Good and Good for You: Lemons

Oh lemons!  Who hasn't enjoyed a cool, refreshing glass of lemonade on a hot summer day or dug into a tasty slice of lemon meringue pie?  Okay, maybe some of you haven't, but you really should try it.  Lemons are not only delightfully refreshing, they can do good things for you too.

So it is believed that lemons and other citrus fruits sprang up in India or Mesopotamia (near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers) some 80+ centuries ago. Lemons traveled the Trade Routes west from Asia to North Africa and eventually to the Mediterranean region where they thrived. Lemon trees like a slightly drier climate and are more resistant to frost than other citrus trees.

Lemons were grown for their beauty and scent, but were often put to other uses as well – as an embalming agent (leave it to those crazy Egyptians), as an aphrodisiac, and, of course, for medicinal purposes. Lemons were used to cure fever or colic and as well as to protect against poisons.

Of course, in the Dark Ages, things got a little reversed. They thought eating fresh fruit was bad for you and considered lemons to be particularly poisonous. But that phase eventually passed and everyone got on board again with lemons. Even today the essential oils found in lemon zest are used in medicine, household products, and cosmetics.

Lemons are a pretty amazing fruit and so very versatile. You can use lemon to enhance both savory and sweet dishes while lemon peel will add flavor to whatever you are making.

And the good for you part?

All parts of the lemon contain valuable antioxidants and nutrients; first and foremost they are an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Lemons also have strong antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-boosting powers.

Lemons also make a great weight loss program addition because lemon juice has liver cleansing properties and can be used as a digestive aid.

And for those people who suffer from poor appetites, adding lemon to their food will help stimulate the taste buds.

Lemons contain a high level of potassium.

You want to make sure to either buy unwaxed lemons or wash your lemons thoroughly before using the zest for cooking or baking.

Lemons are rich in pectin so useful in thickening up jellies and jams.

Lemon juice makes a great substitute for vinegar in salad dressings.

Learned something new – if you want to get more lemon juice from a lemon, just put it in hot water, or the microwave, for a few seconds; fyi, heavier lemons will yield more juice.

Because lemon juice is very acidic though, it should always be diluted before drinking (you don’t want it eating away at your tooth enamel).

So there you go, I hope that those of you who weren't lemon enthusiasts before will now give them a chance now. I don't think you'll regret it.