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The health benefits of lemons and lemon juice are pretty well known. But if you’re like the majority of people, you are probably squeezing out the lemon juice and tossing the left over lemon peel in the trash! I used to do that too!
But wait, wait, wait, that lemon peel contains even more nutrients, vitamins, and health benefits than the lemon juice.
Nutrients and Health Benefits in Lemon Peels
Lemon peels contain about 5 to 10 times more vitamins than lemon juice! Yep, that’s what you’ve been wasting!
They are also an excellent source of fiber, potassium, magnesium, calcium, folate, and beta carotene. Lemon peels improve bone health too! Since they contain high amounts of calcium and vitamin C, lemon peels have been shown to aid preventing osteoporosis, inflammatory polyarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Don’t forget all the fiber you will get from lemon peels! 3.5 oz of lemon peels contains 10.6 grams of fiber.
Reduce Oxidative Stress
We all want to reduce our levels of oxidative stress. Lemon peels contain citrus bioflavonoids which are very powerful at reducing your levels of oxidative stress . This portion of the lemon also aid in eradicating toxic elements in the body and removing carcinogenic elements.
Help Fight Cancer
Lemons have been used to prevent and treat cancer. Lemons are anti-microbrial and ward off against bacterial infections and fungi.
When lemon peels are consumed, they have been shown to prevent various types of cancers, including skin cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer.
A study found that the consumption of lemon peels in tea was beneficial in preventing the development of cancer cells.
Lemons are also very alkalizing! Cancer thrives in an acidic body, by making your body alkaline this will prevent cancer. Take advantage of the whole lemon and don’t just juice and toss!
Lemon peels contain salvestrol Q40 and limonene, which have been shown to prevent and treat cancer. These components fight against present cancerous cells in the body.
How to Eat a Lemon Peel
There are a couple different ways you can prepare your lemon peels.
- Place your lemons in the freezer for a couple of hours. Then take them out and grate them. You can sprinkle the grated lemon peel on your meals or in your drinks.
- Grate the outside of your lemon (without freezing). Sprinkle the lemon peel pieces on your meals or in your drinks.
- Or you could just bite right into one.
Grated lemon peels make a great addition to salads and teas! They add amazing flavor to any meal!
Do you usually throw out the lemon peel?
Sources: http://www.naturalnews.com/033649_citrus_bioflavonoids_oxidative_stress.html
Another way to get citrus peel is in dried form at Asian supermarkets or
Chinese herb shops. I put some when I make oolong tea with cinnamon, cloves, a little lemon or lime juice, sweetened with raw honey and I also add dried goji berries on my tea cup, they get soft and juicy in 3-4 minutes. That’s probably the healthiest tea you can have. Enjoy!
That tea recipe sounds great!
If the lemons I have are not organic, I wash the peel very thoroughly before using it, but I”m fortunate this time to have received a big heap of organically grown lemons from a friend’s lemon tree and I’m saving all the lemon peels for later use.
How do you guys store your fresh (always organic), whole lemons? I keep mine at room temperature, but they quickly get spots all over them. What do you do with the ones that start forming dark spots on them? I scrub them under hot running water, and then use the juice and zest from one lemon to make my daily (morning) lemon water with 10 to 12 drops of Stevia. I only add the zest if the lemon is mostly dark spot free. However, I hate not being able to get zest because of the spots?
Sometimes I put them in the fridge to make them last longer
The uses for these fruits are endless in the food and drink department. Use peels to clean counter tops and sink stains and your kitchen will have a lemony-fresh scent.
Do you lose these health benefits if they’re cooked? Just tried a new recipe last night for lemon pork chops in the crockpot and it called for me to quarter the lemon, squeeze the juice in and then throw the quartered squeezed pieces in peel and all. Hubby and I weren’t even sure you can eat lemon peel. I tried a bite and then wondered if it was safe to eat. Thanks for this informative article, now I know it’s safe and good to eat lemon peel. But I know lots of foods have vitamins that break down in cooking. Is that the case here?
The peels retain most of their nutrients when raw; however, it is still retains benefits when cooked.
