Anatomy of an orange — what is inside and why it matters
When you peel an orange, you discover a system of natural engineering far more sophisticated than its round appearance suggests. Each part has a different nutritional profile.
The parts of an orange
Exocarp (flavedo). The coloured outer layer. Essential oils and carotenoids. With untreated Valencia oranges, you can zest this layer directly in cooking.
Mesocarp (albedo). The white spongy layer. Pectin, hesperidin and vitamin C. Slightly bitter but nutritionally the most interesting part.
Endocarp. The segments with juice vesicles. In a ripe tree-picked orange, they are bursting full.
Why the whole orange beats juice
When you squeeze, you discard pectin, flavonoids and satiating fibre. It is like buying a car and only using the radio.
