Lemon zest - health benefits

Lemon is a real storehouse of useful components and vitamins. However, its wealth is not only in the healing properties of the juicy pulp. The dense, bright peel, called the lemon peel, should also be actively used in traditional medicine, cosmetology, and cooking.

Lemon zest - cooking and storage features

Lemon is a special product, because its upper part - the skin - is saturated with essential oils, which are perfectly preserved during drying.

Important! Zest is just the top layer of the peel that is painted!

To get the zest of lemon, the fruit is washed thoroughly (preferably with a brush), after which it is poured with boiling water for a more reliable disinfection. After that, you need a kitchen knife or grater.

To cut off the lemon peel, you need a sharp knife because only a thin layer is removed from the fruit. The zest is obtained by rubbing the cut peel with a grater, and it is necessary to ensure that the exclusively yellow layer of the peel is washed, otherwise the dish will turn out to be bitter.

After that, the resulting mass is dried and placed in a glass or metal container under a tight lid. For storage of the product, it is recommended to choose a place isolated from moisture. Zest can be frozen. For this, the peel is placed for a couple of hours in the freezer, after which it is taken out and rubbed.

Useful properties of lemon peel

The chemical composition of the lemon peel is quite diverse. Saturation with fiber, fats, vitamins, minerals and flavonoids makes the zest extremely useful.

It is allowed to use zest in any form, the main thing is to do it systematically and not to overdo it with the quantity. If you approach the issue wisely, noticeable improvements can be noted soon.

Why is lemon zest so useful?

• helps prevent bone disease;
• able to prevent the development of thrombosis;
• calms the nervous system;
• improves appetite;
• has an effect on blood vessels, increasing their elasticity;
• helps to cleanse the body of toxins and other harmful deposits;
• peel components enhance the properties of the immune system;
• able to stop sore throat;
• normalize blood flow, cleanse the liver;
• has a therapeutic effect on fungal pathologies.

It has a positive effect on the digestion process. All this is due to the presence of dietary fiber, noted in the composition of the peel of a lemon. This component enhances intestinal motility, promotes the elimination of waste, eliminates gas formation and spasms in the intestinal section.

The healing properties that the zest is endowed with have made it popular in folk medicine for treating stomach upsets, eliminating colic, with vomiting, and dyspepsia. A unique product is able to get rid of putrefactive bacteria in the mouth and intestines, thereby eliminating bad breath and improve digestion.

Lemon zest has anti-cancer properties. Due to its flavonoid content, the zest is able to block the spread of cancer cells. And the substance is limnomen endowed with antitumor properties. Studies by scientists have shown that those people who eat slices of lemons without peeling off their peels are much less likely to experience the development of malignant tumors in the lungs, large intestine, and mammary gland. A special digestible substance pectin has a slowing effect on the development of skin cancer, prostate.

Oral hygiene.In order not to encounter some gum pathologies (gingivitis, bleeding, etc.), you need to enrich your menu with vitamin C, which is found in large quantities in lemon zest. Also, the merit of this vitamin lies in its active fight against bacteria that provoke the appearance of caries and periodontitis.

Lemon zest is also used for weight loss. Lemon peels contain pectin, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates. Thus, the fight against extra pounds is carried out. This component provides a long feeling of fullness, and craving for sweets disappears.

Thanks to the zest of lemon, the work of the heart muscle is optimized, and this leads to a decrease in the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases.

The bioflavonoids present in the lemon peel are active antioxidants that can prevent oxidative processes. Under their influence, the body gets rid of free radicals that provoke mutations in cells, which result in premature aging, cancer and pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

Harm lemon zest

In addition to the indisputable advantages, lemon peel can be harmful. First of all, caution should be given to people suffering from peptic ulcer disease.

It is important to remember that excessive consumption of citrus fruits can provoke an allergic reaction.

If the throat is very sore, then you should refrain from drinking lemon, as you can get a burn of the larynx.

With increased acidity, the consumption of zest must be excluded, otherwise it will torment heartburn.

Lemon zest in cosmetics

Lemon zest is widely used in cosmetic procedures.

Those who do not know how to get rid of the yellowed skin of their feet should use the zest, which rub their feet.

Lemon peel can solve the problem of an overdried dermis in the elbow. It is enough to rub the problem area with it and the issue will be resolved.

An excellent face and body scrub can be made from olive oil, sugar and grated lemon peel. After mixing all the ingredients, the composition is ready to use. Such a scrub perfectly moisturizes.

Everyone who makes soap at home alone should take note of the fact that lemon peel is a good cosmetic supplement.

Lemon peels can participate in maintaining cleanliness and a pleasant smell in the house.

The benefits of lemon zest in the home

Lemon peel is actively used in everyday life. With its help, it is possible to eliminate a number of problems.

1. Removing stains and grease. Lemon vinegar perfectly copes with various types of pollution. The frayed peel is placed in a glass vessel and poured with vinegar, the lid is covered on top. After a couple of weeks, the infused mass is filtered and diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1. As a result, it is possible to obtain a unique composition that can clean almost everything. In addition, the vinegar obtained on the basis of the zest is endowed with excellent disinfectant properties.
2. Rid the refrigerator of bad smell. If you put the lemon peel in the refrigerator, then you can forget about the unpleasant odor.
3. Helps fight insect pests. Uninvited guests in the apartment - ants, fleas, moths, cockroaches - do not tolerate the citrus smell. To combat them, you can try to place the zest at the doors, window sills, cracks.
4. Removal of calcareous deposits. Faucets and other chrome-plated surfaces often suffer from lime deposits, which cause a lot of trouble to housewives. The stone will disappear if wiped with a lemon peel.
5. To clean brass, copper and stainless steel, sea salt is mixed with zest, a contaminated area is rubbed with this compound, after which everything is washed off.
6. Using the zest, coffee and tea stains on cups and glasses are easily removed.To eliminate the problem, the crushed peel is applied to the problem area and moistened with water. The cup is left for several hours, after which it is wiped with a cloth. From spots there will be no trace.
7. Microwave cleansing with zest is an interesting find. The whole process is as follows: the peel is laid out in a bowl of water and put in the microwave for 5 minutes. While the water is boiling, steam will fill the inside of the appliance. After this, the bowl is taken out, and the microwave is wiped.

Lemon zest is a unique product that has found application in cooking and everyday life. A useful component is able to enrich the human body with useful substances, vitamins and trace elements.

Video: 8 Ways to Apply Lemon