The lemon fruit, Citrus limon Osbeck, is a species of small evergreen tree in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia.
The tree’s ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its natural lemon juice, which has both culinary and cleaning uses.
The pulp and rind (zest) are also used in cooking and baking. The leaves of the lemon tree are used to make a tea. Lemon peels contain pectin, which helps set jams and jellies.
Pure lemon juice is about 5% to 6% citric acid, with a pH of around 2.2, giving it a sour taste and having some people wonder is lemon juice healthy?
Once metabolized by the body, it produces alkaline byproducts.
Knowing a few lemon facts and what to do with lemons makes them a very versatile fruit.
In Morocco, lemons are preserved in jars or barrels of salt. The salt penetrates the peel and rind, softening them, and curing them so that the last almost indefinitely.
The preserved lemon is used in a wide variety of dishes. Preserved lemons can also be found in Sicilian, Italian, Greek, and French dishes.
There’s some good tutorials on Youtube about how to make warm lemon water and how to use lemon juice for weight loss to making hot lemon tea, salt preserved lemons and using lemon when cooking.
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In Folk Law Lemons are associated with healing, purity, cleansing, protection and the Sun and Moon.
Lemons resonate with the energy of the moon and the element of water. Lemons can be used to celebrate lunar deities.
Lemon flowers are used in love spells and the rind can be added to baked goods prepared with loving intent.
Activating the spell is an important step in witchcraft. It is believed that lemon is very effective in activating the spells.
Lemon was also used to send secret messages by writing with a toothpick dipped in lemon juice then letting it dry.
The receiver of the letter would heat it slightly (eg: over a light bulb) to make the message appear.
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As a cleaning agent fresh lemon juice may be used in various ways. A halved lemon dipped in salt or baking powder is used to brighten copper cookware. The acid dissolves the tarnish and the abrasives assist the cleaning.
As a sanitary kitchen deodorizer the juice can deodorize, remove grease, bleach stains, and disinfect; when mixed with baking soda, it removes stains from plastic food storage containers.
The oil of the lemon’s peel also has various uses. It is used as a wood cleaner and polish, where its solvent property is employed to dissolve old wax, fingerprints, and grime.
Organic lemon oil and orange oil are also used as a non toxic insecticide treatment also storing lemons in a fruit bowl is much safer than a cupboard full of poison.
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Warm lemon water serves as the perfect ‘good morning drink’, as it aids the digestive system and makes the process of eliminating the waste/toxins products from the body easier.
Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies but there is much more than just vitamin C in lemon, they also contain pectin fibre which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial preventing the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases.
They are also great source citric acid, calcium, phosphorus and potassium which helps nourish brain and nerve cells.
Organic lemon juice helps replenish body salts especially after a strenuous workout session and magnesium helps speed up muscle recovery.
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It strengthens the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute and helps in reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid
By balancing the calcium and oxygen levels in the liver drinking a glass of concentrated lemon juice can give rapid relief from heartburn.
Blood vessels are strengthened by the vitamin P (bioflavinoids) in lemon thus prevents internal hemorrhage. Also, making it useful in treating high blood pressure.
The symptoms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy have been shown in research to improve due to the rutin, found in lemons
Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds, including naturally occurring limonene; oil which slows or halts the growth of cancer tumors in animals and flavonol glycosides which stop cell division in cancer cells.
A glass of lemon juice contains less than 25 calories, so lemon lime water weight loss remedies are not only safe but effective.
It’s worth incorporting into your daily routine to drink a glass of warm lemon water in the morning and enjoy its health benefits.
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