Oranges - Navel
Orange/Ārani
Availability
New Zealand Navel oranges are available from June to December.
Storage and Handling
Store at room temperature. Handle all fresh produce with care and wash before eating.
History
Oranges originated as a sour fruit growing wild in China. They were cultivated in China perhaps as early as 2500 B.C. Around the first century A.D. Romans obtained the fruit after long sea voyages. The Moors planted orange trees in Northern Africa around the first century A.D. and planting spread to Spain. By 1200 A.D. oranges were widely grown in Spain and Portugal.
Facts
- Oranges are citrus fruit related to mandarins, lemons, limes and grapefruit
- Oranges have a high vitamin C content and played a role in preventing sailors from getting scurvy on long sea trips
- Oranges are the largest of the citrus crops
- Gisborne is New Zealand’s largest supplier of oranges, with Navel oranges accounting for 75% of the total grown in the region
- Navel oranges include varieties such as Navelina, Newhall and Parent Gold
- Navel oranges are usually seedless
Growing Facts
- Oranges grow on evergreen trees that can produce leaves, blossoms and fruit all at the same time
- If oranges are left on the tree they may turn from orange back to green. This does not affect their flavour
- Oranges grow in sub-tropical or semi-tropical regions of Brazil, United States, Mexico, Spain, New Zealand and many more countries
Nutrition Information
Oranges are a good source of folate, vitamins B6 and C and a source of dietary fibre and potassium.
You will find the full Nutrition Information Panel on the New Zealand Food Composition Data website. This website is owned jointly by Plant & Food Research and the Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health. This website holds the most comprehensive collection of high-quality nutrient data for New Zealand foods. The Database is managed and maintained by dedicated Plant & Food Research staff.
