Growing up in Florida means I've had more than my fair share of fresh oranges and orange juice. This popular citrus fruit goes well with pretty much any breakfast and is also great as a snack when you're craving something sweet.
If you're suffering from acid reflux disease or just generally get heartburn or acid reflux when you eat certain foods, it could be an indication that you need to eat more alkaline foods and cut back on the acidity you're consuming. This poses the question, are oranges acidic?
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Are Oranges Acidic?
Oranges are acidic fruits. Since they're in the citrus family, you probably already assumed that they were. The pH of oranges can vary depending on several factors, such as where they're grown. Generally speaking, oranges have a pH of 3.6 to 4.3. This pH rating means that they're a very acidic fruit.
Is Orange Juice Acidic?
It's safe to say that since oranges are acidic, the juice that some from them is too. But, orange juice tends to be slightly more acidic than the fruit in its natural form. Orange juice has a pH that ranges from 3.3 to 4.3.
Can I Consume Oranges and Orange Products with Acid Reflux?
You know your body better than anyone, and this will depend on your body. If you've eaten oranges or drank orange juice before without experiencing any adverse side effects, then you may be able to continue consuming oranges. But, the biggest thing is to listen to your body.
If you begin feeling uncomfortable, you'll want to stop eating oranges. The best thing you can do is to talk to your doctor about what's the best move for you.
Are Oranges Healthy?
Oranges are healthy! Most people know that oranges are a great source of vitamin C, but there's so much more to these fruits than vitamin C. But, if you're looking to get more vitamin C in your diet, oranges are the way to go. One large orange contains over 100% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.
Oranges are packed with fiber. One large orange contains roughly 18% of your recommended daily intake (RDI) of fiber! Fiber helps aid in digestion and keeps everything moving smoothly in your digestive tract.
These fruits are also rich in potassium. Consuming the appropriate amount of potassium helps keep your heart healthy. It can even help improve your blood pressure if that's something you're struggling with.
This may not be a surprise to you, but these citrus fruits are rich in citric acid. Citric acid may be able to help prevent your body from developing kidney stones.
Finally, oranges are a great source of folate and thiamine. Both folate and thiamine are essential B vitamins that our bodies need.
Where do Most of The World's Oranges Come From?
Oranges are tropical fruit and thrive in subtropical and tropical environments. Today, oranges are grown in subtropical and tropical America, the Meditteranean, Australia, and South Africa. But where do the most come from?
The country that produces the most oranges in the world is Brazil, with over 15 million metric tons annually. China comes in second place for worldwide production of oranges, but they're not even close to Brazil. China produces roughly 7 million metric tons annually.
After China, the European Union has 6 million metric tons annually, and then the United States with 4.6 million metric tons. In the United States, Florida and California are responsible for most of the country's orange crop.
Even though the United States comes in fourth on orange production, they come in second for orange juice production, following behind Brazil.
Where Did Oranges Originate?
Even though oranges are now grown in many parts of the world, it wasn't always that way. Historians have gathered information that has allowed them to pinpoint the possible origin for what we now know as oranges.
Evidence suggests that oranges originated in what we now know as Southeast China. Oranges have been cultivated in this area of the world, including India, for 7,000 years since 2,500 BCE. They were initially grown in Southeast China before showing up in India and then in other parts of the world.
How Many Types of Oranges Are There?
As with most fruits and veggies on our planet, there's more than one type of orange. There are even more than ten types of oranges. There are over 400 different orange varieties on our planet. If you're wondering what some of the most popular oranges are, here are a few to get you started:
- Valencia
- Hart's Tardiff Valencia
- Hamlin
- Blood Orange
- Naval
- Mandarin
- Acid-Less Orange
- Clementine
- Bergamot Orange
- Cara Cara Navel
RELATED: Is Table Salt Acidic or Alkaline?
Fun Facts About Oranges
Everyone loves a fun fact. Whether you're trying to impress someone at a party with your orange knowledge or are genuinely curious, here are some of the best facts about oranges:
- Oranges are very resistant to pests. Therefore, more oranges are killed due to lightning strikes than plant diseases and pests
- The country of Spain has more than 35 million orange trees
- Oranges are the largest citrus fruit in the entire world
- You can use orange peels to help remove grease stains
- Originally, the name "orange" was only to describe the color of the fruit, and then it stuck
RELATED: Are Nectarines Acidic? (What’s their pH?)
The Life of an Orange Tree
If you're planning on growing an orange tree in your backyard or are just curious about orange trees, let's take a look at the life of orange trees.
Once you've planted an orange tree, it takes anywhere from three to five years before it will begin producing fruit. Once your tree starts producing fruit, it will take as long as eight months for the oranges to ripen.
Most orange trees live for 50 to 150 years, and each orange tree can produce 100 to 300 oranges per yield. That means an orange tree can produce as little as 5,000 oranges in its lifetime to as much as 45,000 oranges.
Don't know what to drink? Check out these articles: 20 Most and Least Acidic Juices and 20+ Alcoholic Drinks Ranked by Acidity Level