How Many Calories Are in an Orange?
The number of calories in an orange depends on many different factors. Oranges come in numerous shapes, sizes, colors, skin thicknesses and flavors, and so have different calorie counts. They are grown around the world and may be shipped long distances, or may be from a grove down the street. A grocery store orange may have been picked before it was ripe to do well during shipping. Another may be a tree-ripened orange from your own backyard. All these considerations affect the number of calories in an orange.
Considerations
Calories are a unit of measurement of the energy-yielding capacity in food. The number of calories in an orange depends upon its size. Oranges come naturally in all sizes, and hybrid fruit may even be huge. An orange's sweetness can also be affected by when it is picked.
The body uses calories right away or stores them as fat. The word "calorie" basically means to heat or be warm. In terms of energy, it is the amount of energy required to increase by 1 degree Celsius one kilogram of water.
When it comes to food, this means that 1 gram of carbohydrate yields approximately 4 calories. People each have a slightly different daily need for calories. Adults generally use 2000 to 2,500 calories.
Identification
Oranges come in many varieties. There are navel, red navel, Valencia, bergamot, Seville, ambersweet, tangelo and mandarin, to name a few. These may be natural or a variety developed by people.
Types
Navel oranges are sweet and easy to find. They have a thick, easily removable peel. Navels are large to extra-large, with an elongated round shape. They usually don't have seeds.
Valencia is another common variety. This type can be medium or large in size. Its thin peel is the opposite of the navel's. It also has an elongated round shape.
Features
Fruit in general is a good source of natural sugar that the body uses for fuel. Oranges contain simple sugars that are easily digested.
Oranges are also categorized by size. A large orange can be about 3 inches in diameter, while a small orange would be about 2 inches.
The calories in an orange come from proteins, carbohydrates and fats. A medium Valencia orange has 59 calories, while a medium navel orange has 54 calories.
You may sense an orange's calorie count when you eat one that was picked before it was ripe. It is more acidic than a tree-ripened orange due to a lower amount of sugar. A fully tree-ripened orange has more sugar. Sweetness also depends upon the variety.
Significance
The body can easily use the calories in oranges. As a sweet snack or part of a meal, oranges provide calories that are a good natural energy source.
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