Lemon juice is known for its myriad of health benefits, but the lemon peel is regularly overlooked.
Lemon juice is used in lemonade, smoothies, sauces, marinades, and even home cleaning products. The peel we typically discard. However, for the last 40 years scientists have been researching the health benefits of lemon peel. The results are astounding.
Lemon Peel Benefits
Since 1970, scientists have conducted over twenty studies on the effects of lemon peel and cancer. This research reveals that powerful antioxidants located in the peel can destroy twelve different types of malignant cells. These types of cancer affected include lung, breast, colon and pancreatic.
In addition, lemon peel has been found to boost immunity, normalize cholesterol and decrease inflammation. It is rich in Vitamin C, and many people claim eating a lemon a day gives them glowing skin.
Another health benefit of lemon peel is its ability to aide digestion. A glass of warm water with the entirety of half a lemon in the morning can change your elimination process greatly. This is especially beneficial if you have a sluggish colon and slow transport time.
Furthermore, lemon peel helps you produce more bile. Bile is critical for digestion. Bile acids also aide in the absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine. Additionally, many waste products are eliminated from the body by secretion into bile.
Lemon peel is also antimicrobial and anti-fungal. This means it is great for helping treat intestinal parasites and worms.
Even your liver loves lemon peel. It actually helps your liver remove toxins and waste from the blood.
How to Ingest Lemon Peel
Dr. Marilyn Glenville, a nutritionist and expert on women’s health, stated:
“Most of the antioxidants included in fruit are included in the peel or the pith rather than in the pulp. A smoothie is far better than a juice, since you can consume the whole fruit including the peel, and you will not throw away a single nutrient from the fruit.” (source)
There are many ways to prepare whole lemons. I love to throw them whole into my Nutri Bullet Pro when making smoothies. You can also use a blender to grind up whole lemons. Then, pour the blended lemons into ice cube trays. Defrost as needed.
Another effective method is to freeze the whole lemon and then grate it. Below are specific instructions:
- Wash your organic lemon with organic apple cider vinegar.
- Rinse with filtered water.
- Let dry.
- Place in the freezer until the next morning.
- Grate the entire lemon; peel, pulp and seeds.
- Every morning, before ingesting anything else, add a few tablespoons of grated lemon into a cup of warm water.
- You can also add in a couple drops of organic lemon essential oil to make this drink extra potent.
See the instructional video below if you need a better idea of how to do this.
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Awareness Junkie created and published this article (Lemon Peel Health Benefits and How to Prepare It) under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Sabrina Mueller and AwarenessJunkie.com. You may re-post freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Moreover, views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Awareness Junkie or its staff.
