The main difference is the taste. Basically, the hundreds of types of orange belong to two different species. The first of them, Citrus sinensis, brings together sweet oranges, such as lime, bahia, pear and seleta. All of them are appreciated in the preparation of juices, sweets or pure consumption. The second species, Citrus aurantium, concentrates the acidic types, such as sour orange. The rind and pulp are used to make sweets, while the flowers are used to extract perfumes. Oranges are native to Asia, probably from the Malay archipelago – which today includes countries like Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia -, or from southern China, where the fruit was already known 4,000 years ago. In the 16th century, Portuguese colonizers brought the novelty to Brazil.
The adaptation could not have been better: nowadays, our country leads the world in orange production, dominating 33% of the market. Tasty and juicy, the orange also has a captive place in healthy diets.
The main feature of the fruit is the large amount of vitamin C – for an adult, two oranges a day meet the daily needs of the nutrient. It is difficult to avoid confusion with other similar fruits. Many people ask, for example, if the grapefruit or pomelo is nothing more than a larger and more bitter orange. “In fact, the pomelo is a close relative of the orange, but it belongs to another species, Citrus paradisi, native to the Antilles”, says agronomist Ygor da Silva Coelho, from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) in Cruz das Souls (BA).
Sweet varieties are the most consumed in Brazil and worldwide
ORANGE-BAHIA
Appearing in the 19th century from a natural mutation in the state of Bahia, this variety has no seeds and is easy to peel. Because of this, it is the most used orange in the preparation of salads. In some states, the bahia is also known as navel orange, because of a small bump on the underside of the fruit.
ORANGE SELECTION
The researchers believe that it was this type that gave rise to the Bahia orange. In fact, the two varieties are very similar: both are low in acidity, have juicy pulp and pale yellow skin. Currently, seleta has been losing space in the market and its cultivation is done in a reduced way
JAPANESE ORANGE
Despite its name, this small, sour fruit eaten peeled and all does not belong to the same species as oranges: the most common varieties in Brazil, such as kinkan and kunquat, are representatives of the genus Fortunella, a close relative of Citrus, but with some different features. The main one is the small size – so much so that some Japanese “oranges” are grown in bonsai
LIME ORANGE
With its mild, sweet flavor, lime is the least acidic of the popular oranges. Because of this, it is recommended for young children and people with digestive problems. The juicy pulp is great for eating directly, but is not generally used in cooking or industry.
PEAR ORANGE
Easily adapting to different climates, the most important national variety is planted from São Paulo to the North Region and accounts for around 70% of the cultivated area in Brazil. Smaller than other oranges, the pear has a slightly sweet flavor, ideal for making juices or for natural consumption.