Mandarin Orange

The mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata), also known as the mandarin or mandarine, is a small citrus tree fruit. Treated as a distinct species of orange, it is usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. Tangerines are a group of orange-coloured citrus fruit consisting of hybrids of mandarin orange with some pomelo contribution.

Mandarins are smaller and oblate, unlike the spherical common oranges (which are a mandarin–pomelo hybrid). The taste is considered sweeter and stronger than the common orange. A ripe mandarin is firm to slightly soft, heavy for its size, and pebbly-skinned. The peel is thin, loose, with little white mesocarp, so they are usually easier to peel and to split into segments. Hybrids usually have these traits to a lesser degree. The mandarin is tender and is damaged easily by cold. It can be grown in tropical and subtropical areas.

Being one of the top delicious fruits in Viet Nam, mandarin orange (or “Quyt” in Vietnamese) always attracts a lot of domestic and foreign consumers. Originated from China, mandarin orange looks similarly to orange but not as round as orange and has a stronger flavor. Its taste ranges from slightly sour to sweet. It has a thicker shell and is also easier to peel than oranges.

Like orange, mandarin orange is normally peeled and eaten fresh. However, they have loose skin with split segments inside, so you can peel easily by bare hand and do not need a knife to cut them out as orange. There are few seeds inside each segment of mandarin orange. Swallowing a few seeds is not a big problem unless you swallow too much, which is not good for digestion. Besides, since the seed has a bitter taste, it is better to remove them while eating. Due to high Axit content, mandarin orange should not be eaten before breakfast or whenever you are hungry and limited for those who have a poor digestive system. A proper amount of mandarin orange for a person is no more than 3 fruits per day.

Depending on each type, mandarin oranges are cultivated throughout Vietnam. You can find Quyt duong and Quyt hong in Western provinces of Viet Nam like Lai Vung (Dong Thap), Cai Be (Tien Giang) or Long Tri (Hau Giang). Quyt Bac Kan are planted and distributed in Bac Kan province. Quyt ngot mien Nam are grown in Southern provinces like Dong Nai, Can Tho, Vinh Long, etc.

Like many other juicy fruits, mandarin orange is used as a daily dessert, a food ingredient for making main dishes, or simply to satisfies your thirst. Further than that, with a ton of nutrients and valuable uses, they are very good at enhancing your health and preventing some popular diseases.