Fact Check: Can Burnt Oranges Aid in Restoring Lost Senses from COVID-19?

By Dana Cruz First Posted: Dec 28, 2020 03:42 AM EST

(Photo : S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay )

Lost senses of smell and taste have been heavily reported as clear-cut signs of COVID-19, but how true is it that burnt oranges can help restore them?

One social media post issued a claim that was specifically for people who lost senses of taste and smell after getting COVID-19.

It showed a "recipe" featuring burnt oranges to help with the process of getting someone's senses back.

TikTok users claimed the recipe was a Jamaican COVID-19 remedy of burnt oranges to an open flame and consuming the flesh of the fruit with brown sugar mixed into it.

In fact checks by news sites, they said the remedy isn't likely to help in restoring lost senses.

Social Media Provides Mixes Reactions to Burnt Oranges Remedy

According to NBC's Today, the trend exploded online with more people sharing videos of the said remedy.

"I had COVID over a month ago and I still don't have my taste or smell back, so I'm going to try this TikTok witchery and see if it works," one user wrote.

But in a follow-up video, the user said they think it didn't work.

On the other hand, another user said people should just keep trying even if results aren't noticeable even after the first try.

So does the "remedy" actually work?

Lost Senses Will Come Back in Time

According to a report from USA Today, SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 attacks the cells that support smell-detecting neurons in a person's body.

But the sense of smell or taste is expected to come back in a matter of week.

This is the case for some 90% of COVID-19 patients, as recorded by the British Medical Journal, although some people take longer to get it back.

Experts said that there was no scientific basis to say that burnt oranges mixed with brown sugar will help in the temporary loss of a person's sense of smell or taste.

Pamela Dalton, Ph.D., a researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia said it is possible that people who said the remedy worked actually had some senses back already and just didn't realize it until trying the trend.

She added that the really intense taste of the burnt orange with brown sugar will give people an "extraordinary sensation" that may make them think they have regained the senses they lost.

However, under this method, people essentially "shocked" their systems by smelling or tasting something strong.

Otolaryngologist Bozena Wrobel, M.D., of Keck School of Medicine in USC also told Shape Magazine that the trend is unlikely to work.

She said the sweet orange with the sugar will likely stimulate the taste buds which were not affected by COVID-19; but it won't "reignite" the senses which were affected by the disease.

Experts say there is no other way for the senses to come back othen that getting resolved on its own.

To help people feel more comfortable with the loss of their sense of smell, researchers are looking into "smell training" that will examine how well a person smells odors.

The research found "clinically relevant improvement" in overall function after six months of the study.

Tags burnt oranges, COVID-19, lost senses, Sense of smell, sense of taste