What Do You Know About Orange Peel Benefits?
Although many people enjoy oranges, few enjoy orange peels. If you’re not eating the peels of your oranges, you’re missing out on the orange peel benefits. Find out why you should try eating the peels of your citrus fruits.
What Makes Orange Peels Special?
Orange peels are unique in that they contain some elements that the rest of the orange does not contain. Specifically, they have flavonoids such as hesperidin and polymethoxyflavones. They also contain other phytochemicals which are good for your health.
Meanwhile, high amounts of vitamin C also benefit your health. The peel of the orange contains more vitamin C than the flesh. While the peel contains 136 milligrams of the vitamin, the flesh only contains 71 milligrams.
Other important nutrients in the peel include:
- Calcium
- Copper
- Magnesium
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B
- Dietary fiber
With so many nutrients in the peel, it’s no surprise that there are many orange peel benefits. The bitter taste of the orange might put you off, but the benefits of the peel make it a smart dietary choice.
What Are Some of the Orange Peel Benefits?
Are you ready for some specifics? The following are all orange peel benefits:
1. Support Your Heart Health
Orange peels and the white pulp under the peels contain hesperidin. In several studies, hesperidin was beneficial for managing cholesterol and blood pressure levels, two important risk factors for heart health.
In one study on middle-aged and overweight men, eating hesperidin from oranges significantly improved diastolic blood pressure in only four weeks1.
Research suggests that the polymethoxylated flavones in the peels of oranges may also support your heart by helping manage cholesterol levels.
2. Help Manage Allergies
Some of the compounds in orange peels can prevent the release of histamines,2 a chemical in your body that causes uncomfortable allergic reactions.
Orange peels are also high in vitamin C, which has been shown to decrease upper respiratory irritation from seasonal allergies.3
3. Support Oral Health
Orange peels have natural anti-bacterial qualities that may help protect against dental caries.4 They also contain limonene, an essential oil found in citrus fruits, which has a freshening aroma.
Limonene may also help remove some surface tooth stains, although the evidence is mixed. Because orange peels are acidic, they can also do damage to your teeth is overused, so use orange peels on your teeth sparingly.
How to Eat the Peels
There are many ways to enjoy the skin of the orange besides taking a bite out of it. One common way of eating orange peels is to zest them. You can zest your peels and add them to salads, yogurt, and vegetables. It gives your food more flavor and allows you to get the orange peel benefits.
If you enjoy a good smoothie, you can blend your orange peel directly into the smoothie. If possible, include some of the white pulp. This allows you to get the most nutrition from the fruit.
No matter how you eat your orange peels, be sure to wash them. Even organic fruit needs a good washing. By washing the fruit first, you can prevent eating pesticides.
The benefits of eating orange peels are well worth the effort. In fact, you might actually enjoy the peels. You can improve your health and keep your taste buds happy.
References:
1. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/93/1/73/4597707, Hesperidin contributes to the vascular protective effects of orange juice: a randomized crossover study in healthy volunteers, 10 November 2010
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/seasonal-allergies-best-foods, These 7 foods might help alleviate seasonal allergies, Healthline, May 2019
3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13596-012-0093-z, Anti-histamine release and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous extracts of citrus fruits peels, 01 November 2014.
4. Shetty, Sapna B et al. “Antimicrobial effects of Citrus sinensis peel extracts against dental caries bacteria: An in vitro study.” Journal of clinical and experimental dentistry vol. 8,1 e71-7. 1 Feb. 2016, doi:10.4317/jced.52493