Don’t discard your orange peels! Discovering the “Albedo”

Let’s face it, before you eat an orange you meticulously remove the white part under the peel. You really don’t like its bitter taste and prefer then to discard it.
What if we told you that discarding the albedo (the white layer between the skin and the pulp of citrus fruits) you will miss a number of beneficial effects for your health?
Here are just some of the amazing properties of the albedo:

1. It’s the richest source of pectin, a carbohydrate known by most for its use in the preparation of jams, jellies and candied fruit. In fact this is primarily a regulator of intestinal function and blood sugar, which also combats the concentration of bad cholesterol in the blood.
2. It helps the body absorb vitamin C more easily.
3. It has interesting dietary virtues being made from natural substances with a strong satiating power.
4. It’s rich in fiber and antioxidant molecules which allow to counteract cellular aging.
5. It’s rich in bioflavonoid, useful for blood circulation and the health of capillaries.
6. Do you often suffer from flu and bronchitis? Take advantage of its antiseptic and balsamic effects to fight infections of the respiratory tract.

The albedo also plays a key role in the growth of the fruit itself protecting it from rot prematurely. Farmers, in fact, often combat the phenomenon of the albedo disintegration caused by the stress as a result of the expansion of the pulp.
It is said that its bitterness often hides a sweet aspect and this nasty white part of citrus, despite its not quite pleasant taste, is able to improve our life with its many beneficial properties.

Don’t discard your orange peels, or better, the orange albedo!