India along with Brazil, China, and the United States of America accounts for almost half the orange oil production in the world.
Oranges are some of the most commonly utilized fruits in the world due to its pleasant taste. and nutritional values.
Because of the huge consumption of orange juice throughout the world, a large amount of wet solid waste is produced.
This waste mainly includes orange peels. The peels contain numerous oil-bearing glands that enclose significant amounts of citrus oil.
The oil is primarily used in perfumery due to pleasant odor, but it also is seen that they are used in food products such as sweets, beverages, and cakes.
It is one of the most commonly used essential oils in food industries. They are also used to flavor distasteful drugs in pharmaceutical industries to make them easier to consume.
The oil extracted from orange peels can also be used as a green insecticide. According to research from Ibrahim et al.
Showed that the essential oil extracted from orange peels is effective against several forms of pests ranging from bacteria and fungi to insects.
What is Orange Oil?
This essential oil should not be confused with orange juice. Orange juice is a water extract; the orange essential oil is insoluble in water. Though orange essential oil has low toxicity, it is irritating to eyes and skin, and drinking it would cause vomiting.
Repeated exposure could cause allergic sensitivity in some individuals It is an oily mixture extracted from orange peels, and the major components are chemicals called terpenes or terpenoids.
It is a volatile liquid and has a strong odor of oranges. A chemical relative of orange essential oil is turpentine. Both food grade and technical grade orange essential oil are available.
According to Jeff Chang of Florida Chemical, a major supplier of orange essential oil, there is very little chemical difference between the two.
Food grade is obtained by cold pressing the peels to remove the oil, the technical grade is mostly obtained by steam distillation.
Preparation of Orange Peels Sample
The collected sample of orange peels is cleaned and pith is manually separated from the outer colored part of the peels.
That is because of the reason that the majority of the oil in the oil sac present in them. This is then preheated at a temperature of 45 0C and kept for two hours.
Constituents of orange peel:
Vitamins: Vitamin C, A, B5, B6.
Minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, potassium, phosphorous.
Pigments: B-Carotene.
What Are The Health Benefits of Orange Oil?
The orange essential oil has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, aphrodisiac, and antiseptic properties. All these properties make it beneficial for numerous purposes.
The orange essential oil contains the highest percentage of limonene as well as other natural compounds like citronellal, myrcene, nerol, geraniol, alpha-pinene, sabinene, and linalool. D-Limonene is the main component of the essential oil and is an important extract that provides the most beneficial properties when used in herbal medicine and aromatherapy.
Benefits To Pain
It is antispasmodic and hence widely used in treating spasms that cause a lot of discomforts, such as convulsions, continuous coughing, muscle cramps, and diarrhea.
Add 2 to 3 drops of Orange sweet oil in your bathtub for treating inflammation and spasms.
Massaging the affected area with 2 drops of Orange sweet oil blended with coconut oil can grant instant relief from painful spasm along with external and internal inflammations.
The orange essential oil is very effective in relieving pain caused by rheumatism. The pain can cure the affected area when it is felt.
Benefits To The Skin
It has several beauty benefits. It increases the production of collagen, which is necessary for the health of the skin.
It reduces puffiness and removes fine lines from the skin. This oil discourages the formation of wrinkles, and hence delay aging.
It promotes blood flow towards the skin and brings a natural radiance to it.
The sweet orange essential oil has a handful of benefits to the skin when added to your regular skincare cream or lotions.
Massaging your skin gently with 2 drops of Orange sweet oil blended with a mild carrier oil like jojoba oil can help in treating acne, skin irritation, microbial infections, wounds, cuts, abrasion sand dermatitis with its antiseptic properties.
As a natural skin energizer, Orange sweet oil penetrates deeply into the pores and supports the formation of collagen in the skin.
This helps in augmenting the elasticity of the skin, reduces wrinkles, removes excess oil, improves skin complexion, and grants a never before brighter, fairer, spotless, healthy, and glowing skin.
Adding 2 drops of Orange sweet oil in lukewarm bathing water or facial steam helps in refreshing and revitalizing your skin and aids in fighting the symptoms of aging.
As an Antidepressant and a Sedative
This oil has a soothing and refreshing effect on your mind and soul, and reduce restlessness and tension.
It relieves fatigue and revitalizes you. It acts as an anti-depressant, especially for women, during menstruation and menopause.
It can bring you out of a pensive mood and make you alert and relaxed. It reduces mental and physical fatigue, anxiety, anger, pain, and other strong feelings when used as a mild sedative.
Tonic
Regular usage of this oil, both internally and externally, works as a tonic for your body.
It promotes the functioning of all the organ systems of the body. It maintains the optimum rate of metabolism, boosts the immune system, and provides strength to your body.
Topical Uses
The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory characteristics of sweet orange essential oil make the essential oil a good choice for topical use.
The anti-inflammatory effect occurs when the oil is massaged into the skin to promote healing of muscle aches and cramps.
Using 2 drops of this oil with sesame oil for massaging your tummy will help in preventing gas formation, driving out existing gas, treating intestinal spasms, cramps, and killing intestinal parasites.
Cold & Flu Uses
Sweet orange essential oil helps combat congestion when you’re suffering from a cold or flu.
By inhaling the citrus aroma, your sinuses will clear and you’ll have fewer bouts of coughing.
Other Known Uses and Additional Information about this Oil
- The benefits also include the promotion of proper digestion, relief from constipation, and increased absorption of vitamin C.
- It inhibits microbial growth, and thus sterilizes cuts and wounds. The application of this oil on an injury protects it from getting infected with pathogenic bacteria and fungus.
- Orange essential oil is very good for stomach diseases. It is suggested to use orange essential oil for those with stomach problems. Because of this, many stomach patients use orange essential oil for treatment purposes.
- The benefits of orange essential oil are not restricted only to maintaining your overall wellness. You can use it for house cleaning purposes as well. These include removal of Grease and stains from the floor, furniture, and countertops.
- You may use it as a room freshener. Add 3-4 drops of the oil to a cup of water and spritz it in the air, with the help of a spray, to keep any foul smell away from the room.
Homemade Honey Citrus Shampoo Recipe
Total Time: 2 Min.
Serves: 25-30
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup of water.
- 5 tablespoons raw honey.
- 5 drops orange essential oil.
- 5 drops Lemon essential oil.
- Glass bottle with dispenser.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Transfer to a container. Mix well before each use.