Bitter orange – Uses and health benefits

Citrus aurantium, also known as bitter orange, contains synephrine and octopamine, which are chemically similar to epinephrine and norepinephrine, respectively.

The bitter orange, native to Asia but now widely grown, is the small unripened fruit of a tropical evergreen. 

Used to flavor teas and liqueurs, the fresh and dried peel of the fruit is also medicinally useful.

In western countries, the dried bitter orange peel has been used to stimulate appetite and for the treatment of dyspepsia. It improves digestion and strengthens the stomach.

Bitter orange relieves phlegm and improves respiration.

Traditional indications are contradictorily with bitter orange today’s use for weight loss, improvement of physical fitness and increasing lean muscle mass.

Topically, bitter orange is also used for treating ringworm and athlete’s foot.
Bitter orange – Health benefits