Fruits
Tangerine
Tangerines are 85% water, so 100 g (3.5 oz) brings only 53 kcal and 1.8 g of fiber.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 5 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Very low energy density: 53 kcal/100 g | +2 |
| Protein: 1.5 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Fiber: 3.4 g/100 kcal | +1 |
| Solid food with 85.2 g of water | +1 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 10 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 169105
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 48 kcal per serving
- 53 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 0.7 g per serving
- 0.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g per serving
- 13.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 9.5 g per serving
- 10.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 1.6 g per serving
- 1.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 0.3 g per serving
- 0.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 76.7 g per serving
- 85.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Tangerines, (mandarin oranges), raw (FDC ID 169105), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 90 g (3 oz) serving provides about 48 kcal, 0.7 g of protein, and 1.6 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
The Dictionary of the Spanish Language defines naranja mandarina, or naranja tangerina, as a small, flattened variety of orange with a peel that comes off very easily and very sweet flesh, and the clementina (clementine) as a variety of mandarin with redder skin, no seeds and a very sweet taste. The Diccionario de americanismos records tanjarina for the mandarin in Argentina and Uruguay. This page covers raw tangerines (mandarin oranges) according to USDA, with 53 kcal, 10.6 g of sugars, 1.8 g of fiber and 26.7 mg of vitamin C per 100 g.
A medium tangerine weighs 88 g (3.1 oz) according to USDA and provides 47 kcal, 9.3 g of sugars, 1.6 g of fiber and 23.5 mg of vitamin C, and it is peeled and eaten segment by segment, as much as you feel like. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy lists citrus fruits among the fruits to encourage and suggests small, frequent meals when hunger is low, and a few cold segments are easy to eat when eating is hard. It has little protein, so it goes well with yogurt or fresh cheese, and if you get heartburn, try fewer segments.
What the evidence says
With USDA's figures, its 26.7 mg of vitamin C per 100 g exceed the 24 mg the EU requires for a "high vitamin C" claim, and a medium tangerine provides 23.5 mg, 29% of the reference value, so it could carry the authorized claim "vitamin C increases iron absorption" (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006, (EU) No 1169/2011 and (EU) No 432/2012). Its sugars, 9.3 g per fruit, are those of the whole fruit and do not count as free sugars under WHO's 2015 guideline, which recommends keeping them below 10% of energy; those in the juice do. The US National Institutes of Health include citrus among the acidic foods that can make reflux worse, and the Wegovy (semaglutide) SmPC lists gastro-oesophageal reflux disease among its common adverse reactions.
Recipes with this food
Greek yogurt cup with pomegranate, mandarin, and walnuts17.8 g protein per serving
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about tangerines
How much protein does a medium tangerine have?
A medium tangerine, our reference serving of 90 g (3 oz), has about 0.7 g of protein. 100 g (3.5 oz) of tangerines has 0.8 g of protein. That is 1.5 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many calories are in a medium tangerine?
A medium tangerine, our reference serving of 90 g (3 oz), has about 48 kcal. 100 g (3.5 oz) of tangerines has 53 kcal. That is a very low energy density.
How many grams of fiber are in a medium tangerine?
A medium tangerine, our reference serving of 90 g (3 oz), has about 1.6 g of fiber. 100 g (3.5 oz) of tangerines has 1.8 g of fiber.
How filling are tangerines?
Very filling for the calories they provide: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 2 (very low energy density: 53 kcal/100 g) + 0 (protein: 1.5 g/100 kcal) + 1 (fiber: 3.4 g/100 kcal) + 1 (solid food with 85.2 g of water) = 5. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
Are tangerines a good choice on a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about tangerines on a GLP-1 medication. “Low energy density”: plenty of volume for few calories; make sure it does not push protein foods off your plate. “Hydrating”: a lot of water, which contributes to hydration when you eat and drink less. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
How many grams or ounces are in a serving of tangerines?
We use 90 g (3 oz) as a typical serving, roughly a medium tangerine. That amount provides about 48 kcal, 0.7 g of protein, and 1.6 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Compare with…
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Tangerines, (mandarin oranges), raw (FDC ID 169105).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.accessed .
- Clinical guidelineWorld Health Organization.Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children (2015).accessed .
- InstitutionNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH).Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for GER & GERD.accessed .
- Drug labelEuropean Medicines Agency.Wegovy (semaglutide): EU Summary of Product Characteristics, section 4.8 (undesirable effects), current version.accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "naranja (naranja clementina; naranja mandarina, o naranja tangerina)" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "tanjarina" (in Spanish).accessed .