Running around the pitch for 45 minutes is not an easy task. It drains your body of energy and vital nutrients and this explains why soccer players are always looking for a way to replenish the lost energy and nutrients.
Studies have shown that a single orange weighing 140 grams contains 66 calories, 86% of water, 14.8 grams of carbs, 92% of daily Vitamin C requirement, and various other micronutrients.
Long before the manufacture of power bars, power drinks, and some of the juices that are often handed to soccer players from the sidelines, they relied heavily on orange juice. Back then orange juice was the source of energy burst for soccer players.
As you might have already noticed, soccer is one of the rare games where the clock counts up and never stops. Also, the game allows for minimal disruptions and soccer players only have a short 15 minutes rest between each half.
For ‘old school’ soccer players that prefer to go natural than rely on the manufactured drinks, knowing the right way to cut oranges can make it a lot easier for them to have as much as they want before the lapse of the 15 minutes break.
Imagine how frustrated you would feel if you are still cutting your first orange and discover that your break is up. You will also miss out on the opportunity to replenish lost energy which may affect your performance in the next half.
Today, we are going to unveil different orange cutting hacks that will allow you to have just as much replenishment as you need within the limited halftime break.
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How to cut oranges for soccer game?
There are different types of oranges. However, the one that people enjoy the most is the Citrus sinensis because of its sweet taste—little wonder it is commonly called sweet orange.
Although it first originated from China, it is now grown all over the world including in the United States. Oranges are also rich in antioxidants—and soccer players can benefit a lot from this.
Antioxidants fight free radicals produced by the body during the breakdown of food. If left unchecked, free radicals can lead to heart diseases and cancer.
Since soccer players usually experience an insane rate of food metabolism due to their work rate, their bodies tend to produce a lot of free radicals. Besides the energy boost that oranges can provide, fighting free radicals is another reason why every soccer player should consider taking them during the halftime break.
However, the major challenge with oranges is that you need to get rid of the back to get to the juice, and this may take time if you don’t know how to do it the right way.
Rather than bringing whole oranges to the dressing room, it is better and faster to bring cut-up oranges. Apart from making it easier for you to get your appetite full of oranges, cutting the oranges also prevents you from making a mess of your jersey.
All you need to cut your oranges include a sharp knife, clean water, a chopping board, and the number of oranges you want to cut (one or two should be enough for halftime rejuvenation).
Last update on 2023-04-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Once you have all you need, use one of the three methods below to cut your oranges.
Method 1: Cut them into wedges
As the name suggests, you can cut your orange into sizable triangular wedges that make it easier for you to take a bite or suck—whichever you are used to. Follow the steps below to achieve this.
Step 1
Use your knife to cut off the top and bottom of your washed orange.
Step 2
Allow the orange to stand on one of the cut ends and make a clean cut down the middle. You should have two halves now.
Step 3
Take one of the halves and place it on the chopping board such that the inside will face up. Angle your knife and cut it from top to bottom to form wedges.
Step 4
Cut off the line of pulp at the center.
You can cut the wedges to be big or small depending on your preference. If the wedges are of the right size for you, you will be able to eat out the entire flesh in one bite leaving behind the back.
Therefore, wedges for children should be far smaller than those for adults.
A perfect orange wedge should have this look
Pros
- Wedges can be eaten in a single bite
- Allows you to determine the size according to age
Cons
- You are left with the back which you may find hard to dispose of properly in the stadium
Method 2: Cut them into wheels
Orange wheels are popular sights used in decorating the side of a glass of orange juice. It is often used for garnishing salads too. However, it can also be a handy technique for cutting your oranges for soccer.
Step 1
For almost all the orange cutting methods, you will have to begin by cutting off the top and bottom of the oranges—and this one is not an exception.
Step 2
Lay the orange on one of the cut ends and use your knife to carefully peel off the outer layer of the fruit including the albedo (the white part).
Step 3
Once you have the entire back off, turn the orange to the side and cut out the wheels by running the knife from side to side.
Like in wedges, the size of the rings is up to you and will usually vary depending on the age of the soccer player. Older players can have bigger wheels while younger players should have smaller wheels.
Pros
- Wheels look more appealing to the eyes
Cons
- A large quantity of juice is lost in the process
- There is no way to cut out the line of pulp at the center which is usually hard to eat
Note: to limit the amount of juice lost during peeling, instead of using your knife to peel off the entire skin, scour the skin from top to bottom in several places around the orange and do the peeling with your hands.
Method 3: Cut them into segments
Cutting oranges into segments is a hybrid of cutting oranges into wedges. In this case, you will get only the fibrous pulp, leaving behind every other portion of the orange.
Step 1
Cut off the top and the bottom of the orange
Step 2
Sit the orange on one of the cut ends and use your knife to peel off the outer layer
Step 3
You should see the different orange segments. Angle your knife and cut each side of a segment to free up the fibrous juicy pulp.
Step 4
Repeat for all the segments to get them all out.
Pros
- Brings out only the juicy pulp and leaves everything else behind
Cons
- Creates a lot of waste
Bonus method
Here is a bonus method you will probably not find anywhere on the Internet. We discovered this method among children in Nigeria on one of our visits and it was really cool.
Step 1
Here you don’t have to cut the top and bottom of the washed orange. All you need to do is to use a knife and pry open the outer layer of both ends of the orange
Step 2
Insert your index finger to widen the hole on the top. Then gradually hold the exposed outer layer and start peeling.
Step 3
After peeing off the outer layer of the orange, hold the orange with both hands. Place your thumbs at the top of the orange and split it apart.
Step 4
Apply a gentle force to separate all the different segments.
Pros
- What we love most about this method is that it doesn’t leave a mess on the table
- If properly done, not a drop of juice will be lost if you don’t cut off the line of pulp at the center
- This method is neat and discourages waste
Cons
- The only drawback to this method that we noticed is that it is more time consuming than the other methods
Note: To make it easier for you to take out the outer layer of the orange, you can scour the back in a longitudinal may i.e., running from top to bottom. Just make sure you don’t scour deep and rupture the segments. You need them to be intact.
Conclusion
Now you know the different ways of cutting your orange, nothing is stopping you from taking them to the stadium and snacking on them during the halftime break.
With so many counterfeited products on the market, the only way you can be sure of going into your system is by relying on natural products.
As a soccer player, it is important to be mindful of what you drink. Is there any other liquid you can safely drink during the halftime break apart from water and orange juice? We have all the answers here.
Hi there, I’m Jay.
The Pitch is Ours is a new beginning for me and a stepping stone to prepare before retiring from the professional soccer team. Soccer is everything in my life! My friends and I have created this blog with all our enthusiasm, passion, and understanding after years of playing pro soccer. Hope you will enjoy it!