Blood Oranges

How They Get Their Color

Blood oranges contain a pigment called anthocyanin which is not typically found in citrus but rather more common in other red fruits and flowers. Not only is the inside of the orange darkly pigmented but depending on the variety the outside may also have dark washes of red. 

Why Blood Oranges Are Good For You

Anthocyanins are potent antioxidants that are believed to  reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stave off cognitive decline, and even cancer.  You can find this antioxidant in other fruits and vegetables too.  Look for dark blue and red fruits and vegetables like red cabbage, black berries and blue berries and strawberries too.  Even eggplants contain this compound.  This is a good article on the topic if you want to read more.

Another pinkish red orange is the Cara Cara pink navel orange.  While it's a nice flavorful and visual substitute for a blood orange its color does not come from anthocyanin but from lycopene, the same compound that give tomatoes their red color.  But still, it's another pink to red orange that's good for you.

Keto Or Paleo Friendly?

In general citrus fruits are very healthful.  Sadly the Keto diet does not allow oranges on the Ketogenic plan.  On the other hand it is a perfectly Paleo friendly food. 

Varieties

The four main blood orange varieties are:

• Tarocco -  is a fairly large orange with yellow-orange skin and flesh that can vary in color from pink to ruby red and has few seeds.  This is said to have the best flavor of all blood oranges.
• Moro - The Moro is the most widely grown and eaten blood orange in the U.S.  It is easier to grow and more productive than some of the other varieties.  Mora is prized for it's dark red flesh.
• Sanguigno - A smaller orange than the moro or tarocco, the Sanguigno orange is the only one with a reddish tinge to the rind and dark red to brownish pulp. Grown in Riverside, California.
  
  

Uses

Blood oranges are great for juicing and using as you would common orange juice. The dark red color of the juice makes it a good cocktail ingredient.  The juice can also be used to make sauces and salad dressings.

If you can find more than one variety try slicing them or segmenting them and use them together is a salad; the color is amazing.  Use fresh blood orange segments in salads, sauces, sorbets, granitas and compotes. Spanish blood oranges are used in special English marmalades.

Shown here is a blood orange margarita, a specialty of Elote Cafe in Sedona, Arizona.

U.S. Seasons

• Texas Crop - December to March 
• California Crop - November to May