How to use tangerine peels for maximum benefit
Winter is the time for tangerines. Their citrus scent and sweet taste create the atmosphere of the upcoming holidays. Many consider only the flesh to be edible in this fruit. It has a pleasant taste, contains a large amount of nutrients and strengthens the immune system. It is this property that explains the popularity of citrus fruits in the cold season. At the same time, few people know that the tangerine peel is no less useful than its pulp.
The peel, which is usually thrown away by everyone, contains vitamins, minerals, essential oils and other useful substances. Moreover, the concentration of many substances is higher than in the pulp. Mandarin peels are used in medicine, cosmetology, cooking, gardening and everyday life.
The content of the article
Composition and properties of tangerine peels
Tangerine peels are a healthy and aromatic product. If you do not throw out the tangerine peel, but prepare it for future use, it will certainly find its use in the household.
Skins tangerines useful for the body, used in everyday life. It is important to know how to properly use this product, and in what cases it is dangerous to eat it.
Biological and nutritional value
Mandarin crusts have a rich biochemical composition. It includes the following substances:
- vitamins: PP, E, C, B1, K, B6, A, D, B2;
- minerals: phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, magnesium, calcium, sodium;
- alimentary fiber;
- disaccharides;
- organic acids;
- monosaccharides;
- pectin;
- beta carotene;
- essential oils;
- flavonoids.
The tangerine peel contains limonene, which has a pronounced antibacterial and antifungal effect.
The calorie content of the product is 97 kcal per 100 g. The same amount accounts for 1.2 g of proteins, 0.2 g of fat and 25 g of carbohydrates.
Note! Concentration nutrients more in the peel than in the pulp.
Harm and benefit
Mandarin peel is a medicinal product. It has a number of useful properties:
- reduces inflammation;
- destroys bacteria;
- strengthens the immune system;
- normalizes bowel function;
- removes free radicals from the body;
- reduces blood cholesterol levels;
- tones up the body;
- improves mood;
- improves the condition of the skin and hair;
- activates the liver;
- lowers blood sugar levels;
- lowers blood pressure;
- removes plaque from teeth;
- normalizes hormonal levels;
- antifungal effect;
- breaks down lipids;
- speeds up metabolism.
Mandarin peels can be beneficial as well as harmful. In some people, they cause an allergic reaction, up to anaphylactic shock.
The main danger of tangerine skins lies in the means with which they are processed to extend the shelf life and improve the presentation. These substances are harmful to health and can cause symptoms of poisoning. To prevent the occurrence of undesirable consequences, oranges are dipped in boiling water before peeling, and then washed in a soda solution.
Note! It is mandarins that are attractive with a glossy peel that are most often treated with harmful drugs.
Can I eat them
The benefits of tangerine peels are enormous. But not everyone likes their taste. The product has a tart, sweet-bitter taste and a pronounced citrus aroma.
Even those who like tart flavors will not be able to consume more than a few grams of the peel raw.However, when properly prepared, the bitterness from citrus peelings disappears, while the rich aroma and astringency remains. In this form, the product will become a real delicacy.
Therapeutic effect on the body
Mandarin peel helps to fight a number of diseases. Among them:
- Cold, sore throat. With colds citrus peel helps to cope thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as its ability to activate immune processes.
- Sugar diabetes. Mandarin peel lowers blood sugar levels.
- Women's diseases. The product helps to cope with this problem by normalizing hormonal balance.
- Cough. Tangerine skins help liquefy and remove phlegm, relieve inflammation, fight bacteria,
- Bloating, constipation. The remedy improves bowel function.
- Atherosclerosis. The effectiveness of citrus is due to its ability to remove cholesterol from the body.
- Obesity. Citrus peel speeds up metabolism and breaks down lipids. Suitable for outdoor and indoor use.
- Cellulite. The tool breaks down fat capsules, improves blood circulation and relieves inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, which causes cellulite.
- Depression and stress. Mandarin essential oils improve mood, strengthen the nervous system.
- Treatment of skin diseases of fungal etiology. When applied externally, a citrus peel-based product destroys pathogenic fungi.
It is interesting:
How to apply tangerine peels
Mandarin peelings have a strong citrus aroma. Their zest is used in cooking.
There are recipes for traditional medicine, in which the product is an integral ingredient.
In folk medicine
Tangerine peels are used in folk medicine. They are used to prepare drugs for solving a wide variety of health problems.
The list contains the most popular funds for citrus-based:
- From cough. To prepare the medicine, the peel of 3 tangerines (both fresh and dried) are infused for 2 weeks in a dark place. Take 3 times a day, diluting 30 drops in a glass of water.
- For insomnia and stress... 0.5 kg of tangerine peel is boiled in 5 liters of water for 5 minutes, and the composition is allowed to brew for an hour. The resulting product is filtered and poured into a bath, which is taken for 15 minutes an hour before bedtime.
- Nail fungus... To get rid of the problem, twice a day, nails are wiped with the orange side of a fresh orange peel.
- From flatulence. In the morning porridge or cottage cheese add 1 tsp of ground zest or dried tangerine powder. Tea, with the addition of mandarin peels, will help to cope with this problem.
- For appetite. 1 tsp of ground mandarin zest is poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted in a dark place for a month. Take 15 drops, diluted in 1 tbsp. l of water 15 minutes before meals.
- For colds... Steam inhalation will help to cope with the disease. 2 tbsp. l of dried citrus peels are boiled for 5 minutes. When the liquid has cooled down a little, they bend over it, cover their head with a towel and inhale the vapors.
- From mastitis. 100 g of tangerine peelings and 20 g of licorice root are poured into 0.5 liters of water and boiled for 10 minutes. Gauze is impregnated with warm broth, which is applied to previously mashed problem areas. From above, the gauze is closed with a film and fixed with an adhesive plaster.
