Bitter orange is one of the 3 main varieties of oranges. The fruit takes its common name from its bitter-sour but refreshing taste. Bitter orange is usually eaten in the form of jam, it is also the main ingredient of a well-known liqueur. For centuries, Arabic and Chinese medicine, as well as modern pharmacotherapy have been using the healing properties of bitter orange. Where did the bitter orange come from and what are its he alth benefits?

Bitter orange(Citrus aurantium L.) is the lesser-known sister oforangesweet (so-called Chinese) and bergamot orange.

Bitter orange fruit - not as big as a sweet orange, slightly flattened, with a thick dark orange peel, grows on evergreen, perennial shrubs with extremely dense and prickly branches, reaching a height of up to 10 meters.

The bitter orange is native to Southeast Asia. It was brought to Europe, and more precisely to the Mediterranean countries, by the Arabs in the 10th century. Currently, the main producers of bitter orange are: India and Spain.

Why was bitter orange a prized fruit in ancient Arabic, Chinese and Japanese medicine?Why is bitter orange so eagerly used by modern medicine?

Bitter orange: ingredients

In terms of composition, the bitter orange does not differ from its sweet sister. The most important ingredients of bitter orange are:

  • vitamin C
  • vitamin A
  • vitamin E
  • B vitamins - including vitamin B9, i.e. folic acid and vitamin B3 (PP)
  • calcium
  • iron
  • magnesium
  • phosphor
  • fiber
  • phytonutrients

and bitter substances that are responsible for the bitter-sour aftertaste of the fruit, but also stimulate the digestive juices in the stomach to act faster.

Bitter orange: he alth benefits

The bitter orange fruit has been used in various forms in traditional Eastern medicine for centuries. The bitter orange extract is valued, among others, by after:

  • better iron supplementation in anemia - thanks to vitamin C, which accelerates its absorption,
  • sealing blood vessels and thus improving circulationblood, prevention of atherosclerosis and heart disease,
  • improving the functioning of the digestive tract,
  • blocking the formation and growth of cancer cells - this is the task of phytonutrients,
  • combating pathogenic systems, which include cause colds, flu, bronchitis, pharyngitis,
  • relieving the symptoms of ringworm,
  • strengthening the body's immunity.

Dried bitter orange peel is used in China to treat indigestion and stimulate the appetite.

In turn, essential oils made of bitter oranges improve mood, have a calming effect and counteract depression.

Bitter orange: slimming

We haven't mentioned yet another ingredient of bitter orange, namely its unripe flesh and skin - that issynephrine . And thanks to synephrine, bitter orange was included in the list of products accelerating weight reduction, i.e. slimming in the treatment of overweight and obesity.

Synephrine in terms of structure and properties resembles ephedrine - a substance with a thermogenic effect, the use of which is prohibited due to its negative effect on he alth. Synephrine is safe as long as it is taken in certain amounts and in certain patients.

Synephrine stimulates metabolism, reduces appetite while stimulating the body to greater physical and intellectual activity. This is why many manufacturers include synephrine in the composition of their slimming preparations.

However, on the other hand, synephrine also has an extremely stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system, accelerating blood circulation and increasing blood pressure. Therefore, agents with this substance cannot be used by people with arterial hypertension and heart diseases.

Bitter orange: in the kitchen

Due to the specific, slightly similar to grapefruit aftertaste, bitter orange fruit is rarely eaten in its natural version. They are most often made into preserves, jams, marmalades, fried in sugar to decorate cakes, and bitter-orange oil is added to sweet pastries.

You can also get bitter orange in a powdered version. Then it is a great addition to drinks (e.g. tea) or to season various types of dishes.

However, the most famous "incarnation" of bitter orange is … alcohol, specifically the blue Curacao liqueur. Bitter orange is also used to flavor other liqueurs and tinctures.

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