A twitter picture of peeled oranges in a plastic container from Whole Foods went viral…but not for the right reasons. There was much discussion about how this could be wasteful and even some conversation about how this about help those with arthritis. What did not come up in the conversation was how this may impact the nutritional value of the fruit.
The peel serves as a way to protect the fruit and help maintain the nutritional content of the fruit. Inside the fruit are many vitamins and antioxidants that once peeled are more susceptible to breaking down. A good tip when it comes to fruits is that typically the brightest parts contain the most nutrients. Orange peels are not any exception to that – they are the rule.
When we think of oranges we often think of Vitamin C but there are so many more nutrients and historical uses of this fruit. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine orange and citrus peels have long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and in the Amazon as an herbal remedy for indigestion and nausea.
Orange peels contain more than 60 types of flavonoids and over 170 different types of phytonutrients, in addition to being rich in various pectins, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Here are the top health benefits of orange peel which might make you think twice before discarding the peels, the next time you eat an orange.
Several benefits can be attributed to orange peels
- Weight loss – Rich in fiber and low in calories, peels and the ‘white’ stuff add bulk to the food.
- Lung function – Reported to exert a lung cleansing effect
- Improve digestion – Rich in dietary fibers like pectins, tannins and hemi-cellulose.
- Oral health – chewing orange peels can help your mouth feel fresh. Also helps whiten teeth
- Protects from cancer – Population based studies have suggested
- Natural skin bleach – Peels can be used as a natural scrubger and bleach for skin helping to lighten dark spots.
- Heart health – Studies have suggested the flavonoids can reduce LDL.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Antioxidant, Food, Vitamins