You ever walked through the fruit section of your grocery store and couldn’t tell the difference between mandarin oranges vs. clementines?
The two oranges look basically the same on the shelf, and they aren’t.
Both mandarin oranges and clementines are amazing sources of Vitamin C to your body. Aside from helping repair cells and tissues in your body, there are many health benefits that Vitamin C gives us with our overall health.
When you’re eating tangerines during the season, nothing beats the sweet citrus taste of the fruit. This is the time they are juiciest and sweet because they have naturally ripened on the tree.
Having an understanding about these types of oranges is important when trying to differentiate them.
So, keep reading to learn about the differences between mandarin oranges and clementines.
Varieties of Oranges
Oranges come in two different classifications, sweet orange, and bitter orange.
Sweet Orange
The varieties that are known scientifically as Citrus x Sinensis, and generally describe the sweet flavor that they will impart when consumed as a snack, or juice.
There are six main varieties of oranges.
Mandarins
Mandarins are hybrids of sweet oranges and belong to citrus family.
Mandarins are a different type of sweet orange than the rest, but they are still considered small sweet oranges being different both in size and sweetness.
Clementine, Satsuma, and Tangerine, are all mandarins and each has its own distribution of characteristics.
Acidless oranges
Acid-less oranges are actually the sweetest varieties without acid and very little flavor. They mostly mature early in the season during the year.
Unfortunately – below are some of the factors which impact their occurrence, the main one being they spoil very fast due to their lack of acid. Hence, they are not usual varieties for the orange farmer.
The common orange
The sweet orange, know around the globe, is the one most commonly used for juicing.
The most likely varieties you will find are the Hamlin and Valencia varieties. But there are many more varieties.
Navel oranges
Most of the sweet oranges found in stores are imported navel varieties.
They are a great snack for kid’s lunch boxes, or for adults to snack on. The types of navel oranges are the California navel and the Cara Cara navel orange.
Pigmented or blood oranges
These types of oranges get their name based on the color of the fruit.
Though originally from Sicily, a mutation caused the oranges to go from orange to red.
Deep red or light red are common types of
- Taroccot
- Moro
- and Maltese blood oranges.
Bitter Oranges
Anyone can easily buy these types but are not the best for snacking or juicing.
They are great for making marmalades, some perfumes, and for flavoring teas.
The common types are Seville and bergamot bitter oranges.
Mandarin Oranges Vs. Clementines: What Are The Differences?
Mandarins and clementines are the two major players in the sweet orange family.
But you’d have to admit that it would be pretty hard to tell one from the other.
They’re the same color, the same size and the same shape. Even the plants are composed of the same leaf morphology.
But they are different species, as well as being dissimilar in many other characteristics.
They include the following.
Definition
The scientific name for mandarin oranges is Citrus reticulata. They are usually a light orange and are small.
The subtropical varieties of mandarin oranges are tangerines, clementines, and satsumas.
The scientific name of clementines is Citrus x Clementina. Therefore, clementines are a form of mandarin oranges; not all mandarin oranges are clementines though.
All clementines, however, come from mandarin oranges. Clementines are noticeably smaller than mandarin oranges, along with differences in oranges color since clementines are a slightly darker color.
Origin
Mandarin oranges were one of the initial species of sweet oranges.
They come from China, India, Japan and the Philippines.
Being grown today all over the world; mandarins will survive cooler climates than sweet oranges but also drier climates and cold will ruin them.
Clementines on the other hand, come from Algeria, a nation in North Africa.
A French priest, Clement was the first to discover a natural hybrid of two types of citrus species by accident in the early 1900’s.
So, the clementine hybrid orange, was named after him.
Clementines are cross-breeds of mandarins and bitter oranges. They are growing in popularity in China where they now grow over 15 million per year for export.
Nutrients
Mandarins have more calories and potassium than Clementines.
A single medium Mandarin orange contains about 50 calories, while a clementine has 40 calories.
However, Clementines have the least amount vitamin C per fruit. Mandarins have vitamin A which clementines do not have.
