What Is a Cara Cara Orange?

As the most plentiful citrus family crop globally, oranges grow in hundreds of different varieties, including Cara Cara.

The Cara Cara orange is a navel orange variety, and it’s a cross between the Washington Navel and the Brazilian Bahia. The first mutation of this fruit traces its roots to 1976 at the Hacienda Cara Cara in Valencia, Venezuela. It remains unclear whether the Cara Cara is a natural mutation or a deliberate cross-pollination.

Now grown in California, mid-winter Cara Cara oranges are in season for a shorter time—typically December through April. Compared to other navel oranges, Cara Cara oranges are unique because they contain twenty percent more vitamin C and thirty percent more vitamin A. Cara Cara oranges are also a good source of dietary fiber, folate, potassium, and the carotenoid lycopene.

Source: MasterClass