Recipes & Cooking How to Cook Fruits & Vegetables Which Types of Oranges Are Best for Juicing, Baking, or Snacking? Whether you’re juicing, baking, or eating them fresh, use this guide to find the perfect type of orange for the job. By Katlyn Moncada Katlyn Moncada Katlyn Moncada is the associate food editor at BHG.com, sharing food news and tutorials on becoming better home cooks. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience in digital media, photography, and video production. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on May 12, 2023 Reviewed by Jessica Jones, MS, RD Reviewed by Jessica Jones, MS, RD Jessica is a nationally-recognized Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, Writer, Speaker, and Digital Content Strategist. As the co-founder of the wellness content media company, Food Heaven, Jessica creates engaging food and nutrition content for over 80 global corporations, food companies, and media outlets including American Heart Association, Blue Apron, Adobe, Dove, and KitchenAid. Jessica also co-hosts the top 50 nutrition Food Heaven Podcast, which explores the intersections of nutrition, health, and wellness through a social justice lens. With over 3 million downloads to date, the Food Heaven podcast has been a pillar for accessible and inclusive health and wellness insights since 2015. In addition to being a go-to nutrition expert, writer, and columnist for SELF magazine, Jessica is the co-author of the 28-Day Plant-Powered Health Reboot and A Diabetes Guide to Enjoying the Foods of the World. Learn about BHG's Nutrition Review Board Fact checked by Marcus Reeves Fact checked by Marcus Reeves Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher, and fact-checker. He began his writing career reporting for The Source magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, among other publications. His book Somebody Scream: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power was nominated for a Zora Neale Hurston Award. He is an adjunct instructor at New York University, where he teaches writing and communications. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Learn about BHG's Fact Checking Process Juicy oranges provide a sunny, sweet bite to any dish and are a vitamin C powerhouse. Studies suggest that Vitamin C supports the body's immune system. But there are so many types of oranges on the shelves these days, and it can be hard to understand the difference between the navel orange, blood orange, and mandarin orange in front of you. So learn your way around the orange section of your supermarket and bring some home for eating fresh, adding to salads and sauces, and squeezing for juice. For eye-popping party desserts, we'll also share some citrus-filled treats to make. Read on for a list of orange types and some up-and-coming varieties now in stores. 7 Heart-Healthy Fruits That Are Delicious and Easy to Find Martin Poole / Getty Images Blood Orange Small, round, with blushing orange-red skin, the blood orange is famous for its reddish-orange flesh that gets its color from the pigment anthocyanin. It has an intense orange flavor with hints of raspberry or strawberry. They can have some seeds. Try stuffing them for a fun treat. Best for: salads, compotes, and eating fresh In season: December to July Cara Cara Orange On the outside, Cara Cara oranges look like bright-skinned navel oranges. Cut one open, and you'll see a distinct pinkish-red and orange flesh. This seedless variety is sweeter, slightly tangy, and less acidic than traditional navel oranges. Best for: salads, eating fresh In season: December to May Andy Lyons Clementine Orange Commonly known by the brands Cuties and Halos, teeny clementines are a mandarin orange hybrid. These seedless fruits are sweeter than most other citrus. Try them in our orange-roasted chicken (pictured above). Used for: baking, compotes, salads, eating fresh In season: October to January Kumquat Not much bigger than grapes, kumquats are intensely sour fruits with a sweet, bitter finish. They have delicate skin that can be eaten whole—you might also come across a seed, which is edible but can be bitter. Cooking mellows them and brings out the fruit's natural sweetness. Try them with pan-seared salmon. Best for: Candying, cooking, eating fresh In season: January to June Navel Orange The large, round navel is the most common variety of orange. It's very juicy, sweet, seedless, and easy to peel. The versatile citrus fruit can easily be used in any recipe simply calling for "oranges." Best for: baking, cooking, salads, compotes, juicing, eating fresh In season: November to January Test Kitchen Tip Get the most juice from your oranges by taking the fruit out of the fridge so it's at room temperature. Roll the fruit back and forth on the counter to soften it and crush the juice cells. Then cut the fruit in half crosswise, and give each half a good squeeze. Our Best Pizza Recipes Are Better Than Takeout Sumo Citrus As if the name "sumo" didn't already give it away, this variety of orange is giant. The large citrus hails from Japan and has a signature bump on the top. Super sweet and easy to peel, Sumo oranges are perfect for snacking. Learn even more about this fun-shaped orange. Best for: eating freshIn season: January to April Jason Donnelly Tangerine This type of orange has pebbly, pumpkin-orange zipper skin with a sweet interior. The only hassle you'll come across when snacking is the fact tangerines usually contain many seeds. Best for: baking, jams, eating freshIn season: November to March Try These Tangerine Cheesecake Bars Put your orange haul to good use by brightening up your dinner or finish a meal with a citrus-infused dessert. Eating them fresh? Get our best tips for sectioning oranges and other citrus fruits so you can get the prettiest (and tastiest) cut of fruit. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Better Homes & Gardens is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Carr, Anitra C. et al. "Vitamin C and Immune Function." Nutrients, vol. 9, no. 11, 2017, doi:10.3390/nu9111211