How Navel Oranges Got Their Name

There are some really odd-named products out on the market. Even produce has some crazy-sounding names (rutabaga, anyone?). Amongst those funny names are navel oranges. As a child, many people wondered how navel oranges got their name. The problem is, very few people can actually say that they know how navel oranges got their name. In case you are on of those people, this article will clear that up for you.

The blossoming end of the navel oranges have a small button like appendage that almost looks like it wants to break away from the rest of the peel. This is where the navel oranges are cut off from the rest of the plant at harvest time. Many people think that this small formation at the blossoming end looks a little like the navel (or belly button, as it is more commonly called) of a human, thus the name navel oranges.

The best part about navel oranges is what you see when you crack into one. Peel away the outer rind and you get what looks mostly like a regular orange, but there is a definite appendage at the top, again on the blossoming area. It looks almost as if the orange was trying to give birth to another orange. And in fact, that is exactly what was happening.

The navel oranges you see today are the result of a genetic mutation. Basically, an orange was trying to 'birth' another orange, but the mutation prevented it from happening completely. This means that when you peel open navel oranges, you are indeed getting two oranges in one–it's just that one of those oranges never finished growing, so it is much smaller than the rest of the orange.

This mutation may change the look of the navel oranges, but fortunately for us, it does not change the taste or the health benefits of these citrus beauties. In fact, navel oranges are just as juicy and delicious as regular oranges (better known as Valencia oranges). They also have just as much nutritious punch as a regular orange, as well. They still give you huge boosts of Vitamin C, folate, fiber, Vitamin B6, and more.

Arguably the best part about these navel oranges is that they are available in the time of year that regular oranges are not. Generally, you can find navel oranges on shelves all through the winter until around May. This is the time when you can now get regular oranges instead. This way, you can enjoy the juice and other healthy benefits of oranges year round. You just have to remember that navel oranges look a little different but are still just an orange, with all the same benefits of a regular one.

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