Easy to peel, sweeter than orange, and the pith is worth keeping.
Tangerines are a mandarin variety — smaller, sweeter and looser-skinned than an
orange, which is why they peel in seconds.
Like all citrus they are high in vitamin C,
and the practical value of that is iron absorption rather than immunity: vitamin C converts
plant iron into a form the gut takes up several times more
readily.
The white pith carries fibre and flavonoids that the juice does not. Stripping
it away entirely removes a real part of the benefit.
Per 100g of peeled fruit.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Eat one alongside dal or spinach. This is the single most useful habit with
citrus — it can multiply the iron you absorb from that
meal.
Keep some pith. The white layer holds fibre and
flavonoids.
Heavy for its size means juicy. Light means
dry.
Whole fruit over juice. The segments carry the fibre; the juice
does not.
Vitamin C reduces dietary iron from ferric to ferrous form, which the gut absorbs far more
readily. The effect is large — adding a vitamin C source to a plant-based meal can
increase iron absorption several-fold.
Working against it: tea and coffee contain
tannins that block iron absorption. If iron is your reason for eating citrus, leave an hour
either side before your chai.
Tooth enamel: frequent citrus erodes enamel. Rinse with water afterwards
and do not brush immediately.
Acid reflux: citrus is a common
trigger.
Diabetes: whole fruit over juice, portion aware, and better eaten
with protein or fat than alone.
IBS: several fruits are high-FODMAP
and commonly trigger symptoms — tolerance is personal.
Kidney
disease: potassium may need limiting. Ask your doctor for your numbers.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.