Mistake you make when eating tangerines

The mandarin is one of the most popular fruits in Spain thanks to its sweet flavor with a slight acidic touch, its small size and the ease with which it can be peeled. Although its consumption increases especially during the autumn and winter months, the great variety of cultivated types allows its ripening season to extend practically throughout the entire year.

From a nutritional point of view, it is a very complete fruit. According to the Spanish Nutrition Foundation, Tangerines contain vitamin A, vitamin C, organic acids and flavonoidsnutrients that help strengthen the immune system and promote good digestion.

However, many consumers make a common mistake when eating them that can reduce some of their benefits. Often, when peeling the fruit some parts that are visually unattractive are removedbut they actually have great nutritional value.

The nutritionist Manuel Viso warned of this practice in a video published on his Instagram account, where he explained that many people remove the white threads from the tangerine out of discomfort without knowing what it is one of the healthiest parts of the fruit.

These white filaments are called albedo and they are found between the pulp and the peel of the citrus. Although many people remove them before eating the segments, the specialist explains that they concentrate a large amount of flavonoids, antioxidants and vitamin C, even in greater proportion than the pulp itself.

Albedo is not exclusive to mandarins. According to the nutritionist, It is also present in other fruits such as bananawhere it plays an important role in the transport of nutrients. Antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and minerals such as potassium and magnesium are concentrated in these fibers, as well as substances such as tryptophan.

Therefore, Experts recommend avoiding removing these white threads and consuming the whole fruit. to make the most of its properties.

Beyond this detail, the mandarin provides important health benefits. Although its vitamin C content is somewhat lower than that of oranges, it is still a relevant source of this nutrient. Additionally, it contains folic acid, which contributes to formation of red and white blood cellsas well as provitamin A.

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, it also stands out the presence of cryptoxanthina carotene with an antioxidant effect that the body can transform into vitamin A and to which possible preventive effects against cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer are attributed.

Added to this are different flavonoids present in the fruit, such as hesperidin, neohesperidin, nobiletin or tangeritin. Various studies indicate that these compounds could have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antihypertensive and diuretic effects, which reinforces the value of mandarin as part of a balanced diet.