Tangerine Essential Oil- Benefits, Uses, and Origin

Tangerines are small trees that grow fruits at the end of its branches. It has glossy, dark leaves that bear white fragrant flowers. Tangerine trees that are grown from seeds usually take up to 15 years to reach full maturity, while those grown from cuttings only take two to three years to mature and start bearing fruits. Compared to most oranges, the tangerine fruit has a richer flavor, sweeter taste, and thinner peel.

Tangerine fruits can be eaten out of the hand, used in desserts, and as a flavoring for some soft drink. It is rich in vitamin C and beta carotene and contains vitamin B1, B2, B3, potassium and magnesium.

The sweet and citrusy yellow-orange oil is extracted from the peel of the fruit by cold expression. The key chemical components of tangerine oil are a-thujone, a-pinene, camphene, sabinene, b-pinene myrcene, limonene, y-terpinolene, linalool, citronellal, terpineol-4-ol, nerol and geranial.

History of Tangerine Essential Oil

Although tangerine originally came from countries in the Southeast Asia, they made their way to North America through the Silk Road trade route. The name tangerine came from Tangiers in Morocco, the place where it originated before being shipped to Europe and the United States.

In traditional Chinese medicine, tangerine peel was used to treat a couple of digestive disorders such as diarrhoea, indigestion, vomiting, and upset stomach. It was also believed that tangerine is able to control and stabilize the flow of energy in the body.

In Ayurvedic medicine, tangerine is considered a natural detoxifying agent which can strengthen the immune system, boost mental clarity, and improving overall health.

Benefits of Using Tangerine Essential Oil

Good for the skin

Tangerine essential oil’s cytophylactic property stimulates the regeneration of cells through cell division. It also helps restore damaged tissues in the body.

Improves mood

Tangerine essential oil’s revitalizing aroma has both uplifting and calming effect. Blending tangerine oil with a carrier oil and applying it to the flex points can actually promote the feeling of happiness. Rubbing a drop or two of tangerine oil blended with bergamot or lemon oil on the hands and cupping it over the nose for 30 seconds can brighten and improve the mood.

Promotes healthy digestion

Tangerine essential oil helps maintain the proper flow of digestive juices in the stomach. It can also balance the acid and bile content of the stomach. Tangerine oil can also help treat ulcers and wounds in the digestive tract and provide relief from pain and inflammation. Adding one to two drops of tangerine oil on water or tea adds a citrusy, sweet flavor.

Purifies the blood

Tangerine is a known depurative. Depurative means it has the ability to help remove unwanted, toxic substances such as excess salt, pollutants, and uric acid. The body can expel these through urine, in the excretory process, or by sweating it out. It also boosts the ability of red blood cells to retain oxygen which helps in purifying the blood.

Prevents infection

The oil is proven to fight infectious bacteria which can lead to sepsis. Sepsis is usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus and is characterized by reddish and swelling wounds accompanied by acute pain. If sepsis is not treated, it can be fatal. Tangerine essential oil can be applied to open wounds to prevent infection and spread of bacteria. It can also reduce the redness and swelling of the affected area.

Aside from its therapeutic property, tangerine oil can be used with a diffuser to disinfect a room or other parts of the house. It can also be added to clean water and used as a disinfectant for kitchen countertops, floors, or appliances in the house. Adding a few drops of spearmint oil gives a fresh and clean scent to the house.

Reduces spasm

Spasms can occur in any body system and not Justin muscles. Spasms can be dangerous because it can result to breathing difficulties, convulsions, spasmodic diarrhoea, nervous afflictions, or severe coughs and asthma. Tangerine essential oil has a strong antispasmodic property which helps relieve spasms by relaxing the muscles and the nerves.

Reduce appearance of stretch marks

Tangerine essential oil is known to help reduce appearance of stretch marks. It is added to a carrier oil and massaged to affected parts of the body such as the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, and upper arms. It is also known to be effective to reduce marks caused by cellulite.

For hair and scalp

The antiseptic property of tangerine oil helps control scalp infections. Massaging tangerine oil diluted in coconut oil on the roots of the hair can help improve circulation and promote hair growth.

Safety Tips and Precautions

For pregnant and nursing mothers, it is recommended to consult a doctor before using tangerine essential oil.

Just like any citrus essential oils, it is recommended to stay out of the sun after applying tangerine oil on the skin. Failure to do so can cause inflammation, blisters, and a burning sensation in the skin.

Avoid applying the oil on sensitive parts such as the eyes and the inner ears. Be sure to dilute it in water or carrier oil before using it on the skin.