Most people love to eat citrus fruits from time to time, with oranges being a particular favorite. This means that your hands will certainly smell of orange rinds every once in a while, and a lot of peels will end up being thrown in the trash. This is a big shame, since there are loads of unique uses for orange rinds that you may not have thought of! Keep reading to discover 45 fantastic uses for orange peels.
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1. Health Benefits
2. Beauty Treatments & Applications
3. Cleaning Uses
4. DIY Projects
5. Natural Repellents
6. Recipes & Cooking
7. Other Uses
8. Nutritional Properties
9. General Tips & Advice
Orange rinds can be used to lower blood pressure. They have been a part of Chinese herbal medicines for thousands of years for this purpose.
Orange oil can be used to naturally relieve anxiety and depression by taking a bath or rubbing just a bit on the temple and forehead area.
Orange peel contains a compound called nobiletin, which has been found to lower a person's risk of inflammation and heart disease.
The nobiletin present in orange peel also exerts a positive influence on your health by lowering levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the body.
Since orange peel is low in calories and high in fiber, it is very useful in preventing you from exceeding your recommended daily calorie intake. It also forms adipose tissue, which helps to prevent obesity.
Consuming orange peel results in your lungs being cleansed, since it helps to break down and expel any trapped phlegm.
Research shows that eating orange peel can protect you from a number of different cancers including breast cancer, skin cancer, and colorectal cancer.
The non-soluble polysaccharides found in orange peel help prevent constipation, heartburn, nausea, and excess acid forming from in the stomach.
Rub an orange peel against the inside of your mouth and teeth to freshen up your breath, whiten your teeth, and even reduce their sensitivity.
If you overdid it last night, you can ease today's struggle by mixing salt and orange peel in some boiling water for around 20 minutes. Once it cools, you should drink the whole concoction to help reduce the effects of your hangover.
The Vitamin C that orange peels contain helps to lighten dark spots and blemishes on the skin. Simply rub the skin right onto your skin or mash it into a paste instead.
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.
Extract the oil from the orange peels by grinding up the peels and fermenting them with vodka or alcohol for about 3 days. Strain the oil and add a few drops to your bath. Orange oil is known for its anti-inflammatory properties as well as its ability to improve skin tone and texture.
You can also add orange peels to your bath in powder form instead. Simply dry out the orange peels completely and then grind them down to powder in the food processor, then sprinkle only a bit in your bath.
To get skin that is glowing and healthy-looking, simply crush some orange peel powder, dried neem leaves, pomegranate peel and lemon juice, and mix it all together. When the concoction has set, simply rub it into your skin, and sit back and admire the results.
You can make an orange face mask by mixing equal proportions of milk and orange powder together until you've got a thick paste. When it's ready, 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.
Add crushed orange peel to some water and leave it there overnight. From the following day, you'll be able to add this mixture to your hair to help rid yourself of dandruff, while cleaning and conditioning your hair at the same time.
To make orange peel lip balm, first, you'll need to add some almond oil, and an equal amount of sugar and orange peel powder to a bowl. Mix it together and let it set before applying to your lips.
You can make your own citrus cleaner by infusing vinegar with orange peels and a bit of boiling water. Trust us, it works wonders!
Orange peels can be used as a sponge too! Before the peel completely dries out, it contains a number of essential oils that are helpful in degreasing surfaces as well as pots and pans. If your sink or counter is full of grease, use an orange peel to scrub it down.
It's no secret that the smell of a freshly peeled orange can clear out a room. Place the peels at the bottom of your garbage bin, or hang them from a string in your bathroom for a constant fresh scent.
A great way to clean out your garbage disposal is by putting orange peels down the disposal. Place them in the disposal and run it until clear, then run some water down after it. The citrus will get rid of any scents coming from the disposal.
Boil orange peels in hot water to help freshen the air in the kitchen. You can also add a cinnamon stick or mint into the mix if you want to recreate the smell of air fresheners. If you have a fire going at home, place a paper bag filled with dried orange peels into the fire and your house will smell wonderful.
Orange is also an excellent deodorizer for your refrigerator. Cut an orange in half and remove the fruit from the inside (eat it!). Then, fill up half the orange with salt and put it in a small bowl in your refrigerator for up to a week or two.
You can use the white underside of an orange peel to breathe new life into dull-looking wooden furniture. Simply rub it onto any wooden surface, and give it a rinse with a damp cloth when you're done.
Place some dry orange peels into small sachets, and then place them into the worst offenders on your shoe rack. The peel will absorb the odors naturally, making your life more pleasant and fragrant!
Make a candle at home with orange peels infused inside. Simply add finely shredded pieces of orange peel to the wax and other ingredients to make your home smell fresh and fruity!
