The benefits of lemon peel in medicine, everyday life and cosmetics. Grated lemon zest - what is it? What are the benefits of lemon peel for the body

Everyone knows that lemons are good for: Lemon and its medicinal properties. The use of lemon is very diverse - practically no one doubts this. But did you know that lemon zest is also an equally healthy product? There was an opinion that the zest is used only in cooking. However, this is far from the case. I want to offer you interesting ways to use lemon zest - let it serve the cause.

But first, let's figure out what this wonderful product is.

Zest (from cedro - citron) lemon (orange, tangerine) is a thin outer layer of the peel of a lemon (orange, tangerine), colored yellow (orange) and peeled from the white, loose layer underlying the peel. It contains glandular receptacles containing essential oils, have a pleasant smell characteristic of citrus.

How to get lemon zest?

Fresh lemon zest is easy to get yourself.

1. Firstly, those fruits that are sold in markets and supermarkets are processed with various substances- first with chemicals against pests, then with wax to make it shine. Therefore, rinse the lemons thoroughly so that they do not have any dirt on them (preferably with a brush - in warm water), and scald them with boiling water. This is necessary so that the zest is easily separated from the white layer located under the crust. If there are special marked stickers on the lemons, then remove them so that no traces remain.

2. Wipe the lemon dry and cut off the top of it.

How to store lemon zest?

Method 1. The grated zest of a lemon, orange or tangerine can be stored, so the zest can be prepared for the future. The zest, grated or cut into thin strips, is well dried, put in a glass or tin jar and tightly closed with a lid and stored in a dry place.

However, when using this method, the zest turns out to be of less quality, since when rubbing, the white loose subcortical layer is rubbed along with the zest, which should not be present in the finished powder. In addition, when rubbing, lemon juice and pulp can get in, in this case, when such zest is added to the dish, the bitter taste of lemon will be felt.

Method 2. Therefore, it is better to make lemon zest in a slightly different way. The peel is usually removed with a sharp knife in a spiral and then dried in a dry room on open surfaces covered with paper (to draw in excess moisture).
Dry all kinds of zest, spreading it in a thin layer on a flat plate on a white sheet of paper for 2-3 days at room temperature. A ventilated window sill or balcony is best suited for drying. Every day, the zest must be turned over so that drying occurs evenly. The zest is considered ready when it becomes brittle.

After drying, the zest is ground into powder (or pounded) and stored in this form. You can rub the dry zest with your hands or with a spoon.

Below are the most interesting ways to use lemon zest.

The use of zest for medicinal purposes

The zest contains useful essential oils, citric acid, vitamins C, A, B, R. Therefore, the use of zest contributes to the prevention and treatment of colds, and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Zest is a powerful antibacterial agent, it can be chewed during inflammatory processes in the throat and respiratory organs, especially with purulent tonsillitis.

Alchemy of love

Zest is a mild aphrodisiac. However, in combination with chocolate, honey, wine and spices such as cloves, cinnamon, ginger, mint, nutmeg, black pepper, the tonic properties of the zest are enhanced. So seasoning food and drinks with zest for love can and should be done without stint!

In food...

The peel bears the name of the fruit from which it is removed: lemon, orange, orange, grapefruit.

lemon zest used in the world's culinary most widely. It is put in a wide variety of dishes from meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruits, cereals, cottage cheese and mushrooms: salads, cold soups (okroshka, beetroot), classic soups (shchi, borscht, fish soup), main hot dishes and side dishes for them , as well as in aspic, jellies, casseroles, minced meats, gravies and sauces. Lemon zest, along with vanilla and cinnamon, is the number one spice for desserts and pastries: muffins, biscuits, Easter cakes, charlottes, mannas, sweet puddings, ice cream.

Orange and tangerine zest It is mainly used for flavoring confectionery, desserts and sweet sauces.

grapefruit peel used by gourmets in the same types of dishes as lemon peel, but gives them a more subtle, refined and strong flavor.

orange zest added to rice and cottage cheese dishes, sweet pastries, sauces for meat, minced meat for fish and poultry.

