Orange, are you glad it’s July? We are! July is known for its warm summer days and an abundance of fruits, flowers and herbs, so this month we honor Orange Peel as our Herb of the Month. With its bright, round fruit counterpart, it’s no surprise that orange peel represents the sun, good luck and fertility in most cultures. Let’s explore the many virtues of Orange Peel from around the world!
Traditions of orange peels
Citrus sinensis, better known as orange peel, is an important part of the herbal tradition. The Japanese traditional herbal-based practice called Kampo Medicine focuses on controlling and maintaining digestion by improving motility in the gastrointestinal tract, improving body fluids and aiding digestion. The use of Orange Peel within this methodology has been clinically studied and used for inpatient care.
Orange peel is most popular for its digestive support properties. The aromatic plant compounds or essential oils are naturally found in the peel and provide a bitter and sharp taste. You can capture these medicinal properties through a hot water infusion, steam distillation (for topical use) or liquid extractions such as tinctures! The steam distillation method is most commonly used to isolate the essential oils from orange peel, also known as bergamot essential oil.
For hundreds of years, locals along Italy’s Calabrian coast have worked with their orange tree varieties to create traditional preparations such as hydrosols, ointments and preserves such as marmalade.
Orange peel for the modern age
Today, the Calabria region is famous all over the world for their exquisite bergamot essential oils, which are widely used in the production of perfumes and colognes. However, in the corner of the WishGarden Herb world, we cherish Orange Peel for its optimal bioavailability in the body when prepared in tincture form. Orange Peel’s naturally high aromatic compounds are better extracted and better absorbed internally when using herbal medicine methods than other extraction methods. This method involves the use of solvents such as alcohol, water and vegetable glycerin – all organic and sustainably produced, of course!
Our Kick-Ass Allergy Seasonal Rescue is a powerful histamine balancing formula that contains multiple herbs, but orange peel plays a very important role. It directs the movement of the interacting herbs by binding to bitter receptor points and moving herbs quickly through the body. The bitter compounds, such as tannins and organic citric or malic acids, move through our lymphatic system, but begin their work with the bitter signals in the mouth that we 25 T2R receptors. These receptors are like a doorbell for our systems! Do you ever notice that your mouth starts to salivate when something bitter lands on your tongue? Those are your bitter receptors hard at work! In addition to the medicinal, bitter effect, the sweet taste provides a nice balance and addition to any food-safe product.
Botany of orange peel
Citrus sinensis belongs to the Rutaceae family, which has several globally economically important fruit trees in the family. The leaves of the orange peel are smooth on the surface, alternate, oval-oblong, sharp, slightly serrated on the edges, and the stem is more or less winged. You can also make a distinction Citrus sinensis from its lime or lemon relatives by its elegant aroma when the tree blooms with 5 petals and twenty stamens in the center. These small but powerful white flowers are steam distilled and are known as Neroli essential oil. One of the most wonderful aromas in the world!
What is orange peel good for?
In addition to its global traditional uses, Orange Peel’s medicinal uses have a long, juicy list. This delicious crust is packed with powerful vitamins like C, A, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, B6 and calcium. Sounds like a multivitamin, right? It makes a great lemon substitute in oxymel, cold water infusion or simply to balance the flavor in herbal formulas while supporting optimal health! In herbal medicine, we cherish orange peels for their flavor, digestive support, and carminative properties. Carminative herbs contain high amounts of sticky, pungent oils that help harmonize digestion and support healthy tissue in or around the gastrointestinal tract. The dynamic, bitter yet sweet, neutral, cooling or warming energies of Orange Peel create a juicy worldwide reputation, what a gem!
A few formulas from WishGarden Herb that contain orange peel:
Lauren Ann Nichols-Sheffler attended the Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism and received her certificate in medical herbalism. She owns it Blue yarrow herbs also known as Herbal Vice, an herbal product company that practices bioregional herbal medicine by growing plants and sourcing locally. Lauren loves educating and advocating for plant sustainability. She is the purchasing and sourcing manager for WishGarden Herbs.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
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