Oranges vs. Mandarins – What’s the Difference?

One of the best feelings we can experience is sitting under the sun and eating oranges while socializing with our family or friends. Oranges are an excellent source of Vitamin C, which acts as an anti-oxidant and provides numerous health benefits to our body. There are plenty of different citrus fruits containing good amounts of Vitamin C.

There are tangerines, Grapefruit, Mandarins etc. But not all of them are made the same, and they have differences that set them apart from each other, other than their appearance. These may include things like taste, health benefits, and uses. But most people today don’t understand these basic differences. So when they are at the supermarket and see a bunch of oranges, mandarins, and tangerines laying together, they get confused in choosing which one to buy. This way, they end up buying something they don’t like. 

But in this article, we will talk about the differences between two citrus fruits: mandarins and oranges. Please keep on reading to find out all you need to know about Oranges and Mandarins, so the next time you go to the supermarket, you can make an informed decision and choose a citrus fruit that meets your needs. 

Mandarins

Mandarins come from the Citrus family, which is also known as Rutaceae. These tangy fruits are oranges, but they have some differences apart from the classic Orange. Like Oranges, Mandarins also grow on trees, from where they are picked using a harvester, cleaned, packed, and then shipped. But Mandarins are not as round as oranges, and they are smaller. 

The top and bottom of a Mandarins are flatter than an orange (as if someone has pressed an orange from both sides). Mandarins usually also have a deeper and darker shade of Orange on their peel than oranges; it is also quite smooth, which gives it a much shinier appearance than an orange. The peel of a mandarin is also softer and easier to get rid of than a peel of an orange, which we struggle with a lot. You can also eat the peel of Mandarin if you want, unlike the peel of Orange, which is completely inedible. But we won’t recommend doing that as it is quite an unpleasant experience. 

The fleshy part of a mandarin is usually enveloped in a fibrous layer, which acts as a protection layer for the flesh; This fibrous layer is edible, although it is ideally removed because of its bitter taste. So, these are the small differences that oranges and Mandarins have; other than that; they are similar. But Mandarins are almost the same as Tangerines, so if you get confused between these two, just know that they are the same thing.

Taste and Texture

You can eat the whole mandarin if you want, including the peel. But the peel is often extremely bitter, and usually, it is trashed. The fleshy part of Mandarin is a lot sweeter than an orange, but it also has a tinge of sourness. A bite of Mandarin is enough to make you feel refreshed; this is partly because of Vitamin C, which acts as an anti-oxidant and can have refreshing qualities. 

Oranges

Like Mandarins, Oranges also belong to the Rutaceae family (a.k.a the citrus family). These tasty citrus fruits are only second to the grapefruit and are quite large. They have an overall round shape, much rounder than a Mandarin. The peel of an orange is pretty rough with an oily feel to it, while its color is much brighter than Mandarin. 

Because of the hard outer peel, it is difficult to peel an orange, and in some varieties, people use knives to cut through it. The inner fleshy part is divided into small segments, each of which is coated with a fibrous coating that protects the flesh from external damage and insects. This coating is edible, but people usually like to discard it, as it is bitter. 

Oranges come in different shapes and sizes; they can also have a different flavor depending on their type and growing conditions. Some of the popular varieties of Oranges include Navel, CaraCara, Blood orange, and Valencia. Navel or Valencia are what you would describe as the typical oranges. The standard Orange with the same orange color and tangy flavor. On the other hand, CaraCara and Blood orange have some unique alteration in their taste and color that separates them from the usual or typical oranges.

But these differences can only be observed once you open up the oranges. The inside of the CaraCara orange is pinkish, resembling the color of tuna; on the other hand, blood orange is deep red, resembling the color of blood. The Exterior of all the oranges is pretty much the same.

Taste and Texture

Like Mandarins, Oranges are fully edible, even the peel. But edible doesn’t mean that you should be eating it, as the peel can be pretty bitter. But you do get a lot of finer when you eat the peel, but in any case, we don’t recommend eating it unless you are using it to make zest, which can be used to add that zesty flavor to your dishes. 

The flesh of an Orange is usually sweet and tangy. The sweetness is something we all want in our oranges, but it depends on the Orange’s ripeness. Generally, the sweetness of the Orange increases as it gets riper. Oranges usually have a leathery or waxy texture on their pee, while the inside of it is squishy and fibrous because of the layer of fibrous covering. 

So What’s the Difference Between Orange and Mandarin?

• Mandarins usually also have a deeper and darker shade of Orange on their peel than oranges; it is also quite smooth, which gives it a much shinier appearance than an orange.
• The peel of a mandarin is also softer and easy to get rid of than a peel of an orange.
• Mandarins are not as round as oranges, and they are smaller too.

Sources

• Foodstruck
• Wbmd
• Sandjmandarins