The Orange Peeling Hack That's Almost Too Good To Be True

Here's the thing about oranges: Sometimes, the reward of eating one just isn't worth the effort required to peel it. Don't get us wrong. Oranges are sweet, juicy, and delicious — and there are loads of amazing recipes to try if you love them. If only there was a less-tedious way to access the goods.

Well, thanks to a TikTok video from user @anna.antonje, we found one. We're not talking about the trick that requires you to carve a ring around the circumference of the fruit that's deep enough to cut through the skin but not so deep that it penetrates the flesh. (Is it just us, or does that sound kind of hard?) The only knife work this hack requires is one slice right down the middle of the fruit to cut it cleanly in half.

@anna.antonje

🧐 #lifehack

♬ Originalton – anna

Once you have two halves of an orange, simply use your thumbs to press on the back center of one half and push the peel inside-out. This motion forces the individual sections (or carpels) of the orange to separate from one another and detach from the peel. As commented on @anna.antonje's TikTok by one person who's presumably been wrestling with orange peels their whole life, "No way!"

This "so easy you can't believe you never thought of it" hack has the internet divided. Some folks (admittedly, us) are mind-blown by the revelation, like one TikTok commenter who simply wrote, "This is so amazing." Others who claim to have known this trick their entire lives can't believe this isn't how everyone peels oranges — it's common practice in other parts of the world, like the Caribbean. As one person commented on @anna.antonje's video, "Wait people haven't always done this?"

Either way, the hack makes oranges an easier snack for many, including kids, who claim the trick makes each orange half resemble a flower. Peeling your oranges this way doesn't just save you time, either: Since this peeling method creates small, bite-sized chunks of the fruit, it can also act as a protective measure for your front-facing teeth. Citrus is acidic and can break down tooth enamel, so you might want to think twice about eating oranges by sinking your teeth into them like you would an apple.

If you're still struggling to peel your orange with this method, that may mean the fruit is still underripe. Before the skin is soft and supple, it holds firmly to the flesh, making the two difficult to separate. That's a big reason you should only buy oranges once they're ripe — they don't continue to ripen after they're picked from the tree.