Skin
Mandarin oranges have a thin skin, which makes them pretty tender to peel.
And, the delicate skin makes them more difficult to ship since they bruise easily.
Clementines have thicker tough skins.
In addition – they are easy to peel, and well protected from any rough handling or shipping.
Seeds
Mandarins have seeds, making them tough for toddlers to eat.
Clementines also have no seeds making them perfect to introduce to weaning babies or a toddler snack! They are also convenient for juicing!
Storage
Mandarin oranges have such thin skin that they can lose moisture really quickly. Because of this, they are good for about 2-3 weeks.
Although clementines have good skin thickness and can keep moisture well. They actually can last the better part of a month under the right conditions!
Number of fruit pieces
whole structure of mandarin oranges has about nine segments of fruit in the fleshy fruit.
On the other hand, clementines may have an excess of ten segments of fruit in the fleshy fruit.
Taste or Flavor
Differences in taste between the two fruits is clear.
Mandarin oranges can have a sharper acidic flavor, particularly when the fruit is grown at higher elevations or in cooler regions.
Mandarins have a stronger aroma than clementines. Whereas clementines primarily taste sweet and possess little aroma.
Ripe Season
Mandarin oranges are in season in the cooler months from November to April. Clementines are in season from October to January.
When harvesting any of these fruits, be sure to choose the biggest ones with the smoothest skin.
A Quick Look At The Differences Between Mandarin Orange Vs. Clementines
Here is a table summarizing the common differences between mandarin oranges and clementines.
| Mandarin Orange | Clementines | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Citrus reticulata | Citrus x Clementina |
| Definition | A type of orange | A type of mandarin |
| Origin | China and parts of Southeast Asia | Algeria in North Africa, China, Italy, and Spain |
| Nutritional Value | Vitamin A More Calories Low potassium levels Lower amounts of Vitamin C High sugar content | No Vitamin A Fewer calorie content High potassium levels Higher amounts of Vitamin C Low sugar content |
| Taste | Sweet with a tart taste | Extra sweet |
| Seeds | Contains seeds | Seedless |
| Storage | Lasts less than 2 weeks. Difficult to transport. | It can last up to a month. Easy to transport |
| Skin | Thin skin that is fragile to peel. Dry out quickly. | Thick skin that is easy to peel off. Well protected to prevent moisture loss. |
| Color | Light orange | Dark orange |
| Number of fruit pieces | 9 parts | 9 – 12 parts |
| Size | Smaller than the standard orange | Smaller than mandarin oranges |
| Fruit Season | Cooler months of November to April | October through to January |
Similarities Of Mandarin Oranges Vs. Clementines
Even though there are tons of differences between these two citrus fruits, they have a lot in common.
Both fruits have a flat look or shape which makes them similar. Both have shinier dark orange skins.
While they are circles like other oranges, they are smaller. And, clementines are smaller than mandarin oranges. They are great as snacks, because their flesh separates better than other oranges.
Mandarin oranges and clementines have fiber, antioxidants and folate to include in our body’s daily intake.
These factors are necessary for our diets, because they help with the immune system and general health.
Interestingly – both fruits specifically do not have vitamin D, but they both have low levels of fat and no cholesterol. Probably the mineral levels in the citrus fruits and protein levels are also low.
But these oranges in some cases cause allergic reactions involving the mouth and throat.
Additionally, the citric acid in both oranges has a lot of value and importance. It is a good food preservation, especially baked foods.
In the health and cosmetic field, it extends their uses.
It is an active ingredient in medicine which kills bacteria as well as lowers urine acidity, and finally, it is used for stain removing.
Conclusion
While there is a great difference in mandarin oranges vs clementines, they are both nutritious.
The major differences between their origins, physical appearance, taste, and nutritional value.
Their sweetness and benefits to the human body make them a necessary and important part of the diet.
When you are at your local grocery store check for these citrus fruits and try to discover the difference.
most of the time clementines are cheaper than mandarin oranges. Just remember-al l clementines are mandarin oranges but not all mandarins oranges are clementines.