The peels retain most of their nutrients when raw; however, it still retains some benefits when cooked.
This morning I washed 4 lemons and 1 banana with water, then put them into the blender, peel and all, to make a beautiful yellow juice/pulp drink after adding an equal amount of cold water. I was sipping and enjoying it when I suddenly remember that lemons have wax on them. Mine are Sunkist lemons.
Is it safe to consume 4 lemons’ worth of wax, or shall I throw the drink out?
You could use a fruit rinse, I fill a glass bowl with vinegar and water and let the fruit sit for a 10 minutes.
For cleansing, I use 1 to 12 lemons a day. Start with 1 and add one more every day until you get to twelve lemons. Then go down to 1 lemon a day. 1-2-3-…-11-12-11-…-3-2-1 = 23 days. Hope you now what I mean. I use the whole lemon, peel and juice and all (just seeds out). I cut it in small pieces and blend it with 1-2 cups of water. Drink immediately. If the taste is too strong for you, you can add a bit of honey.
I do that cleansing 3-4 times a year. It’s fantastic for liver, bowels (lots of fibre) and there’s this beautiful glow effect on my skin. This is an old remedy that my grandma used. She called that “beauty treatment” and she had smooth healthy skin even in her 80s. She never had a flu or cold and lived healthy positive life till her mid-90s.
I also noticed that my nails don’t break after that treatment. Must be vitamin C. Highly recommended.
Love your site, will be back (I’m at work now so can’t log into FB ;-)))
Thanks Marta!
why are you removing the seeds?
Good! How much lemon peels you can eat every day? Can I eat 5 lemons or 10 lemons every day?
I use about 1 lemon per day, trying to use it in moderation.
Hi!
I can’t get the organic lemon, so once I purchase the bunch of lemon, I will soak in a rock salt water to dilute the pesticide and impurities. Will it help?
I just did a post on making lavender lemonade and what to do with the peels after squeezing the juice. I referred back to your site for information on the benefits of lemon peel. Thanks for the great post! I love when I can find others that have done their homework and save me some time :).
Thanks Annie!
Today I started eating Lemon peels because I just liked the flavor of peel placed on the kitchen platform. Then I started looking for uses of eating raw peels of Lemon. Then I came to know the wonders of lemon peels.
They add great flavor and have so many benefits!
One cautionary note on using lemon (or any citrus) peel. Lemons (and other citrus fruit) are coated with wax. Organic citrus is coated with a natural wax, such as beeswax. Conventionally grown citrus is coated with a petroleum or water-based wax that contains a fungicide. Ever since I learned this fact (in oranges) several months ago, I have been more cautious about using citrus peel. One recommendation I saw in a canning book was to dunk the citrus in boiling water and then scrub it to remove both the wax and (if conventional) the fungicide. If you can get unwaxed and organic citrus from a source near you, that would definitely be the way to go.
I make perserved lemons all the time. they last forever in a big jar.. the whole lemon is cut but not separated and stuffed with kosher salt then stuffed in a big jar and then filled with lemon juice.. sits on the counter for a few days and then I throw it in the fridge and let them sit for a month or so.. then they are ready to enjoy. you pull a lemon out and wash off the salt and throw the insides out and just use the outside of the lemon.. great in all kinds of dishes and nice and soft and easy to eat.
suggestion: make the juice with the whole lemons, or make a super juice just with the peels (it will be far from sweet though) 😉 but u get used to the taste its worth it for the health!
Yummy!
You can also throw them in a Shaker Lemon Pie (though idealy you use the whole lemon). I like America’s Test Kitchen recipe:
http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/detail/12717
You can always make it healthier substituting raw honey for the sugar, and so forth.
The best lemon pie Ever!!!
Can you tell me how to dry them please?
I think they may have been referring to dehydrating them?
I used to throw them away but read an article on making lemon extract. Does extracting them pull all of the benefits or should I find a way to consume the solids? Great post, btw!
Thanks Jim! I have also read great health benefits of using lemon extract, especially in the area of cancer prevention. What are you using to extract, vinegar?