All types of peel are used in the preparation of marmalade, jam, jelly, compotes, mousses, jellies, non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks (rum, liqueurs, vodka, tinctures, etc.).

The zest will not add acidity (as it will if you add slices of fruit), but it will provide a subtle aroma.
All types of zest belong to weak, soft spices, so the zest can be used in larger doses compared to other spices. They use the zest to taste, focusing in terms not on grams, but on teaspoons, since the zest is a delicate spice that does not drown out the taste of food.
The measure of the norm should be taste - the appearance of a bitter aftertaste when crossing the border of the permissible volume.
Zest is added to hot dishes 3-5 minutes before cooking or after the end of the heat treatment and the dish is allowed to brew for several minutes under the lid.

Zest is introduced into all dishes in powdered ground form. Zest goes well with most spices, is part of the traditional oriental five spice seasoning, along with coriander, cinnamon, cumin and black pepper. When cooking baked meat, ground dry zest can replace salt.

I won't list recipes here that use lemon zest, but I'll give you some original ways to use it in food.

And in Europe of the 12th-16th centuries, the zest was included not only in collections of recipes, but also in dream books. Seasoning dishes with zest in a dream, according to the interpretation, portends selfless work for the benefit of others.
Based on materials from Kharovchane.rf, www.wmj.ru, www.shalafan.ru, pri-gotovim.ru

That, in fact, is all the tricks. You already knew all this, didn't you?

Recently, several people have asked me about this at once, so I am writing for everyone. With zest, in fact, there are no special tricks: the main thing is to learn how to work with it once, understand what's what, and no more mistakes will occur.

What is a zest? This is the outer layer, the "rind" of many citrus fruits, which contains essential oils. Which, of course, makes it very useful and indispensable in cooking and alcoholic beverage production. No food flavoring can compare with the aroma of properly stored zest: the flavoring will always have a harsh aftertaste, while the zest, very gently and unobtrusively, reveals the taste and aroma. This is especially noticeable in baking: once I was “lucky” to try a Chinese biscuit with the addition of flavoring ... a dubious pleasure, I tell you. Like chewing a sponge with orange soap.

The zest can be stored in two different ways. Let's imagine that a truck with citrus fruits turned over on your street, which urgently needs to be attached somewhere. It is best to harvest the zest when the orange (lemon, etc.) is fresh. When its peel is elastic, without black dots and other signs of illness. Over time, citrus fruits can dry out - then the peel also dries up, essential oils that we strive to get while preserving the zest leave it. Therefore, you must always take fresh fruit. Theoretically, of course, even with a dried lemon, you can try to remove the zest, but it will be of a slightly different quality.

We start by carefully washing the fetus. With a sponge, with soap, you can rinse with boiling water. What is it for? The peel of citrus fruits is very porous, and if the manufacturer applied wax or other “protective” products to the fruit for greater safety, you risk treating your body with them. Therefore, citrus fruits should always be washed thoroughly. Then it must be dried with a towel: it is slightly easier to remove the zest from a dry fruit than from a wet one.

But then we choose how we will store the zest: simply as a powder or in a container sprinkled with sugar. If you are going to use the zest immediately, finely grate it just before adding it to the dish. There are no secrets here.

One of the most common questions: how to make the zest not bitter? It's very simple: remove ONLY the zest, without touching the white layer, because it is he who gives this very bitterness. In general, if you pay attention, when using citrus fruits in cooking, cooks never touch the white partitions between the slices. For example, if you make a salad with an orange and a grapefruit, only the pulp must be added. This is especially true of grapefruit, where partitions are the most bitter. To do this, you need to use a good and very fine (!) Grater. It's funny, but it's true. The zest requires delicate handling: if the grater is large, we risk touching the white layer of the peel, if it is too small, the zest will turn into a heterogeneous mess that will lose some of the essential oils. I usually get this orange:

See, I only removed the top layer. The surface of the orange remained porous, like a sponge: after a while, it will dry out and harden. But now she is soft.
And here is the size I get the zest:

The grated zest is best transferred to a glass container and sprinkled with sugar. It will absorb the released essential oils and serve as an excellent preservative for the zest. In the future, we will simply close the container with a lid and will only take out the zest when we need to add it somewhere.

