Citrus Peel

I am sure that more often than not, when you've had to eat fruits at the constant behest of your parents, you have done so unwillingly, hoping that the minute they turn their back on you, you can make a run for it. Well, how would you feel if as a punishment, your mom asked you to eat nor the fruit but the peel of the fruit? Beside the fact that it will make you more appreciative of the fruit, it may surprise you to know that there are many people who eat citrus peel. This, of course, does not have to be raw and besides eating, there are other ways of obtaining the various benefits of citrus peel. These are given below.

Citrus Peel Health Benefits

There are countless benefits of eating citrus fruits, the loads of vitamin C in them topping the list. However, there are an equal number of benefits of citrus peel as well. It has been seen that citrus peel helps to lower cholesterol of an individual. It is said, there is a compound in peel of citrus fruits which helps to lower LDL, which is bad cholesterol in the body. The best part is that there are no side effects of this, like liver toxicity or muscle weakness and problems. This compound, polymethoxylated flavones, is said to be a very potent anti-cholesterol agent. They can also be obtained by citrus peel extract. It is said that peel of citrus fruits also acts on the digestive system and relieves a person of problems like intestinal pain and bloating. Also, if a person has problems like upper tract problems or even mild respiratory problems, then these too can be cured with the help of citrus peel, because even the zest that is present in the outer layers of the peel is rich in vitamin C.

Other Uses of Citrus Peel

• There are many uses of peel of citrus fruits. There is a high amount of flammable content in orange peel and so, when dried up, this can be an excellent fire starter.
• Did you know that peel of citrus fruits even acts as a cat repellent? So, if you have some precious plants which you do not want to see your cat ruin, then just place this cat repellent around the plant to keep the cat away.
• The zest of citrus peel is quite strong in smell and in taste. It's little wonder then that this is used in making sauce and different flavors which are tangy.
• These also have a slight desiccant property and so, you can place small amounts of citrus peel in a cloth and then hang them in your cupboard to get rid of any old or musty smell that may be emanating from your cupboard.
• Citrus peel oil is even an excellent insect repellent. Most insects strongly dislike the compound limonene in peel oil, so this can be kept around to keep flies and mosquitoes at bay.
• If you wish to get rid of a garbage disposal unit smell, then you can toss in a few peels to neutralize it to some extent.

This was all about citrus peel and its various uses. People are still waking up to the many uses of this side product of oranges and other fruits. Limonene, which is present in peel is being hailed as a great compound that will figure in the future making of plastic and even cellulosic ethanol. While right now, dried citrus peel is fed to cattle, who says that you can't eat citrus peel with a little twist? Candied citrus peel is becoming a huge rage now and is quite easy to make too. So, whether it is ingested or simply sprinkled all over the house or garden - this magical peel has uses that may startle you!