Lemon Peel Benefits

Most of us use lemons, don’t we?……but throw out the peels the majority of the time. Well, here you go- This post will attempt to explain and convince you why lemon peels are more healthy and nutritious than lemon pulp or the juice itself.

You may be wondering: what’s the deal with lemon peels? There are numerous confirmed and researched benefits of lemon peel and how to use it. Lemon (Citrus limon) is one of the popular citrus fruits of the family Rutaceae used in cooking, flavoring, and medicine for centuries.

Traditionally, lemon is used for numerous health effects, as mentioned later in this post. The Lemon fruit is the 3rd most important citrus species and a major processed crop that ends in a larger quantity of wastes and byproducts found as a major source of various bioactive compounds (like pectin, citrus bioflavonoids, water-soluble and insoluble antioxidants, and essential oils).

Disclaimer– As we try to give our community the best of well-researched and unusual perspectives on our articles, this post was produced based on an in-depth deep-dive into several academic research papers from scholars on the topic and interactions with individuals who include lemon peel in their daily diet. Below this post, we have provided suitable references if you decide to pursue additional reading.

What is Lemon Peel?

Lemon Peel is the outermost layer of the lemon. It’s a rich source of nutrients, including vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Lemon peels have numerous health benefits: Anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antibacterial, antioxidant, and detoxifying.

It can help improve digestion and respiratory health, boost your immune system, and reduce stress levels. Lemon peels are also natural exfoliants that help to remove dead skin cells and improve your skin complexion.

Lemon peels can be dried and stored for later use or eaten fresh. In addition, the vitamin C nutrients in the lemon peels act as an antioxidant that helps your body fight free radicals.

This post will give you some information about lemon peels, why they are good for you, what they can do, and how to use them.

Stay tuned!

What is the difference between Lemon Peel and Lemon Zest?

Many people use lemon zest and lemon peel interchangeably. However, there is a technical difference between the lemon peel and lemon zest you should know about!

The main difference between lemon peel and lemon zest comes down to the parts of the lemon fruit- the zest is the outermost layer. In contrast, the peel consists of both the zest and the bitter white underlayer.

Lemon peels require careful preparation, while lemon zest can be easily removed with a grater. Lemon peel is the outermost layer of lemon rind and is bitter in taste. However, it is high in pectin, making it great for jams and marmalades.

Lemon zest is made from finely grated lemon peels. It contains the lemon’s essential oils and is very fragrant, making it excellent for flavoring food or drinks.

Suppose you’re looking to add lemon flavor to your dish. In that case, it’s essential to use the right ingredient- Lemon peels will give you a more intense lemon flavor. In contrast, lemon zest will give you a more subtle lemon flavor. So, next time you are making lemon bars, lemon cake, or lemon chicken, you’ll know exactly what to use!

Uses of Lemon Peels

Now that you know what lemon peel is, let’s look at why it’s good for you and ways to use it!

Lemon Peel Health Benefits

A Lemon A Day Keeps The Doctor Away! Research has also shown that lemon peel may help improve overall health and reduce the risk of other diseases. For example, the Citrus bioflavonoids in lemon peels have been shown to scavenge harmful toxins and free radicals from the body, improving liver function, reducing inflammation, and helping to protect cells against damage.

1. Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease

It was found in a study that lemon peels can help reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, the study showed that lemon peel extract was able to inhibit cholesterol oxidation, which is a significant contributor to heart disease.

Lemon peel extract in some academic circles has been tested against several produce extracts- The lemon extract performed better than other produce extracts in protecting LDL cholesterol from oxidation, which is when the body starts to rust the good proteins that are naturally occurring in the human body.

This process can lead to heart disease or even death if left untreated. By preventing the oxidation of the good proteins in our body, the antioxidant chemicals like flavonoids in lemon peel extracts save our body from cardio diseases.

2. Anti-cancer

Lemon Peel Can Help Reduce Cancer Risk. A research study found lemon peels to have anti-cancer properties that help prevent cancer from developing. Protection was obtained via lemon’s ability to increase antioxidant activity, reduce cell proliferation rates, induce apoptosis (cell death), interfere with tumor growth factors, and decrease inflammation responses within cells.

In other words, lemon peel extract blocks cancerous changes before they can occur and reverses the damage already done by carcinogens or free radicals; lemon peels also work at a genetic level to turn off genes damaged by things like cigarette smoke which would otherwise lead to the rapid development of cancers such as lung cancer in smokers. (cigarette smokers would love this. lol!)

How to use

So as you can see, lemon peel is a powerful tool in the fight against cancer. Adding lemon to your diet is an easy way to boost your antioxidant levels and get some extra protection against this deadly disease.

Be sure to add lemon juice or zest to your favorite recipes, or drink a glass of warm water with lemon first thing in the morning for best results.

