The word from the nutritionist
The lemon: much more than a simple squeezable fruit
The lemon, symbol of the warmth and the Mediterranean sun, is much more than a squeezable fruit, in fact, its functions and benefits are so many to belive that they can be all contained in a single fruit.
In pharmacology the juice, that had been used since ancient ages when the vitamins weren’t known, is very appreciated as haemostatic and disinfectant, but also because helps lowering the glucose in the blood.
In aromatherapy it’s used for its refreshing, bactericide and antiseptic properties, but also because it is a tonic for the blood circulation and aids to lower the arterial pressure. The lemon is useful to eliminate warts, calluses and inflamed gums, to cure arthritis, rheumatism, varicose veins, head colds and flu.
In cosmetics it is considered a good astringent, cleaning and purifying product. The lemon juice can be used to lighten the blotches, as eye drops and for eye washing (1-2 drops dilute in a glass of pure water). It’s very good for the face (used with olive oil), for feet (rub them with lemon juice after a warm footbath), for the acne (put the juice of two lemons in one liter of water to daily cleanse), for the fat skin (put 1.5kg of lemon for 10 minutes in 2 liters of hot water and then add the mixture to the water of bathtub) and for the chilblain (rub them with pure juice).
Don’t forget the use the lemon in cuisine: the juice is a good substitute of vinegar to dress the salad and a precious ingredient for the preparation of meat and fish. It is also used to avoid the darkening of vegetables (artichokes, carrots) and fruits (apples, pears, bananas, avocado; for this reason the lemon is frequently added to the fruit salad. The cut or grated rind, very rich in aroma and perfume, is used for the preparation of different salt and sweet recipes. With the rind it is possible to produce the “Limoncello”, typical spirit of the provinces of Naples , Caserta and Ischia isle.
The lemon can be used as grandmother’s remedies in house cleaning. If you leave a piece of lemon during the preparation of the plat du jour, you can use it to wash the dishes; the lemon, in fact, is able to strengthen, or even to substitute, the de-greased power of the washing-up liquid (you can add it in the dish-washing machine). The lemon is very good also to remove the grease and to polish the sink and bathroom fittings.
Published 08 April 2016