If you want to use the zest as a powder, it is better to remove it not with a grater, but with a vegetable peeler. We should get the thinnest strips of zest (remember the white layer), which we cut in random order. We will dry the zest naturally: it is better to put it on a sheet of baking paper, cover with a second sheet and leave for several days in a sunny, well-ventilated area. Once a day, the zest will need to be turned or stirred so that it dries evenly. As soon as it becomes fragile, then we have achieved our goal. Usually it takes 2-4 days. Dried zest can be stored like this, or it can be ground into powder using, for example, a coffee grinder, and added to dishes as desired.

The first storage option is closer to me, since I put the zest in pastries more than anywhere else. And zest with sugar is a great way out.

Another alternative to candied zest is candied fruits or specially prepared citrus peels, but about them - in a separate post, there are completely different rules and customs.

We are all familiar with such a citrus as a lemon. Its sour healthy pulp is a favorite addition to tea. But in our article we want to talk about the peel of a lemon, which few people pay special attention to, but in vain! Lemon peel is truly unique and versatile. It is used in cooking, cosmetology, everyday life. What is lemon peel, what benefits and harms does it bring to us?

Lemon zest features of preparation and storage

Lemon peel is the yellow layer of citrus peel that contains essential oils. How to make zest yourself? Very simple.
Few people know how to grate lemon zest correctly. After all, the peel consists of two constituent parts: the first is the yellow zest, the second is the white layer between the pulp and the yellow layer. So, the zest needs to be grated or cut off carefully with a knife, but without a white layer. Otherwise, she will be bitter.
Store, better dried, hidden in a resealable container made of glass or metal. The storage location must not contain moisture.
One option to save the zest is to freeze the lemon peels. If necessary, they can simply be taken out and grated. At the same time, useful properties remain intact.

Vitamins, minerals and nutritional value

There are only 47 kilocalories in 100 grams of lemon peel.
The nutritional value:
Proteins - 1.5 g.
Fats - 0.3 g.
Carbohydrates - 5.4 g.
The peel contains a lot of ascorbic acid. It has a fairly rich vitamin and mineral composition: beta-carotene, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, calcium, selenium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, iron, copper.

Can you eat lemon peel

The peel is a unique part of citrus, from which the benefits are great, and it will harm our health if we use it ineptly. Despite the many useful substances and a unique vitamin composition, fruits are treated with chemicals, wax compounds for long-term transportation and further storage so that they do not deteriorate. Fruit stuffed with pesticides, rubbed with wax for attractiveness and beauty, get on the shelves of shops. Such a product will not bring benefits. You can of course try to clean it. We take a brush, wash the citrus well under the tap. Then be sure to scald with boiling water. So we can probably kill the bacteria, however, chemicals tend to penetrate into the deeper layers of the peel, doctors do not advise eating the peel of lemons imported from distant countries. Also, they are plucked green, which also tells us about the small amount of nutrients that are produced in the sun. If you bought citrus fruits brought from distant countries, then it is better to eat their pulp, and just throw away the peel. After all, unfortunately, over the years, harmful components accumulate until they reach a critical concentration, causing great harm to our health.

But if lemons were grown by you or your friends with your own hands, then such a lemon peel can saturate the body with useful substances, which will be discussed in more detail below in the next paragraph.

