Most people say ‘When life gives you lemons – make lemonade’. In this post, we’ll tell you why we prefer to say ‘When life gives you lemons – freeze them’!
Lemons are probably the most versatile and popular type of citrus fruit.
There is an incredible amount of hype around this fruit, while a lot of these claims are true and substantiated some are exaggerated.
We will discuss the history, nutrition level, and health benefits of consuming lemons, we will also tell you why freezing them is a hack that will make it easier for you to harness all the benefits at once!
Lemons are consumed in many different ways. People have found uses for all parts of this fruit – the juice, the flesh, and even the peel.
Some people drink lemon juice and consume the peel while others apply the pulp externally for various benefits.
Freezing lemons, however, is a trick that can help you easily capture all of their benefits. You’ll see why.
A Brief History of Lemons
Lemons, known scientifically as Citrus Limon, originated around the border regions of present-day North-Eastern India, Myanmar, and China.
They spread to Europe through Arab traders and European crusaders, and were brought to the Americas by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the new world! There are two main types of sour lemons: the Eureka and the Lisbon.
Lemons are an source of vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and folate. (1)
The juice, the flesh, and the peel of lemons are rich in vitamins and minerals. The flesh and peel are higher in fiber and contain unique antioxidants like d-limonene.
4 Health Benefits of Lemons
Lemons offer a wide range of benefits, here are just some of them:
- They can freshen your breath (2)
- The vitamin C from lemons supports your immune system (2)
- They add a splash of low calorie flavor to your water. This may indirectly help to promote hydration (2)
- The citric acid in lemons can help prevent kidney stones by increasing the volume of urine and the urine pH level (3)
There is also a lot of hype around lemons. Check out this article that busts some common lemon myths.
Why You Should Consider Eating Whole Frozen Lemons
Freezing lemons can make it easier to consume the entire fruit (and more of its nutrients)!
As we know the peel is extremely rich in nutrients and is edible.
Once the peel has been grated and frozen its ready to eat in a crunchy and cold state.
Frozen lemons will also hold the juice in place with the flesh and therefore are less messy to eat.
How to Freeze Lemons Properly
Before freezing your lemons it is recommended to thoroughly washing them beforehand. Here are directions on the freezing process.
- Wash lemons thoroughly
- Remove the ends of the fruit to avoid ingesting the stem when they are consumed.
- Rinse and properly dry your fruits before putting them in the freezer.
- Freeze the lemons overnight, you can do this by placing them in zip lock bags or by themselves in the freezer.
- The next morning once they are fully frozen take them out and grate them in their entirety, the peel, the pulp, and the seeds included.
- At this point, you can consume some of it right away and keep the rest in an ice cube tray back in the freezer and save it for future use.
You can add some to your smoothies and protein shakes, or sprinkle some on top of our meals for flavor!
Keep in mind however that if you are keen on following a low oxalate diet then you should peel the lemon and discard the peel before freezing them, as the peels are high in oxalates. (4)
Lemon seeds offer a range of benefits too but if you dislike the taste or have an aversion to them you can purchase the seedless varieties of lemons.
When life gives you lemons…
Enjoy them – because you’ve been blessed!
You don’t necessarily have to freeze them to enjoy their benefits, you can enjoy them in any way that you like!
Freezing them will just make it super easy to take advantage of the health benefits of the fruit and its peel!
Sources
- “Lemons: Health Benefits & Nutrition Facts.” Live Science. Jessie Szalay. April 23, 2018.
- “7 Ways Your Body Benefits from Lemon Water.” Healthline. Annette McDermott. May 11, 2019
- “6 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Lemons.” Healthline. Helen West, RD. January 7, 2019
- “High, Medium & Low Oxalate Content of Foods” The Kidney COP. No Date.