Did You Know: The Amazing Benefits of Orange Peels

We lose a lot because of lack of knowledge. More often than not, orange peels are discarded without knowledge of the amazing benefits it encloses.

Orange peels can be used in cooking and making various recipes. They can be infused to make tea. Simply put fresh peels into a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Then, turn off the heat and allow them to steep for an hour. Strain the water, and your tea is ready. Below are other benefits:

Nutritional Benefits

They contain higher amounts of certain nutrients like Vitamin C, Flavonoids and other Phytochemicals that are highly beneficial for health. They also contain considerable amounts of Copper, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamin A, Iron, Thiamin,  Riboflavin, Folates, Niacin, dietary fibre, and nutrients that are vital to health.

Health Benefits

• Orange peels support for a healthy heart, help maintain blood pressure and lower cholesterol more effectively than drugs.
• They have antiseptic, bactericidal, and fungicidal properties, which are extremely beneficial in eliminating any kidney or urinary tract infections. The biochemical (D-limonene) found in orange peels is helpful in dissolving kidney stones.
• Eating them may protect from and help slow down the growth of cancer cells -breast cancer, skin cancer, and colorectal cancer.
• It increases metabolism and burns fat from the body.
• Orange peels enhance digestive health. They have anti-inflammatory properties that help treat many digestive disorders and gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhoea, constipation, heartburn, nausea, and excess acid forming from in the stomach.
• It can help cure a hangover. To cure a hangover, boil the peel for about 15-20 minutes and drink it like tea to get rid of it.
• Orange peels have antibacterial properties that protect from dental caries, help treat bad breath, fight cavities and keep your breath fresh. You can also whiten your teeth with them.
• They are rich in vitamin C and A which fights infection, cold and flu. This makes orange peels a natural antioxidant that helps boosts the immune system and fight off germs and viruses.
• Orange peels help to improve lung health, break down congestion and cleanse the lungs.
• The peels aid diabetes treatment. They are rich in pectin, a fibre that regulates blood sugar levels.
• The anti-inflammatory properties they possess help to improve vision, fight infections and boost eye health.

Skin Benefits

• Orange peels help treat multiple skin problems such as blackheads, dead cells, acne, blemishes, dark circles and dry skin.
• They have natural skin bleaching properties thus help to brighten and make the skin glow.

To use on skin:

1. Simply rub the peels right onto your skin or mash it into a paste instead.
2. To make a body scrub, wrap up some orange peels in gauze pads and rub them on your skin while you are in the shower. The scrub will brighten your skin and give it a great smell.
3. You can also make an orange face mask by mixing equal proportions of milk and orange powder together until you’ve got a thick paste. Apply it to your face and wash it off after about half an hour. This mask will remove dead skin cells and excess oil from your face.

Hair Care

Add crushed orange peels to some water and leave it there overnight. Add this mixture to your hair to help rid yourself of dandruff, while cleaning and conditioning your hair at the same time.

To make a homemade orange peel conditioner, throw an orange with its peel still attached into a blender, and apply the serum to the full length of your hair.

Orange peels can also be used:

1. For cleaning purposes, to shine wood and to polish stainless steel. You can make your own citrus cleaner by infusing vinegar with orange peels and a bit of boiling water. You can polish the surfaces using the peels alone or with vinegar. A drop or two of vinegar on the peels will do.
2. As refrigerator deodorizer and to freshen up smelly shoes.
3. As natural mosquito repellant. To make this, take fresh orange peels and rub them all over your skin. The citrus smell will repel the mosquitoes.
4. To make ant repellant, place orange peels in areas where you usually experience an ant problem. Orange oil can also be used instead of peels.
5. To keep cats away. To do this, place orange peels outside or rub the peels near things in your home you don’t want the cat to get to.

To make powdered orange peel wash them in warm distilled water, spread the orange peels on a tray and sun-dry. Crush the peels into a fine powder using a blender, food processor, or mortar and pestle. Store your sun-dried orange peel powder in an airtight jar.

Sources: Manipal Hospital, Style Craze, JonBarron, Ba-Bamail, Bellatory.

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chinwe

An Environment Resource Management graduate of Abia State University with her Masters in-view, Chinwe is also a Columnist, an OAP, a sought-after motivational speaker and writer with special interest in food and the balance of diet.

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