Here’s a riddle for you: This is a fruit that you might be fed, you just need to mix yellow and red. What is it? That’s right, an orange! Today we’ll go over the benefits of orange peel tea.
We all have had an orange at least a dozen times in our lives and will happily try a dozen more. There are hundreds of different varieties in many shapes and sizes, but one thing is for sure – they are all absolutely delicious. I mean, who doesn’t love freshly squeezed orange juice?
Now, we have one question for you: do you throw away the peels? If your answer to this question is yes, then you absolutely must read on.
Thanks to its aromatic flavor, orange peel can be used for many purposes: syrups, desserts, bread, soups. It is a great ingredient to add to many foods, but it is also fantastic in a cup of tea.
And what’s even better, it is incredibly easy to make!
IMPORTANT FACT: It is completely safe to eat orange peels but only on the condition of them being organic and free of pesticides.
Read on to find out about the health benefits of orange peels and how to use them to make tea.
Orange Peel Tea Benefits
Improves Digestion
In case you thought that gut health is merely important when you feel discomfort or pain, think again.
We offer a cozy home to roughly 40 trillion bacterial cells and 30 trillion human cells. In fact, we are technically more bacteria than human.
In your gut, there are up to 1,000 species of bacteria, and they are all responsible for different functions. Simply put, your gut is responsible for your immune system, brain health, heart health, and weight, just to name a few.
The good news is that orange peels are rich in pectin and research shows that it is great for your gastrointestinal tract because pectin feeds the beneficial bacteria.
In other words, if you are looking to keep your gut health in check, or you are currently suffering from diarrhea, heartburn, acidity, or nausea, the answer is simple – peel an orange and brew a tea!
Helps Defeat Colds
Oranges are well known for helping colds but orange peels are exceptional natural antioxidants. They are rich in vitamin C and many useful flavones, which have been shown to boost your immune system and help encourage the production of blood cells that help protect against infections.
In Chinese Medicine, citrus peels are considered a valuable and popular ingredient for many homemade remedies. They have been used to help fight off nasty germs, improve digestion, and clear lungs from congestion and phlegm.
Assists In Weight Loss
It’s no news that in order to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, the foods and beverages we consume daily play an essential part in it. Adding certain fruits to your everyday diet help fast track your weight loss progress.
As mentioned before, orange peel contains high volumes of vitamin C, which helps speed up your metabolism and is known for assisting in burning fat. It is also rich in fiber, which helps you curb sudden jumps in appetite.
Improves Heart Health
Our hearts work day in and day out to supply vital nutrients and oxygen to all parts of our body, so keeping them as healthy as possible is of utmost importance.
Thankfully, there are many fruits, vegetables, and herbs that can help us out with that, and oranges, along with their peels, are among them.
Orange peels contain important flavones (class of flavonoids), such as hesperidin and polymethoxylated flavones. Hesperidin is a plant pigment that has been proven to help fight cardiovascular diseases and lower blood pressure and inflammation.
Polymethoxylated flavones, on the other hand, aid in cholesterol management and reduce the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) levels, which in turn, lowers the risk of heart diseases.
How to Make Orange Peel Tea
Ingredients, 1 cup serving
- 2½ cups water
- 2 tbsp fresh orange peel or 1 tbsp dried orange peel.
- Optional spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves.
- Optional sweetener: natural honey or agave.
Instructions
Step 1. Chop your orange peels into small pieces.
Step 2. Leave the pieces to dry in a cool, dry place, or use them fresh.
Step 3. Bring water to a boil in a pot and throw in your slices of orange.
Step 4. Place the peels and let them simmer for at least 10 minutes. Add optional spices.
Step 5. Remove the peels from the tea with the help of a strainer while pouring the tea into a cup, pitcher, or pot.
Note: For maximum freshness, the tea should be kept in the refrigerator. The shelf life of this tea is 2 days.
Conclusion
It’s hardly surprising that orange peel tea benefits our bodies so much when oranges offer an incredible amount of benefits themselves. So, when life gives you oranges, peel them, and make a cup of tea.
Try out our orange peel tea recipe and let us know what you think in the comments down below!
Also, if you’re looking for another interesting (and healthy) tea, be sure to check out our article about citron tea and its benefits.