Important! Folk remedies can only be used as an adjunct to the main treatment after consultation with a specialist.
In cooking
Citrus peels have found their way into cooking. They are used for different purposes:
- Spice. Tangerine peel powder or citrus peel goes well with poultry and fish.They are included in condiments (for example, mixed with rosemary, thyme, white pepper, granulated garlic, paprika).
- Tea. Orange peels are added to black or green tea (1 teaspoon of zest per 1 tbsp. L of tea). Sometimes tea is made from orange peels, cinnamon and star anise.
- Beverages. Tangerine peels are added to compotes, mulled wine, alcoholic cocktails.
- Candied fruit. Delicious candied fruits are prepared from citrus peels. They are used to decorate desserts or used as sweets.
- Jam. The product is added to jam from other fruits and berries, combined with citrus fruits, or cooked together with mandarin pulp.
- Sauces. Tangerines and their zest make delicious sauces for meat and fish.
In cosmetology
Homemade cosmetics are made from orange peel, which are not inferior in quality to professional products.
Some of the recipes are especially effective:
- Cellulite wrap. The peel is chopped in a meat grinder or on a fine grater. Add 3 tbsp to the resulting gruel. l honey. The mixture is applied to problem areas, wrapped in foil, and warm clothes are put on top. The duration of the wrapping is 40-60 minutes.
- Mask for dry skin. 1 tbsp. l peel powder, 1 raw egg yolk and 1 tsp of fat sour cream. The mask is applied to the face for 20 minutes. Then wash off with warm water.
- Toner for problem and oily skin. The peel of half a lemon and 3 tangerines is mixed with 2 tbsp. l dry mint. The mixture is poured with a glass of vodka and insisted for 2 weeks. Then, if necessary, dilute with water in a ratio of 4: 1. The tonic is used to wipe the skin after washing and do not wash it off.
- Anti-dandruff rinse. The peel of 6 tangerines is simmered in 1 liter. water. Then it is left to cool completely and filtered. Rinse hair with broth after shampooing.
- Scrub mask from age spots and freckles. The peel of 1 tangerine and 1 lemon is grated. Add 1 tbsp to citrus fruits. l ground coffee and 1 tbsp. l olive oil. The mass is applied to the face and left for 5-10 minutes. Then the product is massaged into the skin and then washed off. A moisturizer is applied to the face.
- Skin tightening compress... The peel of two tangerines is poured with boiling water and left in a thermos for 4 hours. The fabric is soaked in infusion, which is applied to the face and neck for 15 minutes. After the procedure, a moisturizer is applied to the skin.
- A way to strengthen nails. To do this, every evening, the nail plate is rubbed with a tangerine crust.
At home
The peel of citrus fruits helps in harvesting and is used for various household needs. The most useful ways to use it are presented in the list:
- Tangerine peels can help get rid of moths. For this, dried cleanings are placed in fabric bags, which are laid out in cabinets, pockets of sheepskin coats and fur coats.
- Air freshener. Put the skins of 4 tangerines, 3 cloves (spices), 1 cinnamon stick in a saucepan. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes, after which a glass of vinegar is poured. The broth is filtered and poured into a container with a spray.
- Aromatic decor. Transparent vases are filled with a mixture of dried orange peels and flower petals. Such decoration will not only make the interior more interesting and flavor the room, but also make the air cleaner.
- Means for removing frozen fat and washing the refrigerator. To prepare it, 10 tangerine peels are poured into 0.5 liters of vinegar and insisted for 3 weeks. Then the tincture is filtered and poured into a convenient container.
- Crusts for cleaning plaque from plumbing and removing fungus... A little soda is applied to the orange side of the skin. The resulting "washcloth" is rubbed with problem areas (faucet, tile seams, affected by the fungus) and left for 10 minutes. The remnants of the product are washed off with warm water.
- Means for scaring away animals. If cats "mark" corners or go to the toilet there, the orange peels will scare the animals away.
- A decoction for the treatment of fleas in pets. A glass of tangerine peels is poured with a liter of water and boiled for 20 minutes.The product is used to rinse the animals after bathing.
In the garden
Tangerine peels are used in the garden and outside the country. Means based on them are no less effective for indoor plants:
- From aphids and spider mites. 300 g of citrus peelings are poured into 1 liter of hot water. The tool is insisted for a week in a warm place. Then add 2 liters of water and 0.5 pieces of grated laundry soap to it. Infusion is sprayed on plants in dry weather twice a week.
- To scare off ants. Peelings 8 tangerines are ground in a meat grinder and diluted with a liter of water. The mixture is poured onto an anthill.
- For compost. If you add crushed mandarin peels to the compost, the amount of nitrogen in the fertilizer will increase.
- To scare away animals... To protect plants from cats, hares and rodents, tangerine peels are laid out in the garden.
How to prepare and store crusts
To dry the tangerine peels, they are laid out in 1 layer on batteries or placed in an oven set at 60 ° C. Some housewives use special dryers.
Store the product in hermetically sealed containers or in fabric bags in a dry, dark place. It is important that moisture does not get on the workpieces.
Advice! For some recipes, it is more convenient to use powder. For its preparation, already dried citrus peelings are ground in a coffee grinder.
Contraindications
Orange peels have not only beneficial properties, but also contraindications. These include:
- individual intolerance;
- age up to 3 years;
- exacerbation of stomach diseases.
Conclusion
Tangerine peels are often thrown away without thinking about how necessary and useful a product it is. They have found their application in cooking, folk medicine, gardening, and cosmetology. They are used to prepare home cleaning products, sachets for scaring away moths and other compounds that make life easier.