ORANGE POWER
When we think of the nutrition in oranges, we tend to think of the vitamin C content that benefits our immune systems.
But oranges also contain valuable antioxidants for protecting our health, and most of them are found in orange peels.
Orange peel nutrients are widely studied for their potential to prevent disease and virus infection, promote heart and gut health, aid digestion, reduce allergies, and calm inflammation.
WHY ORANGE PEELS?
Orange peels offer a wide range of powerful compounds produced by plants that provide health benefits to your body (phytonutrients).
They are full of antioxidant flavonoids, predominantly hesperidin.
Hesperidin is known to have antioxidant • anti-inflammatory • antiadipogenic (lowers high levels of fats) • antiallergic (prevents or relieves allergies) • anticarcinogenic (protecting against cancer) • antiviral • insulin-sensitising • hypolipidemic (decreases high cholesterol) • neuroprotective (defends the central nervous system against injury) • and vasoprotective (alleviates or prevents blood vessel diseases) properties.
We should never underestimate the power of nutrition to protect our health.
In cold and flu seasons, orange peels offer us a simple way we can prevent and heal from flu and virus infections.
And you can make eating orange peels delicious using my puree recipe.
I’ve included links in the reference list to studies that show hesperidin’s anti-viral activity against the influenza virus by significantly reducing the ability of a virus to infect your cells (virus replication).
Hesperidin is also emerging as a promising candidate in the fight against COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), with the potential to contribute to both preventive and therapeutic strategies.
PUREE RECIPE
I originally created an orange peel puree recipe to use for myself to help prevent and recover from viruses, colds and flu infections.
I’m constantly working with sick people so I use proactive strategies to protect my immune system.
Now, with virus infections challenging us all year round, I want to share my puree recipe with everyone because it’s powerful and delicious.
It’s a prevention is always the best cure type of recipe you can eat daily.
The aim of the recipe is to help you boost and protect your metabolism and immune system.
You use a slow cooker for this recipe to preserve as much nutrition as possible.
But you can also gently boil whole oranges, and we give you that option in the recipe.
Luckily, the citrus season in Australia peaks in the colder months of winter so there are plenty of oranges to choose from.
Navel oranges are available throughout winter. They are a sweet, seedless orange making them ideal for orange peel puree.
I make small batches of orange peel puree at a time but feel free to adjust the recipe quantities to suit your needs.
INGREDIENTS
4 organic oranges.
1/2 cup boiling water.
1/4 cup lemon juice.
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
1/2 teaspoon of 100% pure monk fruit powder.
3 tablespoons of dark, organic, pure maple syrup.
EQUIPMENT
Slow cooker – on low.
Stick blender.
Metric measuring spoons.
Glass storage jars.
INSTRUCTIONS
If you can’t source organic oranges, thoroughly wash your oranges with detergent or a sonic cleaner to remove any wax or pesticide residues. Do not remove the peel.
Cut the oranges in quarters and then finely slice each quarter and remove any seeds.
Layer the orange slices in your slow cooker.
Pour half a cup of boiling water in a glass measuring jug.
Add the cinnamon and monk fruit.
Whisk the ingredients into the hot water.
Stir in the lemon juice.
Pour over the oranges.
Set your slow cooker on slow heat for 3-4 hours.
After 2 hours stir the fruit, bringing the bottom layers to the top, and press the fruit into the juices.
After three hours check to see if the peels can be easily softened with a fork.
If not completely cooked, continue cooking for four hours, turn the cooker off, take the lid off, and allow to cool.
When cooled to room temperature, add the maple syrup to offset the bitterness of orange pith.
Then get your stick blender and blend into a smooth orange puree.
Taste test and add more maple syrup if needed.
Pour your purée into sterilised glass jars and store in the fridge.
Because this recipe doesn’t contain preserving sugar, make sure you eat the puree within two weeks.
RECIPE NOTES
I use a 1.5 litre slow cooker with a ceramic inner pot and glass lid for this recipe. You may need to adjust the cooking time if you use more oranges or a large slow cooker.
The oranges are cooked when the peels easily break up with a fork.
If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can boil the oranges using the same recipe. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer with the lid on the pot for one to two hours. Keep the lid on the pot and allow the cooked oranges to cool to room temperature before blending.
I love eating blood oranges, which you can see in the recipe image, but use whatever is in season, and preferably a sweet orange variety.
If you can’t source organic oranges, make sure you scrub them well to remove as much pesticide and wax residue as possible.
Orange peel puree made in a slow cooker creates a stronger brew than boiling oranges. But use what equipment you have. Either way of cooking will benefit your gut microbiome and immune system.
The amount of pure maple syrup sweetener you add will depend on the variety and number of oranges you use. Taste test and sweeten accordingly. Don‘t use sugar.
