Calories In A Clementine
Facts about Calories in a Clementine
A clementine is the smallest of the mandarin oranges so the calories in a clementine are the fewest among all other types of fruit as well. A clementine has only 34 calories in one fruit, which is one serving. That means that not only will a clementine not make you feel full it, it will also not overload your body with sugar. They are an excellent fruit for people who are trying to lose weight and for diabetics, who need to eat foods with low sugar levels.
The sugar content in a clementine is 6.8 grams with a total carbohydrate content of 8.9 grams, a mere 3% of the amount a normal person should eat in a 2,000 calorie per day diet plan. While the calories in a clementine are few, it is high in vitamin C, with 60% of an adult’s recommended daily allowance. It contains potassium and other vitamins and minerals as well.
There are a couple of different versions of the origins of the clementine. It was first given the status of a hybrid in 1902, and the fruit was named after an Algerian monk, Father Clement Rodier. He discovered the clementine in his orphanage garden, but others believe the clementine originated in Asia much earlier, possibly in China several centuries previously.
Spain was among the first commercial growers of clementines and they are still a major producer. Clementines are harvested in California from the fall through January. Clementines are always on sale in grocery stores for the holiday season. They are often given the title of Christmas oranges.
Unlike other fruit, clementines are packaged in small, wooden boxes. Many people use the skins for various purposes from making close drawers smell nice to starting fires. Clementine skin has natural oils which can act like kindling in starting fires. Some people use clementine skin to make potpourri.
In addition to the vitamin C and 35 calories in a clementine, they have a good amount of niacin, thiamin, and potassium. They are a natural source of fiber and contain zero percent fat. They also contain antioxidants, which have been shown to fight disease and to boost the immune system. Antioxidants have also been proven to provide protection from certain forms of cancer.
People like clementines because there are not many calories in a Clementine, plus they are much easier to peel than a traditional orange. They can be divided into a dozen sections, which makes them easy to put in salads. They are also easy to put into lunch bags and make a good snack that is not loaded with sugar for children to eat.
Another positive quality of clementines is that they are completely seedless. In fact, the only way they can have seeds is if bees cross-pollinate the clementine with other fruit. In California, this became such a big issue that a company named Paramount Citrus said it would sue neighboring beekeepers if their bees were found in the same fields with growing clementines.
The reason clementines are now as popular as they are in the United States can be traced back to 1997, when the orange crop in Florida was destroyed. People discovered that clementines were just as tasty as oranges and were not subject to the increasing prices of oranges. Once people knew clementines existed, they continued to buy them year after year.
The first clementines in the United States were grown at the Citrus Research Center at the University of California, Riverside. That was back in 1909, and since then California has continued to produce large quantities of the fruit. If you have never tasted a clementine, give them a try this holiday season.