They are generally smaller and sweeter than oranges, a little flatter in shape, and they and have a thinner, looser skin that makes them easier to peel. Tangerines are a specific type of mandarin orange. It is making them excellent additions to your diet. The body turns beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin into vitamin A, which is essential for a healthy immune system. Mandarin oranges have even more beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin than common oranges.