If you can’t source 100% pure monk fruit, don’t worry – it’s a natural sweetener with immune-boosting benefits. Just add maple syrup after the oranges are puréed.
I buy 100% pure monk fruit powder online from Herbal Connection in Queensland.
And also I use Thankfully Nourished pure liquid monk fruit extract, which I stock at the clinic to help my clients quit sugar.
If you can’t source 100% pure certified organic maple syrup, use raw honey. Add the honey once your cooked oranges have cooled so you don’t destroy the enzymes in the honey.
EATING IDEAS
There are many ways you can enjoy eating orange peel puree.
Have fun experimenting and find your favourite way.
You can eat 1 teaspoon of orange puree three times daily straight off the spoon to boost your metabolism and immune system and prevent chronic disease.
Add 1 tablespoon of orange purée to 3 tablespoons of coconut yoghurt. Avoid animal dairy products if you are congested with phlegm.
If you can’t source plain, live coconut yoghurt, add one tablespoon of orange puree to plain organic Greek yoghurt. Only use a live, plain yoghurt without fillers – they offer beneficial friendly bacteria that aid your gut health and digestion.
Add 1 tablespoon of orange puree to a mango, pineapple, and banana smoothie – which are rich in enzymes that aid recovery.
Also, see our Healthy Gut Reboot or Gut Health Boosting Smoothie Recipe blogs for health-boosting smoothie ideas.
Add a tablespoon of puree to individual coconut chia puddings.
Add a tablespoon of orange puree to your cooked porridge.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of puree to a cup of lemon balm tea to soothe lung congestion.
Add a tablespoon of orange peel puree to fruit salad.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of orange peel puree to a delicious hot cacao drink with saffron honey to soothe coughing.
Slow cooking makes orange peels more palatable. But for even greater nutritional value, you could also zest raw orange peel and add it to yoghurt, smoothies, salads, in dairy-free cream cheese frosting, or as a topping for porridge or desserts.
You can also add a tablespoon of raw orange peel to fresh juices. Try fresh pineapple, carrot, orange peel, and ginger juice to alleviate coughing.
JUICE CAUTION: pineapple is not recommended if you are pregnant or take blood thinning medication. Use organic apples instead.
INGREDIENT BENEFITS
Orange Peel
Calms respiratory distress • rich in hersperidin – flu, virus infections • reduces phlegm • histamine reducing for allergies • lung cleansing • vascular protective • liver protective • immune boosting • aids digestion and fat metabolism • reduces gut inflammation • cholesterol and blood pressure • natural anti-inflammatory • nutrient rich • helps regulate blood sugar • rich in flavonoids and antioxidants that help reduce oxidative damage • helps fight the symptoms of infection, colds and flu • disease prevention.
Cinnamon
Viral infections • anti-inflammatory • bacterial infections • inhibits candida • promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria • decreases abdominal fat • improves fasting blood sugar • improves insulin resistance • anti-diabetic • rich in antioxidants • autoimmune symptoms • blood pressure (hypertension) • brain food • central nervous system • cholesterol • cognitive decline • protects colon • dental health • diabetes • fungal infections • protects against cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders • weight management • wound healing.
Pure Dark Maple Syrup
Rich in antioxidant properties (quebecol) • antiviral, antibiotic • liver protective • ammonia reducing • aids digestion • anti-cancer compounds (MS-BuOH extract) • DNA protective • reduce LDL cholesterol • has a lower glycemic index than sucrose • anti-inflammatory • neurodegenerative disease prevention • aids diversity of the gut microbiome.
100% Pure Monk Fruit
Antimicrobial • antioxidant • immunologic •anti-tussive (coughing) • sputum-reducing • sore throats, cough, colds, flu, and reducing phlegm • fructose and glucose free • antioxidant and anti-cancer properties • anti-fatigue, anti-diabetic and anti-hyperglycaemic properties • 300 times sweeter than sucrose so use sparingly.
FEEDBACK
Since publishing my orange peel puree recipe, I’ve been receiving positive feedback from my clients – especially for helping clear up coughing that hangs on long after a virus or flu.
A recent comment I received was that the puree worked really well but boy did my client cough up some ‘gunk’.
The puree will loosen congestion and you will cough it up. That’s exactly what you want to happen.
But make sure that you do cough any ‘gunk’ into a tissue – no swallowing.
Always cough mucous up and out of your body.
Also, sometimes a batch can be really strong, depending on the oranges you use.
You can always add extra pure maple syrup or raw honey until it’s palatable.
To me it’s important that healthy food be delicious too, and inspire you to want to eat well.
I hope you and your family love orange peel puree as much as I do.
And always remember – your body is designed to heal when you give it what it needs to be healthy!
Shared with love,
Lisa Rieniets ND.
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