Not only is the fruit a bright spot in winter, it brings some juicy health benefits. But the selection of neatly stacked orange orbs can be confusing.

Look closely at their sizes, shapes and textures. There are thick- and thin-skinned varieties. Some can be peeled in seconds. Many are seedless.

For another week or two, you'll find sweet Satsumas. And that darling clementine, also called a Christmas orange, is still plentiful.

But there are others -- like the Cara Cara, Honeybell (not actually an orange but a tangerine-grapefruit hybrid) and blood oranges -- now streaming in.

Their flesh varies from brilliant red or orange to salmon pink to orange streaked with crimson. Their flavor profiles are just as different, from sweet to super sweet to sweet-tart. And some are more chin-drippingly juicy than others.

Jim Moran, produce manager for Westborn markets, says customers often ask him when certain varieties will be available.

"Now there's more supply, and more growers venturing off into exotic fruit-growing, so there is more availability to the buyer," Moran said.

What's particularly popular now, albeit for a very short time, are Honeybells, Moran said. Their season begins and pretty much ends in January or early February.

"They are very sweet with great flavor and tons of juice," Moran said.

Fabrizio Casini, director of produce and floral production for Hiller's markets, said Cara Cara oranges are just starting and will be at their peak in a couple of weeks.

And in the next couple of weeks, you will see the Page tangerine. "They are from California, are not well-known, but they are wonderful," Casini said.

So let's compare. Follow the Free Press guide to five varieties in stores now.

More Details: Know your oranges

Buy fruit that is heavy for its size and without blemishes or soft spots. Most will keep at room temperature for about a week and in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.

Cara Cara: A navel orange with low acidity. Seedless, sweet and tangy. Flesh is dark pink or reddish. Can be tough to peel. Add segments to salads and juice to sauces.

Honeybell: A bell-shaped tangelo from Florida that's a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit. Easy to peel and super, super sweet and juicy. Best eaten out of hand. Get them now; their season ends this month or early February.

Blood: Moro variety is most common in stores; about the size of a tennis ball. Flesh is dark crimson and sweet-tart with berry notes. Skin may have maroon patches. Few or no seeds. Use juice in sauces and drinks, slices or segments in salads.

Clementine: An easy-to-peel mandarin orange, often called a Christmas orange because it's available December through January. Sweet and most often seedless. A great snacking orange. Often sold in 5-pound boxes or 3 pound bags. Juice is great in vinaigrettes.

Satsuma: A mandarin orange with loose skin that peels easily. Seedless, sweet and juicy. Terrific snacking orange. Often sold with leaves attached, so it has decorative uses. Most canned mandarins are from Satsumas.

Orange facts

• 1 orange = 100% of daily vitamin C requirement

• Good source of vitamin A, fiber and potassium

• Loose-skinned tangerines and oranges are passed out on Chinese New Year (which begins Jan. 23) because words for tangerine and orange sound like luck and wealth.

Click here to view original article.