Orange peel reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
Scientists at the University of Florida and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have discovered a new compound in orange peel, called feruloylputrescine (FP), that may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In experiments, mice fed FP-rich orange peel extract for 6 weeks had a clear reduction in biomarkers related to inflammation and cardiovascular disease in the blood.
Even when mice were placed on a high-fat diet, the group supplemented with FP daily still had lower fat intake than the control group. FP is a metabolite, originally found in grapefruit leaves and juice, and although also present in some oranges, this compound is not present in lemons or tangerines.
FP has attracted attention for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but there’s still much that experts don’t know about it. “This is a new finding that highlights the previously unrecognized potential of FP in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Yu Wang, a food scientist from the University of Florida.
Oranges, one of the world’s most popular fruits, are mainly consumed as juice, with the peel often discarded. Every year, about 32 million tons of orange peels are wasted, even though orange peels are edible and healthy. Even when feeding chickens leftover orange pieces, scientists also noticed improvements in their health.
Unexpected uses of orange peel
In Florida, about half of the state’s orange peels are used as animal feed. However, there may be reasons to keep a small portion instead of throwing it away. Compared to the water, orange peels contain impressive levels of vitamins, antioxidants and limonene – a chemical that may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
Determining which bioactive compounds are most beneficial to human health and why this is so is key for scientists to create the healthiest extracts possible. Feruloylputrescine (FP) is one such compound.
Orange peels contain impressive levels of vitamins, antioxidants and limonene
When consumed, FP seems to prevent certain bacteria in the gut from secreting a byproduct called trimethylamine (TMA) during the breakdown of food. TMA is produced by intestinal bacteria, which are often involved in the digestion of meat or high-fat, low-protein diets.
When TMA enters the bloodstream through the intestines, it travels to the liver and is converted into trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). TMAO is associated with an increased risk of plaque buildup in the arteries, heart disease, stroke, obesity and type 2 diabetes. FP in orange peels may help reduce this risk.
In experiments in Florida, when mice were fed orange peel extract containing FP, their TMA and TMAO levels were reduced, even though the bacteria that produced these metabolites remained functional.
This research has been published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.
