In daily life, people habitually discard fruit peels when eating melons and fruits, unaware that these peel scraps serve as "remedies" for preventing and treating illnesses, offering significant health benefits. These properties are detailed in Li Shizhen's Ming Dynasty compendium, Compendium of Materia Medica. Let's explore the specific uses of various fruit peels.
Orange peel aids in regulating qi, dissolving phlegm, strengthening the stomach, dispelling dampness, lowering blood pressure, and treating coughs, abdominal distension, nausea, and vomiting. Slice orange peel into strips or dry and grind into powder. Steep in hot water as tea—its refreshing aroma stimulates appetite, promotes qi circulation, and invigorates the mind.Take 50 grams of tangerine peel, add 500 grams of white wine, and steep for 7 days to make tangerine peel wine. Consuming 3-5 grams each time can treat chronic diarrhea.
Pomelo peel regulates qi, transforms phlegm, stops coughing, and calms wheezing. Remove the inner white pith from pomelo peel, chop it finely, place it in a container with an appropriate amount of honey, cover tightly, and steam over water until thoroughly softened.Take one spoonful morning and evening, dissolved in hot rice wine, to treat elderly cough and wheezing. Decoct 6-9 grams of pomelo peel for consumption to resolve phlegm, aid digestion, calm wheezing, and relieve hernia pain.
Pear peel, cold in nature and sour in taste, cools the heart, moistens the lungs, reduces inflammation, and eliminates phlegm. Decoct 30 grams of pear peel for its effects in clearing the heart, moistening the lungs, stopping cough, resolving phlegm, and boosting yang energy. Pound pear peel into a paste and apply externally to treat boils, abscesses, and swellings. Frequent consumption of decocted fresh pear peel alleviates alcohol toxicity.
Apple Peel Take 15–30 grams of fresh apple peel, decoct into a broth or steep as tea to treat acid reflux and excessive phlegm. Dry apple peel, grind into powder, and take 15 grams mixed with water on an empty stomach 2–3 times daily. This has therapeutic effects on chronic diarrhea, neurogenic colitis, and hypertension.
Pomegranate peel is warm in nature with a sour-astringent taste, possessing astringent properties that inhibit Shigella and typhoid bacteria. Decoct 30g of pomegranate peel in water, add sugar, and drink to treat diarrhea and dysentery.
Banana peels alleviate thirst, moisten the lungs and intestines, promote blood circulation, and enhance vitality. Decoct 30-60 grams of banana peel in water to treat hypertension and prevent cerebral hemorrhage. Pounded banana peel mixed with ginger juice reduces inflammation and relieves pain.
Winter melon rind alleviates summer heat, fortifies the spleen, and drains dampness. It treats edema, abdominal distension, and urinary difficulties caused by kidney, lung, or heart disease. A decoction for foot baths cures athlete's foot and foot odor simultaneously.
Some peel cucumbers before eating—a pity.The green skin contains chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid, which possess antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties while stimulating white blood cell phagocytosis. For instance, consuming cucumbers with skin is an effective remedy for those frequently suffering from sore throats. The above highlights the significant medicinal value of fruit peels. We hope you now have a better understanding. Wishing you good health and happiness.