This Fresh Citrus Fruit Salad is packed with vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals. It’s so pretty, and perfect for dessert.
I am always amazed by the bounty of nature and the rainbow of colors that can be found in different varieties of fruits and vegetables. Whether it’s purple cauliflower, yellow carrots, blood oranges or cara cara oranges, I find it fascinating that each variety of these fruits and vegetables have their own unique properties, offering different textures, flavors, and nutritional profiles.
Recently, Sunkist sent me a sampler of oranges, lemons and grapefruit and for fun, I set them all out on a cutting board to show the differences in shapes, sizes and colors.
Cutting them open revealed the spectrum of colors that each variety of citrus fruit offers.
Interestingly, comparing the nutrition facts side-by-side for these varieties, I was surprised to see such a difference in the nutrition profile amongst all these citrus fruits. Although each of these citrus fruits have roughly the same calories for the same size (1 regular orange = 2 mandarins = 1/2 grapefruit) and are excellent sources of vitamin C, they vary in their vitamin and mineral profiles.
For example:
- One Cara Cara orange provides 250mg potassium, 30% vitamin A, 150% vitamin C and 15% folate (DV)
- One Minneola orange provides 220mg potassium, 4% vitamin A, 100% vitamin C and 80% folate (DV)
- Two Mandarin or Clementine oranges provide 260mg potassium, 0% vitamin A, 120% vitamin C and 9% folate (DV)
- 1/2 Grapefruit provides 160mg potassium, 35% vitamin A, 100% vitamin C and 6% folate (DV)
- 1 Lemon provides 75 mg potassium, 0% vitamin A, 40% vitamin C, and 2% folate (DV)
A while back, I wrote a post about the importance of eating a diverse variety of fruits and vegetables, and this is yet another example of why. By eating a variety of citrus fruits (in this case), you’re maximizing the amount of vitamin A and folate, while getting a healthy dose of vitamin C and potassium.
I couldn’t help myself but make a pretty Fresh Citrus Fruit Salad by simply arranging these pretty oranges, grapefruit and lemon slices on a platter to see what it would look like. All I added was a garnish of fresh mint that I think compliments fresh citrus fruits nicely.
The lemons are also just a garnish here and were tossed into a pitcher of water as a refreshing drink after I served this to my kids after dinner one evening. Kids and adults, alike, are very visual, so even something as simple as this platter of fresh fruit appeals to the senses.
Fresh Citrus Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 1 red grapefruit
- 1 mandarin orange
- 1 minneola orange
- 1 cara cara orange
- 1 late season orange
- 1 Meyer lemon
- fresh mint
Instructions
-
Cut away peel on all fruits and slice into rounds. Arrange on a platter and garnish with mint.
Disclosure: Sunkist sent me a variety of fruits to sample. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.
How To Peel And Cut Citrus Fruit Segments – Grapefruits, Oranges, Lemons and Limes
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Such a lovely citrus salad! Beautiful plating, Jeanette.
Thanks so much Angie!
I have a gazillion cara caras on my counter and I love that they’re high in so many good-for-me nutrients! Now to pick up a few of the rest of these and make this gorgeous salad!!
I love cara cara’s!
This is so fabulous!! We have been loving this citrus season!
Thanks Liz – I love all different kinds of citrus, so this salad was a great way to highlight different varieties.
Such a beautiful salad, so refreshing!
Thanks Sylvie! This citrus salad definitely brightened up our dinner table!
What a fresh and healthy salad, Jeanette! I can’t wait to give it a try!
Thanks Marly!
amazing looking!
This is completely, 100% gorgeous. I love how you laid them out, and the contrasting colors is so appealing. Plus, as a citrus fanatic, I can never have enough citrus salad.
Thanks so much Shaina – I had fun plating this and the boys were pleasantly surprised to have this after dinner 🙂
Just plain gorgeous!
Thanks so much Dorothy!
This citrus salad looks beautiful Jeanette! So healthy and refreshing. Love the variety you chose and how pretty you plated them – can’t wait to make this 🙂
Thanks Kelly! The boys had fun trying all the different types of fruits 😉
So so sooooooo pretty! I am instantly in love with this salad. I need to hunt down tbese same/similar citrus fruits!!! Perfect for spring/summer party, Jeanette! Thank you for sharing!! 😀
Thanks so much Nami!