No, actually I am just experimenting and this is my first run at it. I began extracting vanilla from beans a while ago and instead of using vodka, like just about everyone suggests, I used my home made brew. I freeze distill apple jack from apple wine I ferment from apples from my trees.
The vanilla extract is awesome! So, I decided to try and do the same with lemon peels.
Awesome idea!
Buy organic for this purpose, regular ones are loaded with pesticides.
Is freezing the grated peel the only way to store it? If I grated a bunch at a time and kept it in the fridge in a mason jar (for daily use), how long before it expires? Thanks!
Hi Colleen, you can store them in your fridge, I usually keep mine for a few days. For the grated lemon, it is best to use it fresh, but should be good for a few days, not over a week though.
Wonderful! Thank you! =)
You can grow a dwarf lemon tree in a large pot on your patio if you don’t have room in your yard or no yard at all! They look and smell wonderful, are super easy, and produce so much fruit that you will be giving some away. Use soap or oil sprays if you get any pests (rare), then you will know there are no chemicals on your peel. You will have to bring inside for frosts however, but they will thrive in a sunny window. Besides fresh I use dehydrated slices (circles) and either throw in soups whole or pulverized, and also enjoy salting whole Moroccan style- YUM!
Is there a specific name I should look for to buy for a lemon tree. I live in upstate NY, so we get very cold, indoors, even by a south facing window gets cold.. any suggestions, or is this just not an option for me? Any help is greatly appreciated! I LOVE lemons, as do all my children, in fact my 3 year old eats them like apples, while we all watch in amazement!! LOL!
I love lemon water but have been throwing away after getting the juice out. Can you grate the lemon and freeze it for later use? If so, what is the best way to freeze?
I use to do that too! I would have a glass of lemon water every morning and not realize the amazing benefits in the peels I was throwing out. You can grate them and use them right away, or you could freeze the lemon and just take it out and grate as much as you need and put the lemon back in the freezer when done.
I buy big bags of lemons, wash them in warm vinegar water, dry them well and put them in freezer bags…this way we always have lemons for baking, juicing, or for detox drinks…we are never with out lemons and never have to throw them out…
I so agree with you on everything you wrote! We use Lemon essential oil from Young Living. We LOVE the taste of it in water or in cooking. Plus it’s great at boosting mood, cleaning and detoxifying your body/leveling out your pH as well. It removes petrochemicals from your body too. If you put a drop in plastic you will see that it literally eats away at the plastic or styrofoam…and that’s what it does inside our bodies. Amazing stuff!
That’s awesome! Aren’t lemons great?! So many health benefits!
I am a Lemon Freak….. I get agitated if there is no lemons in my house. Thanks for a brilliant add.
Haha me too! I always use one a day.
I know these comments are from AGES ago, but this was exactly what I wanted to ask about! I was interested in getting the Lemon extract from Young Living, and it turns out it’s Lemon rind extract. I’m wondering if it has the same nutritional value as Lemon juice? I love to drink warm water with lemon daily but thought this might be more resourceful. Only, I don’t want to lose the benefits. What do you think??
Try making this lemon slurry using a whole, washed lemon.
Cut a whole lemon into 4 pieces. Put n Nutribullet or pulverizing blender. Add 4 cups of .water. Also, optional, 2 teaspoons or more olive oil. I usually add 1 tablespoon. The taste is not noticeable.
Pulverize for about 1 minute. STRAIN WITH A MESH STRAINER, throw out mush.
I add stevia to sweeten.
I drink this cold, like lemonade, or add a lot to hot green tea.
Don’t let it sit on your teeth. Brush or rinse with water often
I heard that you NEVER want to add any kind of sweetener to the whole lemon because it makes it toxic instead of beneficial.
Hi Rita
I’ve been googling lemon rind extract after reading a study that it lowers cortisol and your question lead me to this page! As well as taking on these ideas I’ll be getting the above also.
Thanks!
Isn’t it a coincidence that when I enter Young Living and your name, that I get a fist full of other promotions you’ve done for a product you sell.
