Tulare County Office of Education Network for a Healthy California Oranges

Reasons to Eat Oranges Not only are oranges full of vitamin C, they also are a source of fiber, B-vitamins, thiamin and folate. Folate helps to prevent birth defects and helps make red blood cells.

Champion Sources of Folate Asparagus Avocados Blackeye Peas Broccoli Okra Pinto Beans Spinach

Reasons to Eat Oranges Your body does not store vitamin C and B-complex vitamins, like folate and thiamin. It is important to eat a healthy diet every day to replace those nutrients.

Botanical Facts Oranges are a kind of hesperidium, or berry, because they have many seeds and are fleshy and soft.

All citrus trees are of the single genus Citrus. There is only one “super species,” which includes lemons, limes and oranges. The original orange was bitter and called the “sour orange”. Botanical Facts

How Do Oranges Grow? Oranges grow on evergreen trees, which thrive in warm climates. Protection from frost is critical. Growers in California place fans above the trees to circulate warmer air above the grove with colder air near the ground.

Frost Damaged Fruit When the fruit is damaged, no one will buy it so the farmers lose money.

Home Grown Facts Navels and Valencias are the two main orange varieties grown in California. The major orange growing areas in California are the San Joaquin Valley and the coastal area from Santa Barbara to the San Diego/Mexican border. Check out the map on the next slide.

Why do you think oranges grow best in the San Joaquin Valley and along the coastline? Home Grown Facts

Navel oranges are the most popular “eating” orange in the world. They got their name because the bottom looks like a bellybutton or navel. Navel Oranges

Valencia Oranges As Valencias ripen on the tree, they go from green to yellow-orange. When the weather becomes warm the oranges regain a little green tinge. This is the chlorophyll returning to the peel. They are still sweet and juicy to eat! This process is called “re-greening”.

Do the Math Two to four medium oranges = 1 cup of juice. Two medium oranges = 1 cup of bite-size pieces. One medium orange = 10 to 12 sections. One medium orange = 4 teaspoons of grated peel (zest)

1.Name one thing that folate does. Helps make red blood cells / prevents birth defects. 2. Oranges are a type of berry. 3. Oranges thrive in cool climates. They like warm climates. 4.How did Navel oranges get their name? Because the end looks like a navel or belly button. 5.Your body does not store vitamin C. Test Your Knowledge

Tasting Trio Sunny Breezy Salad Ingredients: 10 oz. raw spinach 10 Clementine Cutie mandarins 3 oz. Lite-Asian Sesame dressing Preparation: 1.Wash spinach and pat dry with a paper towel. 2.Peel the mandarins and separate them into individual segments. 3.Combine the spinach, segments, and dressing in a large bowl. 4. Mix until thoroughly coated. 5.Serve a ¼ cup of salad with two mandarin segments on a paper plate.

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