Would You Eat A Whole Orange (Rind & All) To Alleviate Constipation?

Whether you've been traveling recently, haven't been eating healthfully as you're used to, are suffering from hormonal fluctuations, or it simply hits you at random, we've all experienced constipation—and it ain't fun. Whether it's causing you physical discomfort, bloating, or worse (holy hemorrhoids!), when you can't go to the bathroom, it's a problem you want to remedy as quickly as possible.

So when influencer Bethany Ugarte—better known to her 317,000 Instagram followers as @lilsipper—posted her go-to constipation remedy, the internet's reaction was as swift as a sufferer's digestive tract was not. Ugarte's solution was shockingly simple and involved just three ingredients: "Slice an orange and generously coat with cayenne pepper and cinnamon," she wrote in the post's caption. "Eat the entire thing (rind and all—the skin contains essential oils that facilitate). Be sure to wash the outside prior to slicing. Organic oranges are preferred."

According to Ugarte, "It's been something I've done forever. If I had to even guess where I heard it from, it would have to be my holistic doctor many years ago." She's quick to point out the science behind the snack, though. "Oranges contain naringenin, a flavonoid shown to help with constipation in general1, and studies show2 (in rats at the moment) that naringenin can also have a laxative effect. Cayenne pepper and cinnamon contain capsaicin, which trigger your TRVP1 receptors (located in your mouth and also throughout your body and GI tract) and stimulate your GI tract—making things move through quite fast!"

Since she posted her secret, Ugarte has received hundreds of "messages, direct messages, videos of people doing it in their own home, and even people reposting on their own IG stories and pages saying that it's worked like a charm."

Even the flavor combination, which might seem strange at first, isn't actually that out of left field. "It's actually quite common to add spice to fruit in other parts of the world. In South America, I know it's common to sprinkle avocado with sugar—so always have an open mind!" says Ugarte (in Morocco, oranges with cinnamon are actually a common treat).