Are blood oranges the new leading health control for skin? Can damage from rashes and inflammation caused by cigarette smoke be treated with the juice of tasty citrus fruits from Sicily? This hypothesis is being worked on by CREA, the Council for Agricultural Research and analysis of the agrarian economy. The center is working on a study to enhance the genetic biodiversity of blood oranges in order to enhance not just the taste, but its health properties as well.
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As CREA experts explain: The panacea for the skin would be the Roe i.e. the red orange extract taken from the blood orange juice and from the byproducts of citrus processing. Tests were conducted on the skin to demonstrate the photo-protective effect in the treatment of erythema caused by UV lamps. Everything about the active ingredients found in the juice were equal to a quantity of 20%: anthocyanins, flavanones, hydroxycinnamic acids and the inevitable vitamin C.
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A second study examined the anti-inflammatory activity of the extract from blood oranges and found them effective as antioxidants against free radicals caused by cigarette smoke.
It is best to consume vitamins and antioxidants through food
According to Professor Marcello Monti, Head of Dermatology Research at Humanitas Hospital; extract from blood oranges, despite being rich in antioxidants, are of no benefit to the skin when used for the production of creams or lotions. “The skin is an defense organ, it is not an absorption organ and its cells tend to eliminate antioxidants or vitamins that come in contact with the skin, rather than absorb them,” says the professor.
“These substances, such as Vitamin C found in citrus fruits or other vitamins such as beta-carotene and antioxidants, may be beneficial for the skin , but only if they are taken in through food and metabolized by the body. It is recommended to eat or drink citrus juice in order to enjoy the health properties that it has and use it for specific dermatological treatments on rashes, “concludes Professor Monti.
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