Cara Cara vs. Navel Oranges: How Do the Fruits Differ?

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.

One of the most consumed fresh fruits in the United States, the navel orange is a common cultivar of the sweet orange botanical group Citrus sinensis. The navel orange gets its name from the small hole that resembles a belly button, or human navel, at the blossom end of its stem. When peeled, the blossom end reveals an undeveloped second fruit inside.

The navel orange is a winter variety that grows on evergreen trees. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) brought navel orange tree seedlings from their native country Brazil to the United States in the 1870s. In their early years, navel oranges were mainly a dessert fruit. Their popularity and purpose grew as more peopled in the United States began to appreciate the citrus fruit as a flavorful source of vitamin C.

Depending on where you live, navel oranges are usually available from November to June. There are more than fifty types of navel oranges, including the popular Dream Navel, Florida Navel, California Navel, Washington Navel, and Brazilian Bahia.

Cara cara and navel oranges share a few similarities, but they are different. Here’s how they compare:

• Shape and size: The common navel and Cara Cara oranges appear quite similar on the outside. They’re round-shaped and medium to large in size, averaging about six to ten centimeters in diameter. Both have a bright orange rind that’s smooth and glossy, yet pebbled in texture.
• Inside the fruit: On the inside, the difference between the two is more apparent. While navel oranges offer the typical translucent yellow-orange segmented flesh, Cara Caras have distinctive red-pink flesh. This coloring comes from the natural presence of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that also lends its rosy hue to tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit. Cara Cara navel oranges also go by Pink Navels or Red Navels.
• Taste: Navel oranges are typically sweet, aromatic, and mildly acidic, but the hybrid Cara Cara is sweeter and more complex. Regular navel oranges provide the classically refreshing juicy taste you’d expect from an orange. The flavor is a balance of sweet, tangy, and tart. Cara Cara oranges offer the rich citrus flavor of a navel orange, plus sweet-tart hints of cranberry, blackberry, raspberry, and rose.

You can enjoy the soft, seedless flesh of the Cara Cara fresh or juiced. In addition to being a healthy snack, the colorful segments can add vibrancy to fruit bowls, dinner salads, or salsas for poultry and fish. The balance of super sweetness and low acidity enhances recipes ranging from savory to indulgent—these oranges pair well with chocolate fondue for dessert.

Cara Caras are also the ideal oranges for making fresh-squeezed orange juice, blended smoothies, and cocktails such as margaritas and mimosas. To enjoy the taste of Cara Cara oranges year-round, juice the oranges when in season and freeze in an airtight container for up to six months. The juice and zest of Cara Cara oranges work well for making jams, infused oils, and flavoring syrups such as oleo saccharum.

Navel oranges are easy to peel and seedless, making them ideal for eating out of hand. Toss fresh segments into green salads, blend them into smoothies, or use as a topping for Greek yogurt, ice cream, and cake.

You should not use navel oranges for juicing purposes because they contain high levels of limonin, which quickly turns the juice sour when exposed to air. However, the outer peel of navel oranges is valuable, particularly for adding tangy, citrus flavor to baked goods, salad dressings, marinades, and relishes.

For the best results, use a microplane or the fine holes on a box grater to zest the top layer of the orange-colored skin—the white pith is bitter. You can also use a vegetable peeler to create thicker swirls of orange peel for garnishes.

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