Orange peel: what is useful and how to use?
You can hear a lot of interesting information about the beneficial and harmful properties of orange peel.It is used as an aid in traditional medicine in the treatment of certain diseases, as well as in cooking - as a spice in the preparation of various dishes. However, the consumption of large quantities of peel can cause serious harm to the human body.
What is it like?
Zest is called bright orange orange peel, which has a pleasant, slightly tart flavor. The structure of the skin contains small pores with a large amount of essential oils, which provide an unforgettable citrus scent. The taste of orange peel is bitter-sweet, sometimes slightly cloying.
Under the bright orange layer is a thin skin of white. This layer is practically not used in cooking and traditional medicine, as it has a bitter taste.
Benefit and harm
There are many useful properties of orange peel and you can talk about them for a long time, but there is nothing much to say about the harmful ones. Since the harm is an allergic reaction of the body when eating peel in food. In addition, you should not use orange peel in unlimited quantities. Perhaps the harmful properties of the peel on this and ended.
Now consider the beneficial properties of orange peel.
- Many people use orange peel as an aid in the treatment of certain diseases. The composition of the peel includes a huge amount of nutrients that help the body to mobilize hidden opportunities and promote rapid recovery.
- To lower cholesterol in the blood, it is often recommended to use orange zest. It contains very effective substances - flavonoids and antioxidants. Due to the content of a large number of these elements, the peel perfectly cleans the blood of various harmful substances, helps to reduce the risk of exacerbation of hypertension, the likelihood of heart attack and stroke.
- Due to certain alkaline compounds, orange peel helps with heartburn, reducing the level of acidity in the human stomach. The best option for using peel in this case is to add it to tea or smoothie. This will help maintain the acid-base balance at the proper level. If you have problems with the digestive system should pay special attention to orange peel. By consuming it regularly, you can significantly alleviate the symptoms, and later also cure the disease.
- Orange peel is excellent for various bowel problems. According to scientists, the peel of the orange contains the fiber that is necessary and useful for the digestive system, which helps the work of not only the stomach, but also the intestine. The systematic use of peel will ensure the proper digestion of food, will help to organize the work of the intestine.
- It is no secret that citrus contains a large amount of vitamin C, but most of all it is in the peel. In the treatment of various colds orange peel is a reliable and proven assistant. The systematic use of orange peel in food will help strengthen the immune system. Various useful substances contained in the peel help to slow down the reproduction of various viruses and bacteria in the human body, strengthen the protection and increase resistance to diseases. Particularly useful is the peel in the autumn and winter, as the prevention of various diseases.
- Orange peel helps to significantly improve the condition of human teeth. This is due to the presence in the zest of essential oils, due to which increased resistance to the harmful effects of plaque. Many dentists advise people with sensitive teeth to regularly chew on an orange rind. This helps to eliminate pain symptoms, reduces tooth sensitivity, provides breath freshness, significantly reduces the number of bacteria, helps to get rid of yellow bloom.
- Regular consumption of orange peel helps cleanse the body, and this leads to weight loss. This is due to the content in the peel of fiber. Eat zest should be in the form of infusions, as well as adding it to various dishes.
- Careful skin care. Regularly wiping the skin with properly prepared infusion of orange peel, you can significantly reduce the number of acne, spots from exposure to sunlight, various burns, and so on. This is due to the content in the skin of a large amount of vitamin C. In addition, orange peel will help to eliminate some of the signs of aging skin.
- For respiratory infections, be sure to eat an orange, as well as inhale the scent of its skin. Orange peel, spread throughout the room, absorbs unpleasant odors for you, and also fights with germs.
- Essential oil, squeezed out of orange skin, not only actively stimulates the immune system, but also has a calming effect on the person, helping to fight against insomnia and stress.
How to cook?
Orange peel is a valuable universal component that is used not only in traditional medicine, but also in cooking when preparing various dishes, such as chocolate, cakes, rolls, ice cream, and so on. Any housewife practicing the preparation of pastries and various desserts knows perfectly how to cook orange zest, remove natural bitterness and make a supply of this useful product.