3. Anti-Diabetic

It’s been found in a study that lemon peel can help prevent diabetes. In addition, the researchers found that lemon essential oil helped decrease blood sugar levels after participants drank a sugary beverage.

So how is this important…?

Since high blood sugar levels are associated with an increased risk of developing type two diabetes later on in life. Lemon peels contain p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PABA), which has been shown to have anti-diabetic effects by lowering blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of developing type II diabetes over time.

Lemon peel extract may improve insulin sensitivity by up to 20 percent within one month of consumption. In addition, limonene in Lemon peels lowers glucose absorption from carbohydrate-rich foods after eating, preventing high blood sugar spikes.

The flavonoids in lemon peels improve glucose metabolism in the liver and reduce fasting plasma glucose concentration which maintains normal blood sugar levels.

A study showed that lemon peel extract suppresses postprandial hyperglycemia by improving insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. This shows how lemon peels can help prevent diabetes at a cellular level within the body.

How to use

Lemon juice is an excellent choice for a healthy drink to prevent diabetes. Add lemon juice to your water or tea, or use the lemon peel for cooking for added health benefits. Start incorporating lemon into your diet today and reduce your risk of developing type II diabetes!

Other Health Benefits of Lemon Peel

• Improves immunity.
• Dietary fiber in lemon peel prevents bowel disorders.
• Prevention of childhood obesity.
• Reduction of liver & plasma cholesterol.
• Ascorbic acid in lemon peel is an effective remedy against rheumatism, arthrosis, and gout.
• Lemon peel mixed with lemon juice is a proven remedy against colds & influenza conditions because of the antiviral characteristics of Lemon Peel compounds.
• Improves bone health.

4. Lemon Peel weight loss Benefits

One lemon contains just 29 calories and is an excellent vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and dietary fiber source. These nutrients are essential for optimal health and can help with weight loss when consumed in moderation.

The dietary fiber in lemon peels contains different non-starch polysaccharides like cellulose, pectin, lignin, and gums; these prevent gastrointestinal disorders aiding digestion and providing satiety, leading to reduced caloric intake and helping to regulate blood sugar levels.

Lemon peel has all of these essential nutrients, making it a great choice for looking to lose weight.

5. Lemon Peel Skincare Benefits

In some individuals, when sebum is secreted in excess, skin flora like Pseudomonas Micrococcus can grow and cause purulent skin infections or other skin conditions like acne and Eczema. The antimicrobial property of the agents in lemon peels also exhibits astringent properties, preventing such skin infections and keeping the skin healthy with personal hygiene.

Additionally, lemon peel can help improve your complexion by removing dead skin cells from the skin’s surface. One of the active compounds in lemon peel is PABA, an active ingredient in sunscreen, which may offer insight into lemon peel benefits for skin health.

Although PABA in cosmetics is banned in some countries like Canada because of its predisposing risks to photosensitivity. However, it is approved in the United States.

How to use

• A Skincare recipe idea is to make a citrus salt scrub with lemon juice and sea salt, which makes the skin feel smoother and gives a refreshing smell after a shower or bath!
• In a bowl, combine 1 part of essential lemon oil (cold-press extract from the lemon peel) and 2 parts honey in Lukewarm water. Soak a linen towel, squeeze in the additional solution, and place the towel in a corporal region affected by Eczema for 15 minutes at a time, thrice daily with this remedy. This is effective for Eczema treatment.
• For Acne treatment, add One portion of lemon juice plus lemon peel to a portion of rose or melon water and place on skin regions with acne. The solution should be left for half an hour on the skin and washed with water. This is a twice-weekly operation. Fresh citrus juice should be applied directly with a cotton ball or swab and left overnight in the impacted zones.

6. Aromatherapy Lemon Peel Benefits

Lemons have a wide range of health benefits, including treating depression. In addition, lemon ingestion or inhalation of the scent (aromatherapy) has been found to reduce tension and anxiety, nervousness, exhaustion, swelling, and tiredness.

A study conducted by the University of Ohio showed that concentrations of the sensational chemical norepinephrine transmitter were boosted when the fragrance from lemon peel was inhaled, demonstrating a mental and physical effect on the brain.

7. Lemon Peel Home Benefits: Cleaning & Disinfecting

Lemon and its peel offer a number of benefits when it comes to cleaning. Hence, lemon peel can also be used as a natural cleaner. First, the natural antibacterial properties in lemons help tame germs that cause illness-bacteria such as E Coli and Cholera.

Many people don’t realize that these same antimicrobial qualities also work great for disinfecting surfaces around your home. Also, lemon peel contains citric acid, a good degreaser and disinfectant.

