Cara Cara Oranges vs. Blood Oranges: What’s the Difference?

The Cara Cara orange is a variety of the Citrus x sinensis species, which refers to the sweet orange varieties including navel oranges. It likely originated as a random mutation of a navel orange at the Hacienda Caracara in Valencia, Venezuela. The Cara Cara navel orange has a sweet flavor as well as pinkish flesh that looks similar to that of a grapefruit. It is seedless, has almost no pith, and its pink flesh is easily separated from the rind. It has low acidity and contains more vitamin C and vitamin A compared to the most common type of navel orange.

The blood orange is a variety of orange in the Citrus x sinensis species. The blood orange features characteristic red flesh that is a deep maroon or blood-red color. This comes from polyphenol pigments known as anthocyanins found in the blood orange, which are uncommon in most other citrus fruits. The blood orange is a natural mutation of the sweet orange, which researchers speculate was a hybrid between the pomelo and tangerine.

Blood oranges taste like a combination of oranges and raspberries. They are high in antioxidants and vitamin C. There are various types of blood orange as well, including the Tarocco (which boasts the highest vitamin C content of any orange variety), Sanguinello, Moro, and Red Valencia.

Though they belong to the same species of citrus, there are key differences between these two cultivars. The most obvious for most people will be the difference in the flesh color of the fruit. Blood oranges have darker maroons and reds—even near-black colors. Cara Cara oranges have distinctly pink flesh. For blood oranges, its pigmentation is derived from its anthocyanins, but for the Cara Cara orange, the pinkish color comes from lycopene, a carotenoid. Blood oranges are found and cultivated in Spain, Italy, and California. Cara Cara oranges are mostly grown in California. Both oranges make for delicious orange juice that you can use in cocktails and smoothies.

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