Get your hands on beautiful blood oranges before they are out of season! Not only are their vibrant colors mesmerizing, but their flavor is wonderfully bright and refreshing. If you choose the right ones, blood oranges offer a unique sweetness that helps balance the inherent citrusy tang. When shopping for blood oranges, and all citrus fruits for that matter, look for the heaviest fruits. They are always the juiciest, which is especially important when you’re making a vinaigrette. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The red flesh you see in a blood orange is attributed to the anthocyanin and carotenoid levels. Both anthocyanins and carotenoids are powerful antioxidants that offer anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Some studies even found that they exhibit neuroprotective properties. That means that not only are blood oranges delicious, but they are also extremely beneficial for your health. These pigments start to accumulate in the vesicles at the edges of blood orange segments. They continue to accumulate in cold storage post-harvest. Because blood oranges contain strong pigments, they actually contain more antioxidants than regular oranges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n