Overview
Clementine or Citrus clementina is one of the
tangelo varieties .
It is a hybrid of orange and tangerine. It was created back in 1902 by Father
Clemen, who was not only a priest, but also a wonderful breeder.
The shape of the fruit is the same as that of the mandarin, but much sweeter.
The ancient Romans began to grow citrus fruits in Corsica, however, they began to
cultivate clementines much later. It should be noted
that most of the gardens were established only forty years ago.
The trees can grow up to 5 meters high. Its dense leaves
form very beautiful and long alleys.
The most attractive are the Corsican clementines. This
is due to the fact that the fruits for sale are decorated with several
green leaves. This fruit is attractive not only for its color
contrast, but also as an irrefutable proof of freshness. It is known
that the leaves, after harvesting, quickly fall off and dry out, so
if leaves are present on the fruits, then they are fresh.
For a year, the harvest of clementine can reach 25 tons, and almost all of
them remain in a beautiful country – France. These small
oranges are only 6 cm in diameter.
There are several types of clementines:
- Spanish . This variety is also subdivided into large
and small fruits. Each of them contains several seeds. - Montreal . It is quite rare. It
only appears in mid-October. Its main suppliers are
Algeria and Spain. The fruit can contain from 10 to 12 seeds. - Corsican . This variety is protected by the trademark of the
region. It has an orange-red skin and no
seeds at all.
Most often, clementines are sold with leaves. They appear
in early November and end in February.
This fruit has an amazing aroma and a very sweet taste. This
delicacy is a wonderful natural antidepressant. It is very often
used to make alcoholic beverages.
This citrus is known to many as the nauvel orange
and the Italian mandarin. Recently, the
Mediterranean countries are engaged in its cultivation : Italy, Algeria, Morocco, France and Spain.
It is from here that the largest volumes of clementines are supplied.
This fruit can very easily be confused with tangerine
due to its similar appearance. It has a dark orange color,
this is the main difference between them. Mandarin has
practically no bones , while clementine, on the contrary,
has a lot of them. The rind of this citrus is quite thin and shiny,
but despite this it is very hard. This fruit has a rather juicy
and fragrant pulp. It is easy to recognize clementine, because it is distinguished by a
slightly flattened shape.
How to choose
When buying clementine, first of all, you should pay attention
to the color. Real tangerine is yellow, so it is
very difficult to confuse them . They can be distinguished by touch, the first (clementine) is
harder, the second is soft with a looser skin.
How to store
Storing these citrus fruits is the easiest. They can lie for quite a
long time. To preserve these fruits, they should simply be
placed in a special compartment of the refrigerator. Thus, they can
be stored for a whole month. The ideal temperature is
+6, while there should be high humidity.
To increase the shelf life, they can be rubbed with vegetable oil.
Never store clementines in a plastic bag.
In cooking
This fruit is ideal for preparing many dishes as well
as drinks. Such juicy and sweet citrus fruits are suitable for making
biscuits, desserts, cakes, snacks, sauces and many other dishes.
They make wonderful jams, syrups, preserves, liqueurs
and brandy. The British
add clementines to marinades, and also use them to make
sauce for meat.
Reflection in culture
This citrus fruit has a rather poetic name:
clementine. It got its name in honor of the creator, who
bred this variety. It was a French priest, Father Clement.
Useful properties of clementines
Composition and presence of nutrients
Fresh clementines contain (in 100 g):
Calories 47 Kcal
Clementines contain a huge amount of vitamins and minerals
. It consists of fiber, water, protein and fat. Its chemical
composition is rich in B vitamins, which contain almost all
lines of vitamins.
It also contains copper, titanium, ascorbic acid, potassium
and much more. You should not be fooled by the sweet taste of
clementines, because there is not so much sugar in it and this product is not high in calories.
Useful and healing properties
Due to the fact that clementine contains so many valuable
substances, it is recommended to use it for people with diseases of the gastrointestinal
tract. The fruit eliminates digestive problems. Citrus is useful
for colds, for general strengthening of the whole body and for the immune
system. The juice is used to improve metabolic processes, as well as to
awaken appetite.
The vitamins contained in this fruit protect our hair and skin
from aging and premature graying.
Citrus contains an essential oil that can fight depression,
depression. The fruit has a positive effect on the nervous system.
It is used to combat insomnia. Clementine oil has a
dermatological effect. It is often used to treat
conditions such as warts, scars, cellulite,
acne, stretch marks and seborrhea. In addition, it can make the skin softer
and softer .
Dangerous properties of clementines
You should not abuse clementines, because, despite the huge
list of useful properties of this fruit, there is also a negative side
– an allergic reaction that can be caused by the use of
citrus in large quantities. It is not recommended to eat
these fruits for people with gastritis,
stomach ulcers, nephritis,
enteritis and colitis.
Do not forget that clementine essential oil is phototoxic.
It should not be used by pregnant women during the entire first trimester.
Clementine, like other citrus fruits, can also be grown at home
. Everyone knows where to start, but not everyone knows that after a
while they need to be vaccinated and how to do it.
