Lemon peels are healthy. You don’t have to throw them away. You can dry them and use them later as a cheap supplement. Lemon peels don’t just have nutritional value; they even have medicinal powers. Scientific research shows that lemon peel may be a good medicine for prostate cancer. It can also be a solution for obesity. In addition, the symptoms of diabetes mellitus type 2 are relieved with lemon peel oil. NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.
Contents:
- Dry lemon peels yourself
- Making lemonade while you’re at it
- Fruit flies cannot tolerate lemon peel
- Lemon peel against cancer
- Lemon peels lower cholesterol
- Lemon peel against obesity and insulin resistance
- Lemon peel extract accelerates wound healing
- Lemon peel oil promotes the breakdown of fats
Dry lemon peels yourself
You can dry lemon peels. Only use organic lemon peels to ensure there are no pesticides on them. Before drying, you must wash the peels thoroughly. First let them soak in salt water for half an hour. Then rinse them under the running tap. You can then dry them.
Making lemonade while you’re at it
You can peel the fruits, but it is more convenient to squeeze the lemon juice. You can mix this lemon juice with water and sugar. In South American countries this is called a lemonade and can be purchased in any restaurant. Instead of sugar you can drink it without sugar, with stevia or with honey. If they are cut into small pieces they dry faster. After drying, you can powder them in a coffee grinder, food processor or blender. You can then take this powder as an extract. You can also use them as a seasoning in ice cream, a smoothie, or as an instant powder for a refreshing drink.
Fruit flies cannot tolerate lemon peel
Argentinian research from 2002 shows that lemon peels are toxic to fruit flies, but that lemon juice is not toxic to these creatures. Peels contain substances that keep insects at bay. These same substances in peels are not poisonous to humans but can contribute to the prevention and cure of diseases. In other words, humans can use the substances in lemon peels that are used to protect the lemon from external hazards to obtain health benefits.
Lemon peel against cancer
Research from 2000 shows that taking lemon peel appears to be good against cancer. The study was conducted on humans, but on too small a number of people to draw definitive conclusions. In 2013, Taiwanese researchers conducted specific research into the effect of lemon peel on prostate cancer. The scientists conclude that lemon peel is a new and very effective treatment method against prostate cancer. The research was done by injecting human prostate cancer cells into mice. With these types of studies, the rule always applies that it is ethically irresponsible to conduct scientific research on people, with the reasoning that the scientists are withholding chemotherapy and radiation therapy from the patients.
Lemon peels lower cholesterol
Lemon peels contain a lot of pectin. Dutch researchers from the University of Utrecht completed a study into the anti-cancer effect of pectin in 2002. The effect was compared with consumption of lemon peels and the waste water from lemon peels from which pectin had been extracted. If these substances have a cholesterol-lowering effect; the liver stores less cholesterol if one of these products was given to mice. The researchers conclude that pectin, lemon peel and the waste water from lemon peels have a cholesterol-lowering effect and that this is due to pectin and other substances in lemon peel.
Lemon peel against obesity and insulin resistance
You may already know that lemon is a scientifically proven remedy that helps with weight loss. Research from 2008 shows that substances from the peels of lemons also have a positive effect. A study was done on mice in Japan. The mice were divided into three groups: one group was given a diet low in fats, another group was given a diet high in fats and a third group was given a diet high in fats but with 0.5% lemon peel extract added. It turns out that the mice gain much less weight if their diet includes lemon peel extract. In addition, it was observed that insulin resistance was reduced when lemon peel extract was taken. It also turned out that the fat is better digested in combination with lemon peel. According to the Japanese researchers, it can be concluded that lemon peel extract improves fat metabolism, reduces insulin resistance and reduces the risk of obesity. The researchers think that in our current diet, in which we eat a lot of oils, lemon peel supplementation could offer a solution.
Lemon peel extract accelerates wound healing
Research from Saudi Arabia shows that supplementation with lemon peel extract accelerates the healing of a wound in diabetes patients. Diabetics suffer from wounds that heal less quickly. Because blood sugar levels drop after taking lemon peel extract, a wound can be repaired faster, the researchers saw. The lemon peel extract was taken orally. The scientific research was conducted on rats that had been given diabetes and a wound. The rats were given 400mg/kg lemon peels for 12 days.
Lemon peel oil promotes the breakdown of fats
Lipolysis is the process in the digestive system that ensures the breakdown of fats. South Korean research from 2006 shows that lemon peel essential oil promotes lipolysis. This mechanism is partly responsible for the fact that lemon peels are good against obesity. Lipolysis is initiated by the activation of hormones. The study showed that substances in lemon peel work better than the ketones from raspberries, of which all kinds of supplements are available to promote the cure of obesity.
