Sometimes we take for granted things that are common, and this is definitely the case with lemons. Although we use them almost daily, we take for granted the nutrition, usefulness, and even beauty they bring to the world. This little yellow fruit is a true powerhouse in terms of the many health benefits it offers us. You may think you know all about lemons, but I’ll show you that the lemon is good for much more than lemonade.
You can’t think of citrus without thinking of a lemon. Originally from Asia, this unique yellow fruit has been around for a long time. Most people are aware of the story of lemons saving British sailors from scurvy, and this is true. The high vitamin C content of lemons is well known. Although the lemon’s sourness prevents it from being eaten as a snack, it is a common ingredient in many cuisines because of the zest they add. Chefs know lemon juice is an antioxidant that keeps fresh foods from turning brown, but here are some other uses for lemons you may not know:
* Lemons are great phlegm busters. If you are congested, make yourself a fresh glass of lemonade (warm or cold) and the lemon will act as an expectorant.
* Dry lemon slices as part of a refreshing, home made potpourri.
* To diminish the appearance of acne scars and exfoliate dead skin, gently rub a cut lemon and 1/2 teaspoon sugar granules on your skin for a few minutes. Repeat at least once a week until the darkened areas fade.
* The rind of the lemon or zest can be candied to use as treats for kids or a garnish for many dishes. It’s especially good as a seasoning for fish, poultry, and asparagus.
* Lemon juice naturally repels ticks and fleas from your dog. Just mix one part lemon juice to one part water, then dab it on the problem areas, or you can also use a spray bottle to apply the mixture.
Lemon juice can sting the dog’s eyes and ears, so be careful around those areas.
* Research shows that lemon essential oil stimulates the central part of the hippocampus, triggering rational, left brain thinking. If you’re in a problem-solving slump, dab some lemon essential oil
on a tissue and inhale.
* Craving sweets? A whiff of lemon oil has the effect of swiftly curbing the emotional reactions that trigger cravings for sweets.
* A simple form of detoxification is to squeeze the juice of one lemon into 12 ounces of hot water. Drink this first thing in the morning when you wake up.
* Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle on some borax or salt. Use this like a sponge to clean a dirty tub or sink. The citric acid in the lemons helps cut through dirt without scratching the surface.
* Unlike chemical cleaners, cleaning with lemons will leave behind a pleasant smell that won’t make you wheeze or cough. They are great at odor removal. If you’ve been peeling onions, pour some lemon juice over your hands to remove the smell.
* Have a stinky garbage can or garbage disposal? Drop some lemon slices into the garbage disposal or put lemon slices in the bottom of the garbage can to remove any unpleasant smells.
I thought it was limes that the British took on ships to prevent against scurvy – hence being called Limeys by people in the US.
@Laura:Laura, of course you’re right. Got my fruits mixed up.
For IBS sufferers however, too much lemon juice could be bad, especially if you are sensitive to acid or have acid reflux.
Camerons last blog post..Shake Recipe for IBS Diarrhea Predominate
btw… apropos to the limies comment, i heard that they called lemons and limes alike limies..
Being tonic, refreshing and purifier, lemon oil is indicated for people who tend to leave weighed down by problems and thus to neglect themselves. Using it in bath or massage will help you feel fresh, more full of life and confident in your strengths.
I’ll have to keep in mind about using lemon oil to stop me craving sweets. I have heard about sniffing certain essential oils to curb your appetite, but I didn’t know that it curbed your emotional reactions.
Using lemons really have beneficial effects not only in terms of you health but also in your pocket. You can cut your costs using lemon rather than using those expensive medical products.
Wow, I never knew that Lemons had so many uses. I’ve only really used them in food. This was a very useful article, thanks a lot.
Wow, what a great post! I’m going to try some of these right away – never thought about using it as a substitute for expensive exfoliants and such… I bet lemons can save us all some money if we use them more.
.-= Sourdough Starter´s last blog ..Making Your First Sourdough Loaf with Sourdough Starter =-.
Great tips. Thanks. Natural home remedies like using lemons for skin health are really effective. They are powerful astringents. They can treat oily skin, reduce age spots as well as lessening acne breakouts and scars and with time heal them.
If you need something more mild to cure your acne breakouts, you can also try using a medicated face wash. These products contain lower concentrations of benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, and are not as harsh on your skin, as they are meant to be washed away after thirty seconds to a minute of use. As such, they are not necessarily as effective as creams and ointments, but because many blemishes and breakouts can be attributed to oily skin, using a medicated face wash is an excellent way to introduce your skin to acne treatment ingredients. The cleaner your face is, the more regulated the oil production will be – and for many people, cleaner skin can lead to clearer skin in the long run.
Hi,
Thanks, for these tips. Especially that cleanind tub or sink! I have totally forgotten it.
I sometimes use lemonjuice as hand “cream”.
.-= Marja @ Natural Acne Remedy´s last blog ..About Us =-.
Lemon juice does work for lightening acne scars!
How to get rid of acne is one of the most common queries of teenagers or those in early twenties. Acne is caused by blockage of skin pores due to excess oil production by sebaceous glands. During teenage or adolescence hormonal secretion interfere with the normal oil secretion procedure of hair follicles. This results in eruptions of acne. Getting rid of Acne is easy if we can make some changes in our eating habit and lifestyle.
Natural acne treatments can include herbs, parts of a plant and in some cases it can be a chemical. It refers to a substance that is either applied to the skin or is ingested. The effectiveness of some of these treatments sometimes depends on your willingness to follow the given instructions when using the product. Some natural treatments are also effective in acne prevention.