Doesn’t mean it isn’t a good product, but full disclosure would dictate that you mention that.
Lovely reminder. I love lemons and am absolutely a fan of getting everything you can out of every ingredient. Reading the post made me crave some lemon water. Think my body’s trying to tell me something? 😉 Thanks for sharing!
I have used strips of lemon, orange and tangerine peel in teas and other drinks.. Grated, minced peel can be used for yummy deserts.. I sprinkle different herbs on most of what I eat.. You can chop them fresh or sprinkle them dry from a shaker..
I blend a whole meyer lemon in the Vitamix with a quart of water and 2 TBSP of olive oil every morning. It’s a great liver cleanser and really tasty!
That’s a fantastic liver cleanser! I use to do that every night, will have to start doing it again!
….combining fresh citrus with an oil also cleanses your gall bladder. We generally add some CLO.
Do you have more sources than just the one? In that, he mentions that once they are peeled, they immediately start to lose their anti-oxidant properties. I was thinking of drying, powdering and capsuling them, but maybe pickled rinds are the way to go. Or maybe neither of those methods would retain the nutrients.
I’d also love to see links to studies for all those claims (I’ve found the one for the tea). Please!
Just remember to thoroughly clean the peel with vinegar before consuming. Lemons are sprayed with pesticides and coated to prevent spoiling.
Thanks for the good tips Brittany! To avoid the pesticides buy organic if possible.
But remember, even organic citrus is coated with wax, so you need to dip in hot water and/or scrub as suggested to get the wax coating off.
What is organic citrus?
Agreed! Unless you grow them yourself, you absolutely must take the yellow part off. I just cut it off, leaving the white pith and juice them in a juicer with some greens just about every morning. I sweeten with stevia and make my dh and kids drink it every morning and occasionally add collagen hydrolysate. Dh and I are fighting leaky gut so we add l-glutamine, s boulardii , CLO, and then to make taking supplements easier, also add liquid Vit E sometimes MSM to ours…..It’s not bad! One thiing I don’t always do though, is rinse with water to get the acid off your teeth….I often forget. Sigh.
Although, it is edible wax. Wash yea, not sure scrubbing makes much difference.
I just eat sliced lemons, peel and all! : )
I also like the pickled whole lemons sold by Ziyad. They’re yummy!
Good to know all this stuff is good for me, too.
yeah i also use it in my bone broths.
That’s a great idea to add it to bone broth! I’ll have to try that, it must add great flavor.
Hi! Does it make your bone broth bitter using the lemon peels in it?
Lan, if it makes anything bitter, add a drop of honey.. Honey scores high in nutrients it’s antibacterral.. I love the idea of drying ‘everything’ especially for teas and soups.. (Try tangerine in place of orange..) I’ve always dried peels for teas but never tried them powdered..
I use an onyx morter and pestle to powder my herbs.. I do so much now that I need something bigger.. I’ve already gone from a 4 in tall x3in opening to 4 1/2 inch high with a 3 1/2 inch opening.. Does anyone have suggestions for what I can to go to next.?
PI dry my lemons and then grind them in a coffee grinder.
Hi Lan, it hasn’t made my bone broth bitter, whenever I add it to broth or to a cup of tea, it adds a great flavor and I like the taste even better.
What is bone broth?
hi, i take dried lemons and powder them. i always have it ready .
how do you powder them
i crush them and them put them in a coffee grinder!!!!!
Hey hey–great post.
I shared it on my FB page, and one my readers asks, “What about toxins…? If they’re not organic?”
The easiest answer would be, “Get organic,” but if they aren’t available, is it worth it, with conventional lemons?
Hi Vanessa! Thanks for stopping by! That’s a great question and a tough one, I would definitely say if at all possible use organic! Data has shown that the pesticide load tends to be more concentrated on the flesh of the fruit. However, luckily, lemons aren’t considered to have the highest pesticide load/be in the “dirty dozen”. If you’re going to use non-organic lemons make sure to wash them well and use a natural bristle brush to lightly scrub the surface, to help remove pesticide residue. I would still use a non-organic lemon peel if there were no other options, but would focus more on juicing it.