Make your own topiary tree with orange peels for a fantastic smelling piece of home decor. With enough effort, it will look amazing, too!
To make a natural bird feeder that birds will love, cut an orange in half and remove the fruit. Take the orange half and poke 3 evenly spaced holes near the cut section of the peel. There, attach a sturdy piece of string and hang it from a tree. Fill the empty orange peel with birdseed and wait for your flying visitors to pile in!
Here's an idea that kids will certainly love! Cut an orange in half, remove the fruit and use the halves as little boats in the bathtub or out on the lake!
Make fragrant and fun jewelry with the little princesses you know, entirely out of orange peels! This activity is a perfect way to get kids to love fruit!
If you are looking for a natural way to repel mosquitos, take fresh orange peels and rub them all over your skin. The citrus smell will repel the mosquitos.
If you have a slug problem in your garden, try spreading some orange peels on top of the soil to keep them at bay.
Place orange peels in problem areas of your house where you usually experience an ant problem. Orange oil can also be used instead of peels.
If you want to keep stray cats away from your home, place orange peels outside. If you have a cat at home that tends to get into things it shouldn't, you can rub the peels or place them (or rub orange oil) near the dear things in your home (like your sofa).
This is probably the most self-explanatory of all the uses for orange peels. Zesting an orange peel with a zester is a great way to add a sweet and tangy taste to your meat marinades or favorite baked goods. Orange zest can even taste great in your morning cup of coffee or afternoon cup of tea!
A wonderful delicacy, candied orange peels are a popular after-meal snack in a number of European cultures, and they are quite easy to make too! Just melt some chocolate and cover one or all sides in a sugared orange peel.
Candied orange peels are made by boiling a dried orange peel in sugar for about an hour. You can then cover them in chocolate as mentioned above, or roll them around in sugar for an even sweeter taste!
If you want to give your salads a kick, place one dried orange peel in your olive oil to make your greens all the more zesty and exciting!
No need for tea bags here! Dry out a few orange peels and place them in hot water next time you are craving a warm 'orangey' beverage. Orange tea is also great for when you are feeling congested - the citrus will open up your sinuses. Add cinnamon sticks and aniseed stars to give it a spicy kick!
To make a deliciously sweet sauce to accompany meat, poultry or vegetarian dishes, simply combine half a teaspoon of salt with a cup of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Then, stir in 4 teaspoons of grated orange peel, 2 cups of orange juice and a cup of water. Cook this mixture over low heat for around 10 minutes, stirring constantly until thick and transparent.
Here's a dessert that sure to wow your friends and family!
Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
Method:
1. Mix all of the ingredients together and beat thoroughly for around 3 minutes.
2. Add it all to a greased pan and bake at 180°C (356°F) for approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven, and let it cool on a wire rack, until it is ready to eat.
Orange peel is full of nitrogen and other potent nutrients, which is why it makes brilliant composting material. It will enrich your soil, making your gardening efforts as fruitful as can be!
Oranges can also be used to start a fire! Use a dried orange peel as kindling the next time you are on a camping trip or use it to make your hearth fires fragrant and bright.
Add your orange peels to brown sugar to help draw the moisture away and keep it from solidifying. This simple practice will save you a lot of money and frustration in the long run!
Based on a 100g serving, here are the nutritional properties of a typical orange peel. The percentage of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) is represented in brackets:
• Energy - 97 Kcal (5%)
• Protein - 1.5g (3%)
• Carbohydrates - 25g (19%)
• Fat - 0.2g (1%)
• Dietary Fiber - 10.6g (28%)
• Cholesterol - 0mg (0%)
• Potassium - 212mg (4%)
• Sodium - 3mg (0%)
• Zinc - 0.25mg (2%)
• Calcium - 161mg (16%)
• Copper - 92µg (10%)
• Iron - 0.8mg (10%)
• Selenium - 1µg (2%)
• Magnesium - 22mg (5.5%)
• Vitamin A - 420 IU (14%)
• Vitamin C - 136mg (226%)
• Vitamin E - 0.25mg (2%)
• Thiamin - 0.12mg (10%)
• Riboflavin - 0.09mg (7%)
• Pyridoxine - 0.176 (13%)
• Folates - 30mg (7.5%)
• Niacin - 0.9mg (6%)
• When working with orange peel, you should usually wash, clean and dry it first.
• Never store unpeeled oranges for an extended period of time.
• Orange peels should not be stored in a refrigerator, but in a cool, dry place instead.
• Always try and choose oranges that have thin skin for the best results.
Don't forget to share this guide with your friends and family, too!
If you liked this, then make sure you check out our guides for lemon peels, banana peels and the collection on Alternative uses for 21 common food products.
