What Citrus "Type" Are You?

 Spring is in the air, and love is all around as nature celebrates the warmer, beautiful weather. This is the time of year when we start to see pairings happen across the animal kingdom. It's also a time when us humans find some pep in our step (if we're not battling pollen allergies, but that's a topic for the next blog) and sparkle in our eye. We are ready to begin anew, to make new friends and try new things. 

As with anything in life, some people, places, and things are well matched to us, and others may be not so much. We often refer to good matches as our "type," i.e. "This is my type of person," or "This is my type of food." While all citrus varieties are great, have you ever considered which one is most your "type?" Let's look at a few varieties and see what kind of person matches each to make a perfect pear--er, pair!

The Classic Style Person: Navel Orange

Clean lines, sweet fruit, no pesky seeds: the classic navel orange is perfect for the person who likes solid colors, a put together look, an organized life, and a definitive style that, like their fruit counterpart, is straightforward and satisfying. Classic Navel people have happy childhood memories that inform their current life, They love traditions and holidays, family time and healthy routines. 

The Carefree Outdoorsperson: Honeybell

 

The Honeybell lover knows all about the seasons, impermanence, and enjoying the sweetness of life in all of its various stages. Honeybells have a relatively shorter season than other varieties, and as such are particularly treasured during the two short months in late winter and early spring when they can be harvested. Honeybell lovers tend to flow freely between the seasons, treasuring each experience along the way.

The Cutie: Tangerine

Six-year old Ami, pictured above, describes herself as artistic, hungry, funny, fun-loving, colorful, and active. These traits are a perfect match for the easy-peel tangerine. They are so simple to peel and eat, and each segment is like a little piece of nature candy (but a whole lot healthier)! Tangerines are a great match for kids and kids-at-heart. If you are on the go and move a little quicker than average, tangerines are your match!

The Health and Wellness Guru: Grapefruit

Grapefruit are less recognized than oranges and tangerines because, in addition to the sweet juiciness that all citrus fruits contain, they can also have mild to strong bitter notes. This taste is lauded by health aficionados as being exceptionally good for you, as it comes from a flavonoid called naringin. Bitterness is usually associated with the rind of most citrus fruits; in grapefruit, it is also infused into the flesh, making the naringin more bioavailable. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that are powerful allies in keeping the body disease-free. Health-conscious folks are drawn to grapefruit for this reason, and like their favorite fruits, folks committed to daily healthy habits are willing to take the bitter and the sweet together to reap the benefits. Want to lessen the bitter notes but keep the health benefits of naringin? Try sprinkling some salt on your grapefruit slices, wedges, or halves!

The Cultured Foodie: Cara Cara

Also known as scarlet navels, Cara Cara oranges have all the a-"peel" of classic navels, with a dramatic twist: their flesh is a vibrant red color, reminiscent of stunning sunsets after a stormy afternoon. Like their classic navel cousins, they are seedless and satisfying. They are also a great choice for making a unique and very healthy red orange juice! These oranges pair well with more spicy, fiery, passionate personalities, and especially those with flair who like to wear red and make a dramatic statement.

Can't decide? No problem! Unlike human to human matches, in the case of citrus you can change your type depending on the day. You can be fickle. You can even match with two or more varieties at the same time and not cause any scandal at all. 

What's your citrus type today?

Sources:

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-are-flavonoids

https://www.womansworld.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/grapefruit-bitter-flavor

www.orangesonline.com

Citrus Solutions for St. Party's Day

No, that wasn't a typo: Saint Patrick's Day, often abbreviated as St. Patty's, is renowned for enthusiastic celebrations and libations. They say everyone has a wee bit o' Irish in them on St. Patty's. What, ye may ask, are we celebrating as we raise a glass and exclaim "Slainte!" with a hearty clink? And what does citrus have to do with it?

More than one thousand years ago on March 17 of the year 461, the patron saint of Ireland--Saint Patrick--died. A few centuries later, the anniversary of his death became a religious holiday in Ireland. Families would pay homage to Saint Patrick in church in the morning and then celebrate for the rest of the day and into the evening. Since this celebration involved corned beef and beer, the celebration tended to become more, er, celebratory as the night wore on. This tradition continues today, not only in Ireland but in countries where there is a significant Irish diaspora, such as the United States, Canada, and Ireland.

Who Was Saint Patrick?

Saint Patrick was known as the patron saint of Ireland. A man named Patrick, born in the late fourth century in Britain, was captured, enslaved, and brought to Ireland at the age of sixteen. There he lived six difficult years as a herder. He managed to escape to another region of Europe, where he became a priest. He then returned to the land of his enslavement and brought his ministry with him. He used a shamrock to represent the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.

Why So Much Celebration?

St. Patrick's Day has become synonymous to many as a celebration of Irish culture versus its origins as a religious holiday commemorating the coming of Christianity to Ireland a millennium ago.  This is a welcome thing for many, as not everyone was or is pleased with the historical fact that the "bringing of Christianity" also meant diminishing pre-Christian Celtic traditions, which are also deeply imbued in Irish identity. Honoring the richness of Irish history, culture, and traditions has become something truly worthy of a grand celebration.

What Does All of This Have to Do With Citrus?

Oranges and other sweet citrus fruits did not come to Ireland until about the 16th century, when shipping trade routes brought the tastes of Spain, Asia and other conducive citrus climates to the northern lands. As such, while oranges were not a part of the original celebrations, it became a symbolic fruit representing the "pot'o gold" at the end of the leprechaun's rainbow, as well as a popular way to show off one of the three colors of the Irish flag. In fact, orange is such an important color in Irish culture that we wrote a whole blog on it!

Citrus also comes in handy after St. Patrick's festivities have ended, as all citrus fruits are powerful hangover remedies. The high vitamin C and water content help the body retain glutathione for liver detoxification. It is much better to eat the whole fruits versus juice, which can spike sugar levels.

So raise a wedge o' citrus to your health. From all of us at Florida Fruit Shippers: Happy Saint Patrick's Day! 

Sources:

https://www.bhg.com/holidays/st-patricks-day/traditions/what-is-st-patricks-day/

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/zest-in-show

https://www.worldatlas.com/culture/what-do-leprechauns-have-to-do-with-saint-patrick-s-day.html

https://www.thedailyview.com/what-do-leprechauns-eat/

https://darkageshistory.com/the-pre-christian-beliefs-of-the-irish-celts/

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/food/healthy-eating/a25366939/best-hangover-food/