What is the dirty dozen
The dirty dozen is a list of 12 foods that have the highest levels of pesticides.
Dirty dozens are 12 chemical compounds(like aldrin,dialdrin, ddt, mirex etc) which are components of some pesticides..they are hazardous..and found in many other thing..thy are toxic..ths 12 cmpounds are called dirty dozens..if they are in pesticides of veg thn thy get incorporated in our food too..
The phrase “Dirty Dozen” applies to an annual evaluation done by the Environmental Working Group from which they determine which are the twelve worst fruits or vegetables you can buy for chemical contamination.
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/
WHAT are the dirty dozen??
It’s a list of fruits and vegetables with the highest amount of pesticides.
Dirty dozen is highest pesticide containing food
This is great.
How much lemon I can eat every day? Can I eat 5 lemons or 10 lemons every day?
How much is to much?
I use about 1 lemon per day, trying to use it in moderation.
do you use organic?
I almost always use organic, but sometimes I have trouble finding it locally.
I am on day 2 of 30 to eat a whole lemon each day peel and all. I have a vitamixer..so I quarter then lemon, remove the seeds, toss in a gala apple cored, 1/4tsp stevia powder, 32 Oz water and ice. I start about 3 and sip on it the rest of the day. I’m keeping a daily log on how I feel each day.
I’m not trying to lose weight as I only weigh 125 when I started but I was 122 this morning. I’m eating regular meals, trying to stay on the alkaline side.
Interesting! Keep us updated 🙂
I normally boil 3-4 lemon peels and drink the water when luck warm.
Is it OK?
Any Side Effects?
Is it true it reduces the weight of a person?
I am 24 year young unmarried female (Info – in case it is related to gender)
Appreciate your advice/reply.
Thanks
Sounds great! I like to use them fresh peeled too, because boiling them can remove some of the nutrients.
If you’re not talking organic, you’d want to read this government document. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/citrus/downloads/sweet_orange/CitrusPackingHouseProcedures-v8.pdf
Non organic citrus generally contains a number of products used to maintain freshness in transport… such as “Imazalil – fungicide, Thiabendazole – fungicide and parasiticide, and Sodium O’Phenylphenate (aka Orthophenylphenate) – disinfectant” (taken from http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2013/03/22/lemon-wedge-in-my-water-not-anymore/).
But isn’t it that they aren’t in the dirty dozen because we only eat the inside and the pesticides aren’t as likely to affect the insides? I have always heard that you should use organic for zesting because of that.
Great point, the peel typically has the highest concentration of pesticides.
Lori, here you state “the peel typically has the highest concentration of pesticides.”
Yet, several responses above this comment you stated, “Data has shown that the pesticide load tends to be more concentrated on the flesh of the fruit”.
So, where are the pesticides located– the peel or the flesh of the fruit?
Most say the highest concentration is located on the peel. Sorry for the confusion.
Can I get the same benefits eating a lemon peel without freezing it?
Yes! You’d get even more from a fresh unfrozen one.
Hi, hope you are having a nice day (I’ll pray for you after this). You answered my question because I was wondering if there were any benefits to my bitter water (from the rind mingling too long in my water). I don’t particularly like the taste but health is not for taste just like spiritual growth is not only comfort. If you need any specific prayers you can just email me. This commenting thing is very annoying and os giving me all sorts of issues.
Hello there. I love lemon peel. I eat peel of 2 squeezed lemons everyday..I use the lemon juice through out the day for drink n salad. Is it still harmful for the teeth to just eat the lemon peel without the juice.
Thank you kindly.
Organic lemons have either candola oil or wood resin on the skins. They are very tacky. How can this be good to digest? I cannot find anything that will remove the stickness….
My mom grows organic lemons and their sticky right off the tree!- it’s the natural oil on the rind on her lemons that makes it sticky. I can’t wash it off for the life of me. But wherever it’s dirty I use a veggie brush and the dirt comes off easy bc it emulsified in the oil.
If the lemons are from the EU, many of the dirty dozen are banned so less of a problem