50% of the Population Doesn’t Know How to Eat Tangerines Properly

This time of year offers the ideal opportunity to hunker in a cozy room and indulge in delicious tangerines. Tangerines are in season and renowned for their exceptional sweetness. Furthermore, they are packed with vitamin C, making them an excellent nutritional choice during winter. It’s easy to find yourself rapidly consuming an entire box when these delectable fruits are within arm’s reach. But have you ever wondered how many tangerines you should enjoy in a day or if there are ways to enhance their flavor? Let’s explore these questions together.

Can you eat the white fuzz attached to the tangerine segments?

The white fuzz attached to tangerine segments is fibrous, known as a pith. These piths are rich in pectin and hesperidin. Pectin protects beneficial bacteria in the intestines and, along with hesperidin, strengthens capillaries. It’s also known to lower bad cholesterol levels, helping to prevent diabetes and high blood pressure, and it regulates intestinal moisture to relieve constipation and suppress diarrhea.

Eat it raw, but consume it with the tangerine pith

It’s best to consume tangerines raw with the tangerine pith rather than juicing or blending them. Even though they’re good for you, eating them in moderation is best. Consuming about 100g (3.5 oz) of tangerines at a time is recommended as a snack. Tangerines contain a lot of simple sugars, which can rapidly increase blood sugar levels, so if you have diabetes, you should be careful not to overconsume.

Does eating too many tangerines cause your face to turn yellow?

If you eat too many tangerines at once, your hands, feet, and face can turn yellow. This is due to the carotene in tangerines, a red pigment commonly found in green or yellow plant-based foods like carrots or sweet potatoes. If you eat a lot of tangerines, this carotene can accumulate in your body, causing a yellow pigment deposition, known as carotenemia, in your palms, soles, and forehead. This condition naturally disappears without any particular treatment if you avoid consuming carotene.

Why does a tangerine taste sweeter when you squeeze it?

A tangerine tastes sweeter when you squeeze it due to the action of enzymes caused by the increase in temperature. Tangerines contain an enzyme called aconitase, which breaks down the sour taste as the temperature rises. When you squeeze a tangerine, the external shock raises the temperature, reducing the amount of acid that gives the sour taste. While the sweetness level remains constant, the decrease in sourness makes the tangerine taste relatively sweeter.

Microwaving tangerines increases their sweetness

You can enjoy a new texture and sweetness by roasting tangerines by microwaving them or using an air fryer. If using an air fryer, cut the tangerine in half and roast it with the peel on for about 10 minutes. If you don’t want the peel to burn, wrap it lightly in aluminum foil.

How to choose a sweet tangerine

To choose a delicious tangerine, opt for ones that are medium or slightly smaller than medium in size. Generally, if a tangerine is too large, it tends to taste bland, and if it’s too small, it can have a strong sour taste along with the sweetness. When buying, also pay attention to the stem of the tangerine. A fresh tangerine has a thin, green stem, and tangerines with a rough surface around the stem tend to have a higher sugar content.

What to do if mold grows on a tangerine

Sometimes, mold can develop if tangerines are left neglected or too closely packed. Never pick off the moldy part and eat the rest! If a tangerine has mold, you should throw it away without hesitation. Even if it looks fine on the outside, in soft, moist fruits like tangerines, the mold can infiltrate deeply into the fruit.

The correct way to wash tangerines

It’s best to wash tangerines as soon as you buy them before storing them. This can wash off mold spores as well as pesticide residues. After washing them thoroughly, dry them well and store them at a temperature of about 3 – 4℃ (37.4 – 39.2°F) in a well-ventilated area with newspaper underneath. If stored in a sealed state, alcohol can be produced and smelled. In environments below 1℃ (33.8°F), they are prone to frostbite.

Precautions when consuming tangerines

Tangerines contain more citric acid, which gives a sour taste, compared to other fruits, so those with a weak stomach or pregnant women should be cautious when consuming them. However, the acid content of a typical tangerine is around 1%, so it doesn’t pose a significant burden. Since everyone’s tolerance varies, if you feel a sour stomach after eating a tangerine, it’s better to consume it after meals rather than on an empty stomach.

How to use every part of a tangerine efficiently

Tangerines, including the peel, can be used in various ways. You can slice and dry the peel in tangerine tea or tangerine jam. Before using the peel, soak it in water with vinegar, salt, or baking soda for 5-10 minutes, then wash it clean. The peel of tangerine contains more flavonoids than its flesh and is also used as a herbal medicine.

By. Deok Soo Choi