Health Benefits of Lemon Peel

Thanks to the many vitamins and minerals, the beneficial properties of lemon peels are quite extensive:

1. Benefits for the digestive system. Lemon zest, thanks to a dietary substance, has a positive effect on the functioning of the intestines, removes toxins from the body, and fights constipation, gas, and colic. It can be taken for gastric disorders, spasms, vomiting, as well as decreased appetite, low production of gastric juice, indigestion. Citrus peel is able to eliminate putrefactive bacteria in the intestines, to improve the functioning of the digestive system.
2. Anticancer properties. Substances contained in the crusts prevent the formation of malignant cells. It has been proven that people who eat a lemon with a peel are less likely to suffer from oncological diseases of the skin, prostate, colon, lung cancer, and breast cancer.
3. Lemon peel has antibacterial properties, is a prophylactic against thrombosis, and also fights fungal infections.
4. Prevention of diseases of the oral cavity. The high calcium content and anti fungal action will help protect against bleeding gums, caries, gingivitis, periodontitis.
5. Useful for weight loss. Pectin slows down the absorption of carbohydrates. Zest saturates the body for a long time, suppresses the desire to eat sweets.
6. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Normalizes blood flow, prevents the development of thrombosis, increases the elasticity of blood vessels.
7. The composition of the lemon peel contains many antioxidants that remove toxins from the body and fight premature skin aging.
8. Benefits for strengthening bones. The high content of calcium, together with ascorbic acid, will help strengthen bones, and by using the product constantly, the risk of osteoporosis, arthritis, and rheumatism is reduced.
9. Strengthens immunity. There is more ascorbic acid in the composition of citrus peels than in the fruit itself. Excellent prevention of colds and viral diseases.
10. Effectively cleanses the liver, reduces the risk of ear infections. Therefore, it is quite actively used for medicinal purposes.

Lemon peel in cosmetics

In cosmetology, the use of lemon peel has gained recognition due to its antioxidant and whitening effect.
If you wipe your face with a piece of yellow peel, then in a couple of weeks your skin will look much fresher. With regular use, you can get rid of acne, pimples, even out complexion, rejuvenate and moisturize the skin, which is so important for women.
You can get rid of acne by mixing lemon peel, sugar and cucumber juice. Apply to face, wait a quarter of an hour, then remove with water, massaging the skin.
To eliminate an age pigment spot, you can apply a lemon peel to it and keep it for about an hour, periodically repeating the procedure.
Elbows, heels, knees can be cleaned of rough skin with lemon peels. Just mix the zest, a little soda and citrus fresh, apply on rough areas, get soft moisturized skin.
Mixing the peel with sugar and olive oil makes a wonderful moisturizer for a full body scrub. You can rub your nails. This will help to whiten and strengthen them.

The benefits of lemon peel in everyday life

• For cleaning greasy stains. At home, you can make a natural universal remedy for dirt and grease. Pour the crushed citrus peel with vinegar into a glass dish and close tightly. After 2 weeks, strain the infusion and mix half with water. Effective lemon vinegar to fight dirt is ready.
• If lemon peels are placed in the refrigerator, it will fill it with a pleasant citrus aroma.
• If you spread lemon peels near windows, doors, cracks, you can get rid of insect pests. The citrus scent repels them.
• Rubbing chrome faucets with citrus peel can get rid of limescale. And if you mix zest and sea salt, you can clean brass, copper and stainless steel.
• You can remove stains on coffee and tea cups using the peel.
• It will be possible to clean the microwave with water with a lemon peel, which must be boiled in it. Then wipe the inside with a cloth.

So, lemon peel is a versatile fruit that strengthens our health, helps to look beautiful, young, and also keeps the house clean.

Everyone knows how useful lemon zest is in cooking. But there are many more possible uses for lemon peel. Today we will talk about how it can be useful in the household. It turns out that you can do a lot with lemon peel and still avoid the use of harmful chemicals.

In fact, lemon is most often of all citrus fruits, it is used for gastronomic, medicinal and cosmetic purposes. The high content of vitamin C, antioxidants and essential oils in lemon helps us to be healthy and beautiful.