One thing we often forget is that there are many home remedies that can cure our health or skin problems like acne. Here lemon is the example.
Yet sometimes, some home remedies don’t get to the core of the problem like they just get rid the acne in your face but they don’t get the acne from its roots.
Our face deserves to be acne free, because it could boost our confidence in school, work, and in our society. In my case after I use the acne treatment that my cousin gave me, all of my friends have stated that there is something beautiful new in me, and I feel really glad thus my performance in work tripled up. I am happy.
.-= Raymond @ acne treatment´s last blog ..11 of the Best Natural Hives Remedies =-.
Thank you for the cut lemon info to cure acne. I will write it in my notebook. I am collecting alternative medicine ideas to cure skin diseases.
Gratitude for myriad of info here. I learned a lot.
I suffered from skin diseases like hives and acne when I was young because I don’t put much attention to hygiene, that is why I am trying to teach kids and my peers that it is important to be clean inside and out for us to avoid stress, and diseases, for us to become happy.
I enjoyed your site. Thank you very much.
.-= Nory @ acne skin disease´s last blog ..Probiotic Pills =-.
Nice post… i realy learn alot from you.
Helps alot tankyou
This is true! I saw my sister used lemons for her acne scars and it works great for her! I use lemon to detoxify my body…. Lemons are great!
What a great, comprehensive article! So that explains why lemon meringue pies make for such satisfying sweets – they have an inbuilt limiter that stops you wanting more. Clever idea – they should do something like that to chocolate
. I do have one to add – I’ve heard plenty of times that drinking a glass of warm water with lemon juice in it first thing in the morning is good for your digestive health. Although they are acidic, lemon juice is supposed to have an alkalizing effect on the body, which in turn is supposed to create a healthier internal environment.
I thought lemon is just a big source of vitamin C. After reading your blog, now I know that there are still many more health benefits we can get from this fruit.
Lemons are a great and tasty asset to those of us with acid reflux diease.
.-= Richard@Acid Reflux Guide´s last blog ..Acid Reflux Introduction =-.
Lemons have several benefits to our health. They don’t only add that zing to our taste buds but they also compound many processes that are excellent for our bodies. Below are a few of the added benefits of this God given fruit we call lemons.
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin B6, iron and potassium, and a very good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. They also contain calcium, copper, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc.
The first lemons had many uses. They were, of course, used to flavor and preserve food, but also their juice was used for antidotes to poison and venom, women would use them to redden their lips and sailors ate them to combat scurvy.
Lemons are a tasty source of bioflavonoids, which are natural compounds in some fruits and vegetables. If you haven’t yet heard of them, you soon will. Here are just some of the reasons why you could benefit from bioflavonoids in your diet
I always have a hot drink of water with lemon juice added at the first sign of a cold and also to help shift congestion too. It works wonders and, of course, has none of the side effects that some over the counter remedies can have, like causing drowsiness etc.
Lemons are also useful to reduce our weight.. take a cup of lime juice and one tp of salt, mix them and drink after brush every day.. this is will reduce your weight
Lemons are known for useful remedies for gout, urine retention, athritis, vitamin C deficiency, inflammation of the mouth and throat, hoarseness, digestive disorders, asthma, nervousness, insomnia, heart palpitations and helps the system with diseases of the stomach, liver and intestines.
Thymus x citriodorus – Beautiful in the garden, fragrant and useful, lemon thyme is another of the most popular lemon scented herbs. Making a lovely spreading mound of dark green leaves, lemon thym is a fine addition to the herb garden. It is also a great container plant, either alone in a 10” pot or as part of an herbal ensemble in a larger container. It is especially good when used with grilled fish or chicken, or steamed vegetables
.-= John Jeracevich ´s last blog ..Workout Inspiration Part Three =-.
I am quite agree that lemon can be used to diminish the appearance of acne scars and exfoliate dead skin. Furthermore, dry peels of lemon is one of my favorite herbs to remove dampness and transform phlegm, especially when a person suffering from coughing and belching.
.-= Tian@Chinese medicine´s last blog ..Popular Acne Treatment patterns =-.
Before buying expensive medicated creams to lighten unsightly liver spots and freckles, try this: Apply lemon juice directly to the area, let sit for 15 minutes, and then rinse your skin clean. Lemon juice is a safe and effective skin-lightening agen
Great post! I thought lemons are only good for lemonades, thanks for the infos.
.-= Stan@Keijay´s last blog ..ScarAway Long Silicone Scar Healing Sheets – Contains the full Dr. Recommended 12 Week Supply =-.
Cool info.
I love fish so I always use lemon juice to clean my hands afterwards too.
Really works…
Also, so many people are concerned about weight loss before detox. That’s a pity because a good lemon detox diet can help the metabolism, clean the ‘engine’ and certainly make future weight loss goals much easier to achieve.
I always use lemons to clean the kitchen not just for cooking. Slice the lemon, dip in salt and scrub stove tops and ovens and it takes out all the hardened grime.
.-= clarissea´s last blog ..The Common STD’s =-.
Lemon helps to detoxify our bodies as well.It is indeed a very useful fruit although it taste sour,but somehow it is good and good for health as well.The diseases like cholera or malaria can be treated with lemon water as it can act as a blood purifier.
Lemon is very essential on beauty skin care. Natural alternatives that helps to eliminate wrinkles and skin aging. It smoothen your face and your foot.
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Lemons had a lot of healthy benefits. Regarding skin care, it is one of the most required home treatments which provide an everlasting effect. Its a great idea of choosing a good source of treatment.
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