The Orange Peel Theory

Would you break up with your partner over peeled fruit? This latest social media trend might just be the unlikely dealbreaker.

- Cheryl Lai-Lim

Forget MBTI tests or compatible horoscopes; there's a new way to test if your love is true: All you need is an orange.

While it might sound unorthodox, the idea behind the viral "orange peel theory" is rather straightforward: If your partner peels an orange for you with care, it's a sign of genuine love.

But if they refuse, it suggests their love might not be sincere. This informal test first started on social media platform Tiktok, and has since become widespread, especially among heterosexual couples.

At its core, the orange peel theory is about acts of service. It suggests that a partner's willingness to perform small and seemingly insignificant acts of service indicates a healthy relationship.

"If someone asks you to peel their orange you might think, 'They're perfectly capable of doing that themselves, that's not a big deal," said Tiktoker @neanotmia in a breakdown of the trend. "It might not literally be about peeling the orange. They're asking you for a small favour to see your reaction, to see if later they can ask you for bigger favours. How are you going to make them feel when they ask you for that help?"

PEELING BACK THE LAYERS

While seemingly trivial, some believe that the act of peeling an orange symbolises a partner's willingness to perform small gestures of kindness and support, which are believed to reflect the underlying dynamics of the relationship.