You might be wondering what are the best of oranges? I’ve always felt a passion for citrus in particular oranges and so I decided to take deep dive into the various varieties. In this article I will review different types of oranges based on four categories Flavor, Texture, Peel, and Appearance.
Seville:
Category 1: flavor
The Seville has an intense bitter flavor that mixes with an overpowering acidic flavor. There is also a tiny hint of sweet but the bitter-sour flavor is more dominant. 4/10
Category 2: texture
The texture is very unpleasant. There are many seeds and since the orange is so small it’s basically impossible to get a bite without seeds. There is also a lot of pulp. 3/10
Category 3: peel
The peel is very thick and firm. It was so hard I wasn’t able to peel it by hand, the only way to get into this orange is by cutting with a knife. 4/10
Category 4: appearance
The Seville is very small, by far the smallest of any orange I’ve seen. Despite its small size it emanates a powerful energy unlike any other. Seville is like an old man who seems fragile and weak on the outside but on the inside he is bitter, boisterous and strong. 7/10
Fun fact: Seville oranges are commonly used for making marmalade. Pectin can be extracted from The pits to be as a thickener in the process.
Overall: 18/40
Navel:
Category 1: flavor
The navel has a pretty standard flavor. It has a gentle sweetness with a hint of tang but it’s quite watered down compared to other more flavorful oranges. 5/10
Category 2: texture
The navel does has not very much pith, which is nice, but the juice sacs are long and thin making a lot of pulp when chewed. 7/10
Category 3: peel
The peel is very uniform and is thin compared to other oranges of its size. It had a comfortable peeling experience, and it came off easily. 9/10
Category 4: appearance
The navel has a classic orange look. The peel is very smooth and consistent and has very few bumps. There is also a small hole at the bottom. The Navel is very tired of his office job, he wishes he could be a model. 7/10
Fun Fact: Navels got their name from their undeveloped twin that grows on the same stem that looks like a belly button.
Overall: 27/40
Golden Nugget:
Category 1: flavor
The golden nugget has subtle sweetness that is not overwhelming. There is a slight tartness that seems to slightly sting the throat. The flavor is similar to a clementine but less concentrated in sweetness. After the initial bite, it left me wanting more juiciness. 7/10
Category 2: texture
The juice sacks were quite small and delicate. Biting into it I barely need to chew due to its softness. The average juice content is 50%. Overall a very pleasant texture with little pith. 7/10
Category 3: peel
The peel is very thin and easily workable. The peel separates from the inner fruit quite easily. 9/10
Category 4: appearance
Definitely not the most attractive orange. It’s small stature gives it a cute casual appearance. The peel is very wrinkly; it resembles a furrowed brow. When the golden nugget interacts with other larger fruit he often gets nervous and wants to go back to his tree. 5/10
Overall 29/40
Sumo:
Category 1: flavor
The sumo has a syrupy sweetness that mixes with a citric acid flavor that instantly hits in the back of the throat. Definitely a good orange for salad dressing or juice. 7/10
Category 2: texture
The sumo has a great texture. There isn’t very much pulp and the skin is thin. It’s also surprisingly satisfying to sink your teeth through. 8/10
Category 3: peel
The peel is moderately thick and it does take a bit of strength to fully finish peeling, but once you start, it isn’t too hard. 6/10
Category 4: appearance
The sumo definitely lives up to its name, with its wide stature and robust features. The moment I saw it I instantly felt like cowering in fear. I would totally lose in a fight against the sumo orange. 9/10
Fun Fact: The sumo was bred in Japan, and is a hybrid of the kiyomi and ponkan.
Overall 30/40
Cara Cara:
Category 1: flavor
The cara cara has a combination of enticing floral flavor and strong honey sweetness. There was little-to-no sour flavor 8/10
Category 2: texture
The texture is a good mixture of pulp and juice, though I did get a couple bites where the juice sacs were empty and it felt like iceberg lettuce. 7/10
Category 3: peel
Basically the same as the Navel only thicker, moderately difficult to peel. 7/10
Category 4: appearance
The outer appearance is similar to the navel only slightly darker, whereas the inside is a beautiful reddish pink. When sliced in half it resembles a severed limb. 9/10
Fun fact: Cara Cara are named after Hacienda Cara Cara, Venezuela where they discovered.
Overall: 31/40
Blood Orange:
Category 1: flavor
The Blood orange has a very complex flavor. Initially I´m hit with a zesty tang that invades the palate, then the sweetness mixes in to create a pleasant sour candy flavor. Sometimes it can be too sour. Mostly after eating a whole blood orange, there will be some flem buildup. This would be a great orange to make into salad dressing. 9/10
Category 2: texture
It has a very firm texture and the skin is very thick. There is also a lot of pith, sometimes you get a bite that is almost half pith and skin. The juice sacs are medium size. 6/10
Category 3: Peel
The peel is very thick and there is a considerable amount of pith in between the peel and the inner fruit making it a longer process to peel. If you bend a piece of the peel, a strong perfumy aroma will spurt into the air. I would recommend using a knife to start peeling it, or you could just cut it into slices. 7/10
Category 4: appearance
The blood orange is by far one of the most beautiful oranges. The peel has a dark reddish color that mixes with the orange color to create an incredible blended look. The inner fruit is a gorgeous purplish color. Each juice sac has a slightly different shade ranging from orangish red to dark purple. From the side, it looks like a mosaic. 10/10
Fun Fact: the reason Blood Oranges have their color is from anthocyanin. It is claimed anthocyanin can help lower blood pressure, improve visual acuity, reduce cancer cell proliferation, inhibit tumor formation, and even prevent diabetes. An Orange a day keeps the doctor away.
Overall: 32/40
You may just think of oranges as just another fruit, but in fact oranges are a way of life. Oranges represent love and compassion even when life is not very sweet. With each bite it reminds us of the simplicity of life. In our lives we are always chasing the next thing whether it’s a new car, a college degree,or more money or more status. What if we were able stop this chase and realize that life is simple, and all we really need is oranges. What if we could stop hating and realize we are all connected to one another just like oranges are connected to their roots. I believe that if we all followed the wisdom of the orange, the world would be a more peaceful place with more harmony and connection to the earth and its people.