
Bitter Orange Peel Herbal Chopped (Citrus Aurantium)Bitter orange peel cleans the stomach of heavy food and restores healthy appetite. |
Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.
Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.
Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.
The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).
Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.
Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.
STRONG AROMATIC Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.
STRONG HEPATOPROTECTIVE An herb that is capable of preventing liver damage. Many hepatoprotectives work via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
The reports shared below are part of an educational assignment completed by students at the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda. These represent subjective experiences intended to help students explore principles of Ayurveda through personal observation. In each report below, students ate the selected food for 3 days and self-reported these effects. See other food & herb reports at Joyful Belly.
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your temperature?
1 |
1 |
10 |
5 |
3 |
Much colder | Slightly colder | Same | Slightly warmer | Much warmer |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your ear temperature?
5 |
13 |
2 |
Hotter | No Change | Cooler |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your sweat quantity?
0 |
1 |
13 |
6 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of your skin?
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
15 |
Yellower/Greener | Paler | Redder | Grayer | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of your tongue body?
0 |
9 |
0 |
11 |
Paler | Redder | Bluer | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the swelling of your tongue body?
3 |
7 |
10 |
More Swelling | Less Swelling | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your appetite/hunger?
1 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
Much less hungry | Slightly less hungry | Same | Slightly hungrier | Much hungrier |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your digestion speed?
1 |
14 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Much faster | Slightly faster | Same | Slightly slower | Much slower |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the amount of gas & bloating?
4 |
7 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your stool smell?
1 |
2 |
11 |
6 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
Tongue: How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the thickness & size of your tongue coating?
1 |
8 |
8 |
3 |
0 |
Much smaller | Slightly less | Same | Slightly larger coating | Much larger |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of your tongue coating?
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
15 |
Yellower | Browner | Grayer | Whiter | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your throat soreness?
2 |
15 |
3 |
More sore | No Change | Less sore |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your urine smell?
0 |
3 |
16 |
1 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the amount of bubbles in your urine?
1 |
2 |
14 |
3 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Many more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your sweat smell?
1 |
1 |
14 |
3 |
1 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your acne?
1 |
17 |
2 |
More acne | No Change | Less acne |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your freckles/moles?
2 |
17 |
1 |
Darker | No Change | Lighter |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of your sclera (white part of eye)?
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
Redder/Bloodshot | Yellower | Grayer | Browner | Whiter |
15 | ||||
No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of the lower eye lid?
0 |
1 |
19 |
0 |
More green/dark green | More purple | No Change | Less green/purple |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your urine frequency/quantity?
0 |
2 |
11 |
6 |
1 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the dryness of your skin?
9 |
0 |
11 |
Drier | Oilier | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the puffiness of lower eye lid?
1 |
14 |
5 |
Puffier | No Change | Less Puffy |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the cracks on your tongue?
0 |
6 |
11 |
3 |
0 |
Larger/longer/more cracks | Slightly more | Same | Slightly less/smaller/shorter | Much less |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your ear pressure?
1 |
15 |
4 |
More pressure | No Change | Less pressure |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your congestion?
0 |
12 |
8 |
More congestion | No Change | Less congestion |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the thickness of your mucous congestion?
0 |
12 |
8 |
More thick | No Change | Less thick |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your energy levels?
0 |
1 |
8 |
10 |
1 |
Much less energy | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more energy | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your muscle tension?
0 |
7 |
9 |
3 |
1 |
Much less tension | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more tension | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your anxiety?
1 |
2 |
14 |
2 |
1 |
Much less anxiety | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more anxiety | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the stillness of your tongue?
3 |
13 |
4 |
More still | No Change | More Trembling / Jittery |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your digestion speed?
1 |
14 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
Much faster | Slightly faster | Same | Slightly slower | Much slower |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the amount of gas & bloating?
4 |
7 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect burning sensations in digestive tract (do not include acid reflux)?
2 |
1 |
13 |
4 |
0 |
Much relief | Slight relief | Same | Slightly more burning | Much more burning |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your appetite/hunger?
1 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
Much less hungry | Slightly less hungry | Same | Slightly hungrier | Much hungrier |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the swelling of your tongue body?
3 |
7 |
10 |
More Swelling | Less Swelling | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of your tongue body?
0 |
9 |
0 |
11 |
Paler | Redder | Bluer | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the stillness of your tongue?
3 |
13 |
4 |
More still | No Change | More Trembling / Jittery |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of your tongue coating?
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
15 |
Yellower | Browner | Grayer | Whiter | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the cracks on your tongue?
0 |
6 |
11 |
3 |
0 |
Larger/longer/more cracks | Slightly more | Same | Slightly less/smaller/shorter | Much less |
Tongue: How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the thickness & size of your tongue coating?
1 |
8 |
8 |
3 |
0 |
Much smaller | Slightly less | Same | Slightly larger coating | Much larger |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your stool lightness?
