What Is Bitter Orange?
Bitter orange comes from a citrus tree and belongs to the Rutaceae Family. It was first used by indigenous people of the Amazon rain forest and went on to become a staple in traditional Chinese medicinal practices. Modern medicine, like Chinese medicine, utilizes the fruit, peels, leaves, and flowers for various health related purposes.
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Significance
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Although bitter orange has shown effectiveness, there's an insufficient amount of clinical/scientific evidence to endorse its usage for health related functions.
Weight Loss
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Bitter orange (extract and peel) is a key ingredient in many herbal weight-loss products, because it contains synephrine and octopamine (which are similar to ephedra).
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Warning
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Ephedra was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration due to its potentially life threatening side effects (including heart attacks and strokes), and the degree to which bitter orange could result in the same is unclear.
Dietary Supplement Features
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In addition to being used for weight loss purposes, it's sold as a dietary supplement to aid in the relief of indigestion, heartburn, nausea, constipation, and nasal congestion.
Topical Usage
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Bitter orange can also be applied topically to help heal fungal infections (including ringworm, athlete's foot and jock itch) furthermore; bitter orange peel can be used to reduce inflammations of the skin and eyelids and decrease muscle pains and bruising.
Types
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Bitter orange is available in a range of forms, such as tablets, capsules, oils, peels, and juice.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Bitter Orange Plant (myhealth.ucsd.edu)
