Fruits and vegetable are always known to be beneficial to our health. They protect us from a lot of diseases and keep us healthy. Lemon is also one such fruit which is used for a lot of reasons.
Lemon, in some form or the other is the basic ingredient of any detoxifying program.
But you may not be aware that by using the juice and throwing away the peel, you are wasting the most beneficial part of lemon. The lemon peel has many benefits. It can prevent cancer, lower cholesterol and improve the functioning of your immune system. They help the body fight bacterial and fungal infections, internal parasites and worms too.
The health benefits of having lemons are:
– Anti microbial properties
– Prevent asthma
– Regulate blood pressure
– Lower risk of strokes
– Detoxify liver and kidney
– Help fight inflammation
– Improve the functioning of the immune system
– Fight cancer
– Treat stress and depression
How does lemon fight cancer? :
Vitamin C which is found in lemon is a known anti-cancer agent. It can also help in removing toxins from your body, thereby detoxifying it. It has many other health benefits also.
Many studies have been going on to find the extent to which vitamin C fights cancer.
Lemon juice kills different kind of cancer cells including breast cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer. Such studies show that lemon juice kills only the malignant cells and does not affect healthy cells.
Since they are natural, safe and healthy, they are considered to be better than chemotherapy in killing cancer cells.
The lemon peel is known to contain 5-10 times more vitamins that the juice. According to Dr. Marilyn Glenville, who is an expert on women’s health and nutrition, ‘most of the antioxidants of lemon are found in its peel and pith rather than its juice.’ Due to this benefit, it is better to have a lemon smoothie which will contain the peel and pith, rather than a juice. In that way you will not discard the healthiest part of the lemon. But there is slight problem here, in that the lemon peel is bitter to taste and hence you may not like your smoothie with it.
To overcome this problem, we have a solution. You can freeze your lemon to utilize its skin effectively.
To do this, wash the lemon and disinfect it with apple cider vinegar, wash and dry it.
Leave it in the freezer overnight. Once it has frozen completely, grate the whole lemon including its peel, pulp and seeds. Store it in the ice cube trays for future use.
This grated product can now be added to all your meals. Use it in your soup, pasta, sauce, salad, ice cream, smoothie, yogurt, juice, tea, etc. It gives a lovely flavor.
Source/Reference: Healthy Food House, healthyrecipeshome, dailyhealthpost