4 |
7 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
Much lighter | Slightly lighter | Same | Slightly darker | Much darker |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your stool smell?
1 |
2 |
11 |
6 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your stool consistency?
2 |
11 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
Much softer | Slightly softer | Same | Slightly harder | Much harder |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your stool frequency/quantity?
0 |
1 |
8 |
10 |
1 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your stool color?
4 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
13 |
More yellow | More gray | More green | More orange | Same |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your urine clarity?
2 |
13 |
5 |
More cloudy | Same | More clear |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your urine smell?
0 |
3 |
16 |
1 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your urine lightness?
0 |
5 |
13 |
2 |
0 |
Much lighter | Slightly lighter | Same | Slightly Darker | Much Darker |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your urine frequency/quantity?
0 |
2 |
11 |
6 |
1 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the amount of bubbles in your urine?
1 |
2 |
14 |
3 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Many more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your sweat quantity?
0 |
1 |
13 |
6 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your sweat smell?
1 |
1 |
14 |
3 |
1 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your acne?
1 |
17 |
2 |
More acne | No Change | Less acne |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the dryness of your skin?
9 |
0 |
11 |
Drier | Oilier | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of your skin?
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
15 |
Yellower/Greener | Paler | Redder | Grayer | No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your freckles/moles?
2 |
17 |
1 |
Darker | No Change | Lighter |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of the lower eye lid?
0 |
1 |
19 |
0 |
More green/dark green | More purple | No Change | Less green/purple |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the puffiness of lower eye lid?
1 |
14 |
5 |
Puffier | No Change | Less Puffy |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the color of your sclera (white part of eye)?
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
Redder/Bloodshot | Yellower | Grayer | Browner | Whiter |
15 | ||||
No Change |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your ear temperature?
5 |
13 |
2 |
Hotter | No Change | Cooler |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your congestion?
0 |
12 |
8 |
More congestion | No Change | Less congestion |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your ear pressure?
1 |
15 |
4 |
More pressure | No Change | Less pressure |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your throat soreness?
2 |
15 |
3 |
More sore | No Change | Less sore |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect the thickness of your mucous congestion?
0 |
12 |
8 |
More thick | No Change | Less thick |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your energy levels?
0 |
1 |
8 |
10 |
1 |
Much less energy | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more energy | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your muscle tension?
0 |
7 |
9 |
3 |
1 |
Much less tension | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more tension | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your anxiety?
1 |
2 |
14 |
2 |
1 |
Much less anxiety | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more anxiety | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your temperature?
1 |
1 |
10 |
5 |
3 |
Much colder | Slightly colder | Same | Slightly warmer | Much warmer |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your heart pain/pressure/cramping?
0 |
4 |
14 |
2 |
0 |
Much less | Slightly less | Same | Slightly more | Much more |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your heart rate?
0 |
2 |
11 |
6 |
1 |
Much slower | Slightly slower | Same | Slightly faster | Much faster |
How did Bitter Orange Peel affect your heart rhythm?
4 |
15 |
1 |
More palpitations | Same | Less palpitations |
Note: These exercises are not part of an FDA-regulated study, and were not designed or conducted under a clinical research protocol. They are neither investigational in nature nor scientific findings. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. They are experiential assignments rooted in traditional Ayurvedic education, intended solely for instructional use. No conclusions should be drawn regarding the therapeutic effects of any food, herb, or dietary substance based on these student reflections.
![]() |
See guidelines for herbs?
Follow these guidelines |
Bitter Orange Peel may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any herb supplement for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.
Bitter Orange Peel may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms. Note this is not a complete list of all possible contraindications. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.
Bitter orange peel (from Citrus aurantium) is commonly used in supplements for weight loss, appetite suppression, and digestive issues. However, it has several contraindications and safety concerns, especially due to its active compound synephrine, which can have stimulant-like effects.Photosensitization is possible in some individuals, but this has mainly been found in the whole raw fruit. It is not recommended during pregnancy, and it should not be used by children.
Cardiovascular Conditions: Bitter orange may increase heart rate and blood pressure, posing a risk of serious cardiovascular events. Caution is advised with hypertension, tachycardia, arrhythmias, and a history of heart attack or stroke.
Use with Stimulants: Should not be combined with other stimulants (e.g., caffeine, ephedra/ma huang, pre-workout supplements), as this increases the risk of elevated blood pressure, heart palpitations and stroke or heart attack.
MAOI or SSRI Use (Antidepressants): May interact dangerously with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), increasing the risk of Serotonin syndrome and hypertensive crisis.
Thyroid Disorders: Hyperthyroidism may be worsened due to increased metabolic and cardiovascular effects.
Glaucoma: Bitter orange can raise intraocular pressure, worsening glaucoma.
Surgery: May interfere with anesthesia and cardiovascular stability. Stop use at least 2 weeks before surgery.
Pregnancy: Not recommended due to its potential stimulant effects.
Enroll for $250 / month. Free Intro Mon Jun 16.
Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’