This season, oranges are an indispensable fruit. Their sweet and sour taste makes them very popular. Moreover, eating oranges is highly beneficial to health. We also know that the orange peel, pulp, and even the veins on them are good for the body.
Oranges are highly effective and can cure many minor ailments.
The orange fruit contains hesperidin, which can reduce the fragility of capillaries and prevent microvascular hemorrhage; the unique volatile essential oils in oranges can promote blood circulation; oranges contain pectin, which can expel excess lipids and cholesterol from the body; the dried orange peel contains 0.93%-1.95% of orange peel oil, which is effective for chronic bronchitis; oranges are rich in vitamin C and vitamin P, which can increase human immunity and prevent colds.
Oranges are rich in vitamin C and flavonoid compounds, which can eliminate excess destructive free radicals in the human body, thus preventing skin aging and sensitivity; oranges also contain vitamins and colloids, which can promote gastrointestinal motility and accelerate the passage of food through the digestive tract; therefore, eating oranges can beautify the skin and help with weight loss.
Here are some folk remedies with oranges for treating ailments.
Cough: Dry-roasted whole orange.
Remedy: Rinse the orange with water, wipe it dry with a paper towel or a clean cloth. Heat a dry wok, add the orange, and stir-fry with a spatula until slightly charred and fragrant with steam. Alternatively, you can roast it directly on a gas stove. This remedy is quite effective for relieving wind-cold cough.
Commentary: Colds in winter are often caused by the body's surface being affected by cold pathogenic factors, which in turn affects lung function. If a person's constitution is weak, even after treatment drives away the pathogenic factors from the surface, some may remain in the lungs, preventing the lungs from regulating water passages and producing phlegm-dampness. This obstructs the smooth circulation of lung qi, easily leading to a reverse flow and causing cough.
Dysmenorrhea: Orange seed tea.
Remedy: Take 3-5 grams of orange seeds, steep them in hot water, and drink frequently as a tea. If the pain is severe, the amount of orange seeds can be increased to 10 grams. This remedy can alleviate menstrual pain in women.
Commentary: Menstrual pain can have different causes. Pain after menstruation is due to blood deficiency and requires treatment to nourish the blood, which this remedy cannot do. Pre-menstrual bloating and pain is due to qi and blood stagnation and blockage, for which疏通 (dredging) methods are suitable.Cold: Ginger, scallion, and dried tangerine peel.
Remedy: Take 15-20 grams of dried tangerine peel, a few slices of ginger, and an appropriate amount of scallion heads. Simmer them together in water, strain the liquid, add a little sugar, and drink it on an empty stomach in the morning. This remedy is for wind-cold colds.
Commentary: Although this formula is simple, its composition is very clever and it is also suitable for wind-cold colds. When the body surface is invaded by cold, pungent and warm herbs are needed to expel it, and ginger and scallion serve this purpose. Stagnation at the body's surface can cause obstruction of internal qi flow, and vice versa. Therefore, many cold remedies address both the exterior and interior. The role of the dried tangerine peel in this formula is to regulate qi within the body. Once the internal qi flow is smooth, it helps the medicinal effects of the ginger and scallion to reach the exterior.
However, there are also taboos for eating oranges.
1. Avoid eating oranges while taking medication.
Oranges are rich in fruit acids and vitamin C. They should be avoided when taking vitamin K, sulfonamides, spironolactone, triamterene, and potassium supplements.
2. Avoid using fresh orange peel to make tea.
Most oranges are soaked in preservatives before being sold. These preservatives are chemical extracts, such as from jujubes. While the soaking does not affect the pulp, the preservatives remaining on the peel are difficult to wash off with plain water. Using such orange peel to make tea is harmful to health.
3. People with yin-deficient constitutions should eat less.
Oranges are warm-natured, and eating too many can easily lead to "internal heat," especially for those with a yin-deficient and yang-excess constitution. It's best to eat fewer, otherwise symptoms like canker sores, dry mouth, a sore throat, and constipation may occur.
4. Do not eat before meals or on an empty stomach.
Although oranges have many benefits, they should not be eaten frequently or in large quantities. It is recommended not to eat oranges on an empty stomach, as the pulp contains a certain amount of organic acids that can irritate the gastric mucosa.
5. Avoid excessive consumption.
1) Oranges contain relatively high calories. Eating too many at once can lead to "internal heat" and trigger symptoms like oral inflammation and periodontitis.
2) For people with poor gastrointestinal function, eating too many oranges can easily lead to stomach stones.
3) Pregnant women should not eat more than 3 tangerines a day, with a total weight of no more than 250 grams.