Even in the world of citrus, men and women just don't agree. A new study found men prefer tangerines, while women gravitate towards satsumas.

Women favoured the taste of satsumas and the fact they were easier to peel. Men's preference for tangerines was more to do with their wider availability rather than any taste reasons, the survey by NEMS Market Research has found.

The research was carried out to find out how discerning consumers were about 'small oranges', and found four out of 10 had a clear preference among satsumas, clementines, tangerines and minneolas.

However, few consumers were aware of the health benefits each varietal offered, with tangerines containing half the level of vitamin C of the other types.

"As tangerines are the preferred choice for men, maybe this explains why we suffer more colds than women," said NEMS researcher Geoff Siggens.