But here's the crust! After all, this is the part of the lemon that we usually throw away ... But the peel of a lemon contains 10 times more vitamins than juice, and contains a lot of minerals and fiber.

Lemon peel also contains essential oils, citric acid and other important compounds that we will learn to use to maintain our health and beauty, as well as cleanliness in the house.

1. Cleansing tea
The vitamin C and pectin found in lemon peels are very beneficial for the proper functioning of the liver, intestines, and kidneys.

Active compounds promote the elimination of toxins and create a protective barrier against the negative effects of free radicals.

Ingredients:
+ peel from 2 lemons,
+ 1 liter of water.

How to cook:
+ pour lemon peel with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and leave for another 15 minutes,
+ cool the drink and drink it 3 times a day.

2. Flavored vegetable oil
To add extra flavor to your salads, soups, and other dishes, make vegetable oil flavored with grated lemon peel.

Ingredients:
+ peel from 2 lemons,
+ a bottle of olive oil.

How to cook:
+ grate the peel of a lemon and add it to a bottle of olive oil,
+ let the oil brew for a couple of days and use it for cooking.

3. Air freshener
The strong citrus scent is ideal for removing odors from various areas of the home.

Ingredients:
+ peel from 2 lemons,
+ ½ liter of water,
+ rosemary - 3 sprigs fresh or dried, or 20 drops of rosemary essential oil,
+ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml).

How to cook:
+ pour lemon peels and rosemary with water and boil them for 10 minutes,
+ Add vanilla and cook for 5 more minutes.

If you are using an essential oil, then boil only the lemon peels, and add the oil after the infusion has completely cooled.

Pour the finished infusion into the liquid with a sprayer and spray it in the right places. The effect is very good!

4. Composition for softening the skin on the elbows and heels
Elbows and heels are areas where the skin dries out very easily and quickly due to the lack of sebaceous glands there. Elbows may become dark and heels + yellow and cracked. To reduce dark spots on your elbows and get rid of dead skin, use lemon peels and baking soda.

Ingredients:

+ 6 drops of lemon juice,
+ 1 teaspoon of baking soda (5 g).

How to prepare and use:
+ mix a thick paste from all the ingredients and apply it on the required areas of the skin,
+ make a light massage, hold the paste on the skin for another 5 minutes,
+ Rinse with warm water
+ after this procedure, avoid exposure to direct sunlight!

5. Microwave cleaner
Lemon's unique aromatic and disinfectant properties are great for removing dirt, odors and grease in the microwave.

Ingredients:
+ peel from 2 lemons,
+ 1 glass of water (200 ml).

Usage:
+ cut the peel into small pieces, pour a glass of water and put in the microwave,
+ heat for 30 seconds at maximum power,
+ remove dirt with a dry soft cloth,
+ if necessary, repeat the procedure.

6. Nail bleach
If you notice that your nails have become yellowish and weak, then you can add a little grated lemon peel to your clear polish or manicure base. Or you can rub fresh zest directly into the nail plate before coloring.

Ingredients:
+ zest of 1 lemon
+ transparent varnish - 1 vial.

How to use:
+ grate lemon zest and add to a bottle of varnish,
+ varnish your nails, as usual.

Alternative way: 2 times a day, rub the nail plates with the white side of the peel.

7. Acne treatment
The astringent properties of the lemon peel and its antibacterial qualities are great for cleaning pores, removing blackheads and getting rid of oily sheen.

Ingredients:
+ 2 tablespoons of grated lemon zest (20 g),
+ 1 teaspoon of sugar (5 g),
+ 2 tablespoons of cucumber juice (20 ml).

How to use:
+ mix lemon zest, sugar and cucumber juice to a smooth paste,
+ apply on face and leave for 15 minutes,
+ Lightly rub the skin in a circular motion, then rinse with cold water.

As you can see, throwing away the lemon peel is definitely not worth it - it can be very useful!