Citrus fruits are widely known to be beneficial for healing inside and out – we love to eat them fresh, slice them up in a salad, or squeeze a little lemon into our morning glass of water, yet there is a hidden side to these fruits that many of us have not realized. Ground into a powder, citrus fruits take on a life of their own.
The uses of citrus powder are not limited to food consumption
In the pursuit of a holistic life, we must think about the entire system, the whole fruit. In this case, choose organic citrus as you will be using the peel along with the insides. If you are not eating the amazing citrus powders that you blend, then you can add them to homemade cleaners for the kitchen and bathroom, you may even toss some into your shampoo and body products for healthy, glowing skin.
4 citrus powders to add to your spice rack
Lemon – dried lemon peels contain 5-10 times more vitamin power than the juice itself: vitamins A and C, beta carotene, calcium, and magnesium. Why not include them in your health-giving routine of life? More wonderful than their zesty flavor, perhaps, is the ability of lemon powder to fight cancer on all fronts.
Mango – also called amchoor or aamchur, mango powder is made from dried, unripe green mangoes. You’ll most likely be able to buy this citrus spice online, or in a market specializing in Indian cuisine. Used in cooking it adds a sour tang to dishes without adding moisture, you often find it in curries, chutneys and pickles, or as an enzymatic tenderizer for meats.
Orange – full of citric acid and abundant antioxidants, oranges are the perfect superfood for your skin. They fight acne, even out your skin tone, exfoliate to give you clear, smooth skin, and they moisturize and shrink your pores. If any of this has you thinking of an orange face pack, then you are headed in the right natural-beauty direction. Orange peels also contain polymethoxylated flavones, which help to lower your cholesterol levels – in this way you can add the benefit of well-being to your smoothie!
Pineapple – exceptional for the mind and body, pineapple powder is brimming with the enzyme known as bromelain. Bromelain reduces inflammation inside the body, and as a powder it can be topically applied on the skin to limit pain and swelling associated with arthritis. If a known pineapple allergy exists, please refrain from using this citrus powder.
If you are the DIY type, there are plenty of tutorials on how to make your own dehydrated citrus powders, you may even be inspired to dry and grind limes and kumquats! The process is simple – slice the fruit thinly, lay them out on parchment lined baking sheets, and dehydrate them in the oven at 150 degrees until completely dry, checking occasionally. Using a small coffee grinder, or spice mill, the citrus fruits can be ground until they reach the desired fineness, then sieved for more purity.
Now you can add a special tang to your favorite soups, salads, stews, smoothies, cakes or cookies. They also serve as wonderful dry rubs for seafood and chicken, creatively combine it with pine needle powder and you are in for a real treat!
Cheryl Magyar
https://forestcreekmeadows.com/