We are NOT huge fans of the cold. Especially right now when temperatures are dropping into the teens. Fortunately, we are huge fans of fresh oranges, which, as it turns out, give us a warm edge on frigid winter days.
Recent research (Morand et al., 2000) suggests that hesperidin, a phytonutrient found in oranges, increases blood flow throughout the body. In his 2015 book, How Not To Die, Dr. Michael Gregor elaborates on this research: “[given] a solution containing the amount of hesperidin found in two cups of orange juice, blood pressure decreases and overall blood flow increases” (p. 45-46). Dr. Gregor cites a second study of women who suffer from sensitivity to cold due to poor circulation (manifested as chronically cold hands, feet and toes). It was found that women who received a citrus drink had better circulation when exposed to cold temperatures compared to women who did not receive the drink. Basically, what this study (Takumi et al., 2012) demonstrated was that just eating a few oranges before going out into the cold can help keep our fingers and toes a little warmer.
We’ll take all the warm we can get at this point, so we’ve been eating away … oranges galore! Which means that we also have orange peels galore. Here are a few of the ways we’ve found to put all those colorful little leftovers to use:
1. If the oranges—and lemons too—are grown organically, we love to use them in cooking.
The easiest thing to do is to zest them (we have a special tool that scrapes off the top layer of peel, or you can use a cheese shredder). These can be used right away — throw them in a stir-fry or a salad or use as garnish.
Peels can also be diced and dried (our favorite way to store them):
To store them for later, dice them very small, spread them onto a plate, cover with cheese cloth, and 
place in a cool, dark place to dry. They should be completely dry in a day or two. Keep them in a tightly sealed container until you are ready to use them.
If the peels are non-organic (conventionally grown), we still use them, we just don’t consume them. Here are a few ideas:
2. Make a simmering potpourri.
1 cup dried (or fresh) orange peels
2 tablespoons cloves
1 cinnamon stick or 5 drops cinnamon essential oil
1/2 cup water
After the peels have dried (unless you’re using fresh), mix them with cloves, cinnamon sticks (or use cinnamon essential oil), and water. Place in a simmer pot. If you don’t have a simmer pot, you can just simmer the mixture on low on the stove top. Watch it to make sure the water doesn’t evaporate. We set the timer for 15 minutes. That is usually enough time to fill our home with a warm, relaxing scent.
3. Make a citrus super-cleanser.
2 cups orange peels (lemon or lime works too)
2-3 cups white vinegar (enough to fill the jar)
We save several days of orange peels in a glass quart jar in the refrigerator. When the jar is about 3/4 full, we fill it up with white vinegar, leaving only about 1/2″ head space. Seal tightly and set in a cool dark place for a minimum of 2 weeks. The longer you leave it, the more aromatic the citrus and the greater the cleaning action.
After at least 14 days, strain the liquid through a sieve into a spray bottle. Use it just as any other all-purpose household cleanser. That said, this cleanser is super strong, so test in an inconspicuous area before using. It works very much like a degreaser.
Keep Brown Sugar Fresh
4. Keep brown sugar soft.
You can also put an orange peel in your brown sugar container to keep the sugar soft — you know how brown sugar can get … all clumpy and hard. And no, the peel won’t mold or anything. This is an old trick — tried and true.
We hope this has encouraged you to find some useful purpose for citrus peels. If you have some ideas, we’d love to hear how you use them. Until then, be warm and have fun!
In Kindness,
James & Kara
Sources
Gregor M, Stone G. How Not to Die. Flat Iron Books. New York. 2015:45-46
Morand C, Dubray C, Milenkovic D, et al. Hesperidin contributes to the vascular protective effects of orange juice: a randomized crossover study in healthy volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;93(1):73-80.
Takumi H, Nakamura H, Shimizu T, et al. Bioavailability of orally administered water-dispersible hesperidin and its effect on peripheral vasodilation in human subjects: implication of endothelial functions of plasma conjugated metabolites. Food Funct. 2012;3(4):389-98.