Combine lemon juice with baking soda to make an all-purpose kitchen cleaner, or use lemon oil on wood furniture to clean and polish it. Finally, you can add a few drops of lemon essential oil to your laundry detergent for extra freshness!

For example, you can use lemon peels on kitchen countertops or bathroom counters to kill 99% of all household germs! Plus, most homes have some grease stain somewhere, which can be easily removed with just one cut-up lemon sprayed down before being wiped clean with warm water.

Finally, many dishwashers will not get rid of tough stains, so if this is the case, you can make a lemon-based solution to soak your next load in before washing. This will quickly help remove tough stains like tea or coffee!

Incorporating Lemon Peel into your Diet

Now that we know all the great things lemon peel can do, it’s time to add it to our diets! It’s easy enough to grate a little bit of rind onto whatever we’re eating or drinking. But if you’re feeling adventurous, try making one of the recipes below.

Either way, lemon peel is a nutritious, versatile, and affordable addition to your diet to improve overall health!

Some Common Lemon Peel Recipes

There are many ways to enjoy the benefits of lemon peel. You can add lemon zest to recipes or tea for flavor and nutrition without adding sugar or calories.

(we do not own authority over the recipes mentioned here, and links to sources have been included to give credits)

1. Candied Lemon Peel

Ingredients:

• 3 lemons
• 10 cups cold water, or as needed
• 1-1/2 cups *brown sugar, or as required (brown sugar is healthier than white sugar. A sweetener could be used in place of sugar)

Directions

• Prep, 10 minutes
• Cook, 1 hour
• Ready in 1h 45m
• Cut lemons into ¼-inch thick slices, remove fruit pulp and cut the peel rings in half to create bite-sized strips.
• Bring cold water and lemon peel to a boil in a small pan, drain the water, and repeat 2 more times with fresh cold water. Drain and set peels aside.
• Combine 2 cups fresh water with 2 cups sugar, and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in peels: simmer until the white pith is translucent.
• To keep peels soft, store them with the sugar syrup and refrigerate them. To dry the peels, drain syrup, allow candied peels to dry for 15mins, then toss with additional sugar and store airtight at room temperature.
• Transfer peels to a cooling rack; after an hour, fill a medium bowl with sugar and toss in the peels until sugar-coated. Allow coated peels to dry for like an hour.
• Store your candied lemon peels inside the refrigerator in an airtight container.

2. Lemon Peel Powder

Directions

• Prepare the lemon peels by peeling or using a grater to take off the peels from the lemon fruit.
• Dehydrate the lemon peels using a food dehydrator until completely dry to prolong their shelf life.
• Alternatively, you can oven-dry the lemon peels if you don’t have a dehydrator.
• Grind the lemon peels into powder using a blender or food processor.
• Store, Use, and enjoy your lemon peel powder!

1. It can be used in your salad dressings, dips like guacamole and salsa, fish or meat seasoning, a plain yogurt with granola, nuts, and seeds.
2. Lemon peel can also be juiced with the fruit or used in smoothies.
3. Simmer lemon peel in water to make tea for an all-purpose healing remedy. Add honey for sweetness and drink warm or cold.
4. Lemon zest can be used to flavor foods or drinks. Just use it the same way you would grate fresh lemon rind. For example, some people like to add citrus flavors by sprinkling lemon juice onto mild fish before cooking, adding a teaspoon of lemon extract into cake batter instead of vanilla extract, stirring lemon zest into tea or coffee, etc.
5. Lemon zest or grated rind goes well in many different recipes such as bread, cakes, cookies, pesto sauce, salad dressings…the list goes on!

The possibilities are endless when you have lemons around because their essence adds something special to almost every recipe imaginable. So go ahead and start using lemon peel in your everyday cooking for some added health benefits!

Final Thoughts on Lemon Peel Benefits

Researchers have discovered numerous health benefits of lemon peel, so don’t be afraid to give it a try the next time you’re cooking or cleaning! Remember that moderation is key, just like any other food; too much lemon peel can have adverse effects.

But overall, Lemon peels are a great source of fiber and vitamin C, so eating them will significantly improve your well-being and your lifestyle. Additionally, lemon peel can help improve your complexion and reduce inflammation. So next time you’re juicing lemons, don’t forget to save the peels!

Sources

• Shafiya R, et al. (2018). Citrus peel as a source of functional ingredient: A review
• Lemon Peels Research Paper on IPL
• Sheila J, et al. (2017). Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Lemon (Citrus limonum lemon) Peel.
• Shafeeqa I, et al. (2019). Lemon Peel: A Natural Medicine
• Med Journal Islam Repub Iran (2016). The effect of Citrus Aurantifolia (Lemon) peels on cardiometabolic risk factors and markers of endothelial function in adolescents with excess weight.
• Tamara Q, et al. (2018). Lemon as a source of functional and medicinal ingredient: A review