The Benefits of Eating the Lemon Peel + How-to!

Lemons are an absolute staple in my diet. I use them in everything- I have warm lemon & apple cider vinegar water in the morning, I put some lemon in my water throughout the day, and I use lemon in almost all of my salads (which I eat once or twice a day). Lemon juice is super high in Vitamin C, which is great for our immune system & warding off illnesses, and certain phytochemicals (naringenin, hesperidin, and polymethoxylated flavones specifically), which are great for protecting our precious cells from inflammation and oxidation, which can lead to diseases such as cancer and Type 2 Diabetes. But did you know that the lemon peel has almost twice as much vitamin C and phytochemicals as it’s juice?! The peel is also a richer source of Vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, and various minerals than the pulp.

Most of us don’t think about eating the peel of the lemon or other citrus fruits, but if we want to start getting the most nutritional benefit out of these fruits, we need to start doing so! If you want to start incorporating the lemon peel into your diet in order to protect you against diseases such as cancer, Type 2 Diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, here are some of my top tips:

  1. Make a healthy lemonade using water, lemon juice, some agave or stevia, and some grated lemon peel. Blend the peel with the rest of the ingredients and you won’t even notice it!
  2. Thinly slice some fresh lemons and bake them in the oven with your favorite fish or chicken dish- baked lemon peels are so delicious and add so much flavor to any dish!
  3. Mix some greek yogurt with stevia or honey and top it with raspberries and some fresh grated lemon peel- tastes like dessert!
  4.  Grate some lemon peel onto your salads
  5. Add the peel of the lemon to your warm water with lemon juice in the mornings

These are just a few of my favorite tips- how do you like to incorporate the peel of the lemon into your diet?

xx

Rachel