Orange (Citrus sinensis)

Oranges are a cooling, moistening, and uplifting fruit with a strong affinity for the immune system, digestive tract, circulation, and skin. Rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoids, they help cleanse the blood, tone capillaries, stimulate gentle detox, and move lymph. While the juice hydrates and soothes, the peel is clarifying and decongesting. Oranges are best suited for thermic and anabolic types needing lightness, clarity, and immune renewal.

Monograph of

Orange (Citrus sinensis)

• Family

  Rutaceae (Citrus family)

• Taste

  Sweet

  Sour

  Mildly astringent (especially in peel and white pith)

• Season

  Winter to early spring (freshest and juiciest in cold months)

• Qualities

  Light

  Moistening (juice)

  Clear

  Cooling

  Peel is drying and aromatic; juice is hydrating and soothing

• Suitability

  Best for thermic and anabolic types — clears excess heat, stagnation, and fluid retention

  May increase catabolic imbalance if used excessively in dry, cold, or weak constitutions

• Indicated Tissue States

  Tissue states show what’s happening at the tissue level — whether things are too dry, too tense, too inflamed — and what foods or herbs can help fix that. Orange is best indicated for tissue states involving

  Heat / Excitation – cools inflamed tissues, calms hot conditions

  Damp / Relaxation – clears excess fluids and tones membranes (mostly from peel)

  Toxicity / Stagnation – promotes waste clearance and blood purification

  Use cautiously in Dry / Atrophy or Wind / Tension states unless balanced with grounding or warming foods

• Affinities

  Affinities are the targeted tissues that a substance acts on after the release of chemicals. Oranges have an affinity for:

  • Blood and capillaries

  • Skin

  • Immune system

  • Digestive tract

  • Liver and lymph

  • Oral cavity

• Chemical Constituents

  • Vitamin C

  • Flavonoids (hesperidin, rutin, narirutin)

  • Limonene, citral, and other essential oils (in peel)

  • Citric acid

  • Carotenoids (including beta-cryptoxanthin)

  • Pectin and soluble fiber

  • Trace B vitamins and potassium

• Nutritional Value

  (per 1 medium orange)

  • Calories: ~62 kcal

  • Vitamin C: ~70–90% DV

  • Fiber: ~3g

  • Potassium: ~6% DV

  • Small amounts of thiamine, folate, and calcium

• Preparation Methods

  • Eaten fresh or juiced

  • Zest used in cooking, teas, and bitters

  • Dried peel used as a digestive or respiratory remedy

  • Preserved orange peel used in traditional Chinese and Mediterranean preparations

  • Orange blossom water used as a calming aromatic

Note:

To find out which foods and dosages are best suited for your body type, please take the Body Type Quiz to detect any current imbalances and consult a traditional whole-person health practitioner (like myself) for personalized support and recommendations.

Medicinal Actions of

Orange (Citrus sinensis)

• Digestive System

  Digestive stimulant(especially peel — enhances enzyme and bile flow)

  Carminative(relieves gas and bloating — more from dried zest than juice)

  Sialogogue(stimulates saliva and digestive secretions)

  Liver stimulant (mild)(supports phase I detox and bile thinning)

  Prebiotic (pectin in pulp)(feeds healthy gut flora)

  Oral rinse *(mildly antimicrobial when used as a gargle with peel or blossom water)

• Liver/Detoxification System

  Burns toxins (helps mobilize phase I detox and antioxidant pathways)

  Cholagogue (stimulates bile flow from the liver and gallbladder)

  Liver tonic (mild) (especially when peel is used in tea)

  Hypolipidemic (mild) (supports fat metabolism and blood lipid clearance)

• Nervous system

  Uplifting nervine (aromatic peel and juice elevate mood and ease tension)

  Cooling nervine *(soothes agitation, especially in thermic types)

• Circulatory System

  Vessel tonic (flavonoids like hesperidin support capillary integrity)

  Blood cleanser (supports movement and purification of blood)

  Antioxidant (protects vessels and red blood cells from damage)

  Mild hypotensive (can gently lower blood pressure via vasodilation)

• Immune/Lymphatic

  Lymph mover (mild) (supports fluid balance and stagnation)

  Immune stimulant (high vitamin C content boosts immune response)

  Antioxidant (protects immune cells from oxidative stress)

  Antimicrobial (peel) (volatile oils help fight microbes)

• Skin/Integumentary System

  Astringent (peel) (tones skin and oral mucosa)

  Topical antioxidant (juice and peel) (used in skin care for brightness and clarity)

• Respiratory System

  xpectorant (peel) (breaks up congestion in lungs and sinuses)

  Mucolytic (juice and peel) (loosens and thins mucus)

  Decongestant (reduces damp buildup in the respiratory tract)

  Bronchodilator (mild) *(citrus oils open airways gently)

• References

  Herbal Academy – Citrus sinensis Monograph

  Murray, Michael T. Healing Foods

  USDA Nutrient Database

  American Botanical Council – Citrus Research

  Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (Flavonoid Studies)

  Bauman College – Food as Medicine Curriculum