Eating too many sugar oranges will really turn you yellow. Here’s a quick guide to the whole thing:

Every winter, sugar oranges are very popular. Every household will stock up at least a dozen pounds. Whether it is after dinner or watching the Spring Festival Gala, everyone will show off. A while ago, the news of #东北大哥8小时狂秀40斤砂糖橘# also became a hot search.

Picture: Screenshot from Weibo

Later, the man responded to netizens, saying that when he woke up the next morning, he found that he had become obviously "yellow", and his urine was also a little yellow when he went to the toilet. His throat was also very dry, and he had symptoms of "getting angry". He advised everyone not to show off tangerines too much, and to stop eating them.

In this article, we will talk about the pros and cons of sugar oranges so that everyone can understand the difference between eating them.

01

Why does your skin turn yellow when you eat too much?

Although sugar oranges are delicious, orange foods are generally rich in beta-carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A in the body and is good for eye health. However, if you eat too much at one time, it will lead to "hypercarotenemia."

This is mainly due to excessive intake of beta-carotene over a period of time, which causes excessive carotene to enter the body. The body cannot metabolize it for a while, so it will be deposited in the skin, turning the skin yellow and causing hypercarotenemia.

However, although the name sounds scary, don't worry, this symptom has no effect on your health. As long as you stop taking foods rich in carotene for about a week, it will recover on its own, and the skin will slowly return to its original color.

Not only citrus fruits, but also mango, papaya, cantaloupe, carrot, pumpkin, etc., are rich in beta-carotene. If you want to avoid turning yellow, don't eat too much of these foods at one time.

02

Can the white fibers on oranges be eaten?

Many people are used to tearing off all the white threads attached to the orange flesh when eating it, leaving the orange flesh "naked". This kind of white thread on the orange flesh and peel is called orange peel.

Modern research shows that in addition to dietary fiber, orange peel also contains flavonoids, volatile oils and other chemical components, and its active ingredients are mainly flavonoid compounds. Among them, the main flavonoid is hesperidin, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, expectorant and antiasthmatic effects, and has strong pharmacological activity on the cardiovascular and renal systems. [1]

However, there is very little orange peel on the orange, and even if you eat half a pound of oranges, the amount you consume is not much, and the benefits to the body are not great. So if you find it troublesome, don't bother, just eat it directly. If you really don't like its taste, it's okay to peel it off.

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03

Will eating too much cause you to get angry?

If you eat too many tangerines at one time, many people will have symptoms such as dry mouth, swollen and painful gums, and mouth ulcers, and they think that this is "getting hot."

The reason for this symptom may be that the sugar content of sugar oranges is not low, generally above 10%, and this small orange is super convenient to eat, and it is easy to eat it. Eating too much at one time will also lead to a high sugar intake. A large amount of sugar intake, especially fructose, may cause acute inflammation in the human body.

Moreover, a large amount of sugar can increase the osmotic pressure of cells, leading to dry throat and discomfort in the mouth, throat, gums and other parts of the body. Fruits also contain a large amount of organic acids that can cause oral damage, such as burning mouth syndrome. This series of effects leads to the symptoms commonly known as "getting angry". [2]

In addition, citrus fruits contain some special pro-inflammatory and allergenic substances, which are particularly high in citrus and mandarin oranges, but lower in grapefruits. [2] Some people may feel unwell after eating oranges, which may also be due to an allergic reaction.

04

Can’t eat tangerines and milk together?

There are often rumors that oranges and milk cannot be eaten together, because the two will precipitate when they meet, or they will cause diarrhea when eaten together, and there is a food incompatibility.

In fact, there is no such thing as food incompatibility. Oranges and milk can be eaten together. When the two meet, precipitation and slight flocculation may occur, but they are easily digested in the stomach. However, this is because the protein in milk encounters the organic acid in oranges, which causes the protein to denature and coagulate. Denatured protein is often easier to digest. This is a natural change and does not mean that the food is incompatible.

If diarrhea occurs after taking both together, consider whether it is caused by lactose intolerance, food spoilage, or food contamination by microorganisms.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, the two can be eaten together without any toxicity or food incompatibility. It should be reminded that you should pay attention to personal hygiene when eating, and eating too much of any one food at one time may cause physical discomfort.

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05

What are the uses of orange peels?

When eating oranges, the orange peel is the biggest waste, almost all of it is thrown away. Many people will wash the orange peel and reuse it, such as soaking in water, cooking, and stewing soup to enhance the flavor.

Orange peels do contain some nutrients. For example, pectin accounts for about 20% to 30% of the entire peel. Most of the world's pectin is extracted from citrus peels. [3] This ingredient is a type of dietary fiber that can absorb water and swell, increase satiety, promote gastrointestinal motility, and is beneficial to intestinal health.

In addition, orange peels contain polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties and can help us scavenge free radicals. A study compared the total phenol content of Sichuan red oranges, sugar oranges, navel oranges, honey pomeloes, and ugly oranges on the market and found that sugar oranges have the highest total phenol content and the highest ability to scavenge O2-·reactive oxygen free radicals. [4]

In addition, it also contains some minerals, pigments and essential oils. Orange peels also contain aromatic sebum glands and some bitter phenolic compounds, while the peel oils contain fragrant aldehydes and terpenes with citrus aromas. Therefore, orange peels have a very strong flavor and are often used as a seasoning for dishes. They can also be pickled in candy to make food. [5]

If you soak it in water, the bitter ingredients in the orange will dissolve in water, but the oils and fats will not dissolve in water, so don't expect to drink the orange peel essential oil by soaking it in water. The orange peel essential oil needs the help of chemical reagents to be extracted. It should be reminded that if it is a sugar orange sold on the roadside, it is best not to use the orange peel to soak in water or cook, to avoid excessive pesticide residues on the peel, which is harmful to the body.

If you like its smell, you can dry it and put it next to your pillow or make it into a sachet. The fragrance is still very long-lasting.

Summary: If you don’t want to turn yellow, don’t show off too many tangerines. It is recommended that you eat no more than 10 tangerines a day. Tell me, how many did you show off just now?

References:

[1] Yang Yan. Study on the chemical composition of orange peel and orange seed[D]. Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2015.

[2] Wu Jinlong. Establishment of citrus allergenicity evaluation method and study on its mechanism of adverse reactions in humans[D]. Huazhong Agricultural University, 2018. DOI: 10.27158/d.cnki.ghznu.2018.000053.

[3] Chen Kai, Qu Yanan, Tian Guanghui. Research progress on the main components of citrus peel and their development and utilization [J]. Jiangsu Condiments and Sideline Foods, 2015(03):9-11. DOI:10.16782/j.cnki.32-1235/ts.2015.03.003.

[4] Li Zonglin, Hao Danqing, Wang Ernan, Sun Haiyan. Comparison of antioxidant properties of dietary fiber from citrus peels[J]. Beverage Industry, 2021, 24(05): 34-39.

[5] Harold Mackey, Food and Cooking: Vegetables, Fruits, Spices, and Grains. Translated by Cai Chengzhi. Beijing Fine Arts Photography Publishing House. August 2013.

Author | Xue Qingxin, registered dietitian

Review | Chen Ran Associate Researcher (Science Communication) Senior Engineer, COFCO Nutrition and Health Research Institute

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