Scientists Just Discovered Its Health Benefits
Do you like orange? This is not surprising, since it is the most consumed fruit in Spain. Ideal for summer, both in juice and in salad. The problem is that We usually peel the orange peel and throw it away. into the bin, not realizing that perhaps we could have used it.
Almost all the oranges of the Valencian Community, the world’s main exporter, are used to produce juice. Much of the orange peel, considered a byproduct of the juicing process, is wasted. In other cases, they are used to feed livestock or to produce fertilizer. But perhaps we should take advantage of them in the kitchen, as a new study published in the journal Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that the extract Orange peel may help improve cardiovascular health.
“We produce a lot of oranges in Florida, and almost all of them are juiced, creating a lot of waste. So we wanted to find out if there was anything healthy in orange peels. We discovered for the first time that your extract may have positive effect on heart health“says Yu Wang, professor of food science at the Center for Citrus Research and Education at the University of Florida (USA) and lead author of this article. study.
Previous studies have also linked the consumption of certain foods such as Cranberry, legumes or green leafy vegetables that are good for the cardiovascular system. Because? Well, because scientists have linked them to healthy gut microbiome. Roughly speaking, this happens because they serve as food for bacteria in our stomach, which are responsible for metabolize cholesterolwhich could influence the risk of cardiovascular disease.
At this moment you wonder why orange peel is good for the heart. First, we should know that in this study, the researchers focused on an organic compound called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). TMAO is produced when bacteria in the gut microbiome feed on certain nutrients and foods, such as red meat and dairy products.
“We know from previous research that certain gut bacteria feed on certain nutrients during digestion and that produce chemicals (such as TMAO), which can help predict future cardiovascular disease,” Yu explains.
Why orange peel is good for the heart
Previous studies have linked the substance TMAO to increased risk of cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and cerebrovascular accident (stroke), as well as chronic kidney disease and colorectal cancer.
To reduce the amount of TMAO produced in the gut microbiome, Wang and his team turned to orange peel. “We find certain chemicals in orange peel extracts that can suppress the production of chemicals which can damage the cardiovascular system,” explains Wang.
Additionally, although oranges are best known as an excellent source of vitamin C, they also contain a lot antioxidants, potassium and fiberAll of them associated with less risk heart diseases.
Scientists have developed and tested two types of orange peel extracts: one with a polar fraction, the other with a non-polar fraction. “Consider salad dressing. Everything that is in water or vinegar is a polar fraction; “Everything in the oil other than water is the nonpolar fraction,” Wang explains. “The solvents we used are not exactly like water and oil, but they have similar polarities.”
During the study, scientists discovered that orange peel extract from the non-polar fraction is capable of stop TMAO production in 10 male mice. The scientists also discovered in the polar fraction of orange peel extract a compound called feruloylputrescine, which significantly inhibits the enzyme responsible for the production of trimethylamine (TMA), which is involved in the production of TMAO.
“We knew that the nonpolar fraction could work from previous studies, but we did not know that the polar fraction could work because there were no reports before,” Wang said. They are now trying to decide whether other citrus fruits might work. fruits may have similar properties.
“We are working to verify whether these health-promoting compounds in orange peel found in citrus fruits and juice, and how to increase the amount of these beneficial compounds in our citrus products,” he concludes.