Initially, you need to thoroughly wash the citrus. This is very important, as fruits are often processed with special chemical compounds for longer storage, which must be carefully washed off. Therefore, first you should rinse the fruit under running water. Then in warm water with a sponge, carefully rub each fruit. This will help remove dirt and harmful substances from the skin.
Next, you need to pour them with boiling water and hold it for a couple of minutes. This will help ease the process of peeling off and separating the lower white layer.
To remove the peel you will need an ordinary kitchen knife, only a very sharp or fine grater or a vegetable peeler. Remove the top bright orange skin layer from the fruit. You should gently rub the citrus or cut the peel with a knife. The resulting large pieces of peel must be thoroughly crushed.
A very simple way of stocking the orange peel in reserve is dried peel. The most suitable for this method of preparation are large pieces of peel, cut with a knife or vegetable peeler. When rubbed on a fine grater, most of the essential oils contained in the peel are lost. Therefore, to preserve the bright orange flavor, you should use the first method of peeling citrus.
Next, the pieces of peel should be placed evenly on a clean, dry cloth or paper napkin, cover with a cloth and leave to dry for several days. Every day you need to gently turn the peel. This is necessary for uniform drying of the zest.
After the peel becomes dry and brittle, it must be crushed with a regular grinder into fine powder. Then gently pour the crushed zest into a clean, dry container and seal tightly with a lid. If necessary, remove the right amount of zest from the jar and again tightly close it with a lid.
An excellent option for harvesting orange peel for future use is sugaring. To do this, you need sugar and grated on a fine grater orange peel in a ratio of two to one. In a clean, dry container, the necessary ingredients are thoroughly mixed in given proportions. Next, the mixture should be gently transferred to the jar, shake well again and close tightly. It is necessary to store the container with candied peel in a cool place, for example, in a refrigerator.
This option of cooking orange peel is especially popular with children. Delicacy is tasty, sweet and very healthy.
Use in cooking
It is difficult to imagine the process of cooking numerous dishes without the addition of fragrant orange peel, especially desserts and chocolate. Cakes and rolls, cakes and muffins, pies and biscuits - you can endlessly continue the list of delicate, delicious pastries with the addition of zest. It gives dishes a special refined and original taste, advantageously emphasizes the taste qualities of the products used for cooking.
Many cooks use the rind of aromatic citruses as a spice when cooking not only pastries and desserts, but also adding it to fish and meat dishes. In addition, for the preparation of various alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, this fragrant spice is also successfully used. Experienced cooks and housewives brew aromatic, tasty preserves, jams and confitures from the peel of citrus.
In the early morning, a cup of aromatic tea or coffee with a small amount of orange zest will help you to get a boost of energy and strength. It gives drinks a special delicate and unique aroma, greatly enhances their tonic properties. This drink can also surprise your guests.
Cosmetology
The peel of oranges is successfully used in cosmetology. It is used as an additional component in the manufacture of various masks, facial scrubs and body. The nutrients contained in the peel of citrus have a beneficial effect on the skin, contribute to the smoothing of small wrinkles, refresh the color, significantly improve the condition of the skin. Prepare cosmetics with the addition of orange peel can be his own, at home or purchased at specialized outlets.
Taking a bath with citrus peel on a regular basis will not only relieve stress, but also have a beneficial, tonic effect on the skin. To do this, dry and crush the citrus peel into powder, then add a little olive oil and leave the mixture to stand for a while. After about an hour, the resulting oil should be poured into water and you can take a bath. For a one-time procedure, you will need peel from three oranges.
It is necessary to note other, no less useful properties of citrus peel. Experienced and zealous housewives have found a different use for the peel of oranges in everyday life: they use zest to scare various insects. In addition, citrus peel will help get rid of plaque on metal products and parts, as well as prevent the appearance of foreign odors in household appliances.
Taste and healthy properties of orange peel are indisputable, while preparing a useful product that takes care of the health and beauty of the body, with your own hands at home is not so difficult, anyone, even an inexperienced hostess, can handle it. From the foregoing, the conclusion suggests itself - before throwing orange peel in the garbage, you need to think a thousand times.
See below for tips on using orange peel.