketed from
early October until late June. Parson Brown and
Hamlin are early varieties, while the Pineapple orange
— an important, high-quality orange for eating — is
available from late November through March. Florida
and Texas Valencias are marketed from late March
through June.
The Florida Temple orange is available
from early December until early March. Somewhat
like the California Navel, it peels easily, separates
into segments readily, and has excellent flavor.
Oranges are required by strict State regulations to be
mature before being harvested and shipped out of the
producing State. Thus, skin color is not a reliable
index of quality, and a greenish cast or green spots do
not mean that the orange is immature. Often fully
matured oranges will turn greenish (called
“regreening”) late in the marketing season.
Some
oranges are artificially colored to improve their
appearance. This practice has no effect on eating
quality, but artificially colored fruits must be labeled
“color added.”
“Discoloration” is often found on Florida and Texas
oranges, but not on California oranges. This is a tan,
brown, or blackish mottling or specking over the skin.
It has no effect on eating quality, and in fact often
occurs on oranges with thin skin and superior eating
quality.
Look for: Firm and heavy oranges with fresh, brightlooking
skin which is reasonably smooth for the
variety.
Avoid: Light-weight oranges, which are likely to lack
flesh content and juice. Very rough skin texture
indicates abnormally thick skin and less flesh. Dull,
dry skin and spongy texture indicate aging and
deteriorated eating quality. Also avoid decay —
shown by cuts or skin punctures, soft spots on the
surface, and discolored, weakened areas of skin
around the stem end or button.
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Special fruits for this week
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