Should You Pick Na.vel Oranges With a Big or Small “Na.vel”? Farmers Reveal 4 Tips for Choosing the Sweetest Oranges
Not everyone knows how to pick the best oranges — ones that are sweet, juicy, and with thin skin.
Navel oranges are rich in nutrients and contain plenty of vitamin C and β-carotene. They can reduce oiliness, cleanse the intestines, ease coughing, prevent gallstones, and help relieve stress in women. Some fruits, like watermelon or melon, can be judged by the size of their “navel,” but navel oranges are different. According to growers, the size of the navel does not determine whether the orange is sweet or not.
Here are farmers’ tips for choosing the best navel oranges:
1. Look at the shape of the orange
When buying navel oranges, first check their shape. Choose slightly oval fruits of medium, uniform size. Avoid mixed batches with both large and small ones. Also, don’t pick those with a pointed tip — this usually means the peel isn’t close to the flesh, the pith is thick, and the fruit is dry and less juicy.
2. Check the color
For sweetness, choose oranges with a reddish-orange peel. Avoid pale yellow ones, as they haven’t been fully sun-ripened, meaning the flesh will be less sweet, the flavor weaker, and the aroma less fragrant.
3. Feel the peel
Good oranges usually have smooth skin with fine pores. When pressed, the fruit should feel soft with good elasticity. If the peel is rough, with large thick pores, and feels hard without bounce, it indicates thick, dry skin and less tasty fruit — better not to choose those.
4. Smell the fruit
Pick up an orange and smell it. If it has a strong fruity fragrance, with firm, fresh, glossy skin, it’s likely delicious.
If the orange has little or no aroma, it may have been stored too long, treated with preservatives, or still contain high pesticide residue — best to avoid it.
To be extra sure, you can cut one open and taste it. If it’s sweet, you can use that as a guide to choose similar ones.
So, when buying navel oranges, the size of the navel doesn’t matter — as long as it isn’t bulging outward. What really counts is observing the fruit’s shape, color, texture, and aroma to judge its quality.