Food 101: Clementines, a 35-Calorie Holiday Treat

By , SparkPeople Blogger
This time of year, I can resist the candies, the cookies and the cakes. It's the clementines that catch my eye.

Called Christmas oranges because they are in peak season between November and January, the diminutive orange fruits are a holiday tradition.

From the time they first appear in stores, I keep a box in our house. A half-dozen or so take up residence on my desk and must constantly be replenished. A couple of others end up in my purse for on-the-go snacking. And the rest are displayed on a platter in the kitchen so my Vitamin C fix is never out of reach. I keep these seedless sweeties on hand until at least the first of the year. By then, I'm usually burned out on them!

Clementines (and their much-confused brethren, tangerines) are guilt-free holiday treats.

Nutrition info:
35 calories, 0 g fat, 1 mg sodium, 9 g carbs, 1 g protein,
1 g fiber, 60% RDA vitamin C

How to pick them:
Clementines should be slightly hard but have some flexibility in their skin, heavy for their size, and not have any deep grooves. They should be bright orange in size. The skin should feel smooth and thin.

Some tips:
  • Keep a platter or bowl of clementines or tangerines next to the cookie platter at your next party.
  • Get rid of the candy bowl. Replace it with a bowl of clementines. (Place a smaller bowl next to it to hold peels.)
  • The fruit is easy to peel and not too messy, so throw them in your purse, leave them on your desk and put them in the kids' lunch bags.
  • Grab a clementine the next time you crave something sweet. It's much better than reaching for a cookie.
  • Instead of giving a platter of cookies or a cake as a holiday gift, give someone a box of clementines.
  • Feel free to eat more than one. At 35 calories each, you're certainly not doing much damage!
  • Peeling and segmenting the fruit slows you down and allows you to really enjoy your snack.


Are you a fan of clementines and tangerines? How do you eat them?
(Photo: of the clementines currently on my desk)