Amazing Lemons
Here's a fun and healthy tip that can add a whole new level of flavor to your meals! Your whole body will thank you!
Just grab a lemon, give it a good wash, and pop it in the freezer. Once frozen, pull out your trusty grater and shred the entire lemon, peel and all (no need to waste the good stuff!). Sprinkle this zesty goodness over vegetables, salads, ice cream, soups, cereals, noodles, spaghetti sauce, rice, fish dishes, and more! Trust us, your taste buds will thank you.
Did you know that there's more to lemons than just the zippy taste? Lemon peels actually contain 5 to 10 times more vitamins than lemon juice alone! Plus, lemon peels have health benefits that can help remove toxic elements from your body.
Research has shown that lemon peels contain 5 to 10 times more vitamins than lemon juice alone. Lemon peels are rich in compounds such as limonene and citric acid that aid in weight loss, digestion, and improving immunity (1). In addition, these peels have antimicrobial and antifungal properties (2).
Moreover, lemons have been shown to have anticancer properties. Studies have reported that lemon extracts can kill cancer cells, including colon, breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers (3). It is believed that d-limonene, a compound found in lemon peels, plays a significant role in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells (4).
In fact, a laboratory study found that lemon extracts induced apoptosis (cell death) in various human cancer cells, without affecting healthy cells. The study concluded that lemon extracts contain a potent anticancer agent capable of selectively eliminating malignant cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed (5).
So, what's the best way to incorporate lemon peels into your diet? One easy way is to grate a frozen lemon and sprinkle it over your meals. Freezing a lemon won't alter its nutritional content, but it makes it easier to grate. You can grate and sprinkle it on vegetables, salads, ice cream, soups, cereals, noodles, spaghetti sauce, rice, and more!
So why not give this tip a try and spread the word to friends and family? You never know who might benefit from this little-known secret.
References:
- Viuda-Martos M, Ruiz-Navajas Y, Fernández-López J, Pérez-Alvarez JA. Lemon essential oil: A useful tool for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. A review. Food Res Int. 2008;41(4):372-385. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2008.02.002
- Singh P, Shukla R. Antimicrobial activity of lemon peel (Citrus lemon L.) extract. Int J Curr Microbiol App Sci. 2019;8(6):1149-1158. doi:10.20546/ijcmas.2019.806.141
- El-Toumy SA, Salama ZA, Darwish SM. Lemon fruit extract and juices anti-colon cancer properties via modulation of expression of adenomatous polyposis coli, p53, phosphor-Akt, phosphor-ERK1/2, caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in rats. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014;15(9):3865-3874. doi: 10.7314/APJCP.2014.15.9.3865
- Marchena AM, Rizzo CA, Giménez MS, et al. Effects of different drying processes on the content and composition of d-limonene in lemon peels. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2013;77(4):779-785. doi: 10.1271/bbb.120947
- Han X, Shen T, Lou H. Dietary polyphenols and their biological significance. Int J Mol Sci. 2007;8(9):950-988. doi: 10.3390/i8090950