The star fruit of the season is lemon. Talented and tasty, he not only shines in the kitchen. For the maintenance of the house, laundry or to help you feel good, trust him! Here are seven of its vitamin uses.
In juice, to fight against fatigue
Want to boost your immunity? The solution: a squeezed lemon every morning! It is the ideal ally against winter ailments. So, when you get out of bed, on an empty stomach, start with a juice diluted in a glass of warm water. Be careful, lukewarm, not boiling because above 60° C, water can destroy the vitamin C present in quantity in this fruit (52 mg per 100 g). But it is she who stimulates the production of your white blood cells, these soldiers of immunity! “Drinking lemon juice every day is not good for tooth enamel”, do your friends or your dentist oppose you? It’s true. So use a straw (preferably non-disposable). This juice can be declined as desired (with honey, tea, lemonade…) and will also help prevent minor colds, flu, nasopharyngitis, and seasonal gastroenteritis…
As a gargle, to avoid sore throats
Itchy in the back of the throat? Do you fear angina? Dilute the juice of one lemon in half a glass of hot water with a teaspoon of salt. Gargle the back of the throat and pharynx for about 2 minutes with this mixture. Repeat the operation three or four times a day, it works!
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In the bath, for detox
When the cold sets in, nothing better than slipping into a hot bath! But did you know? If you add the juice of two or three lemons and their peels (untreated) to the water, goodbye to the toxins present in your body! Relax for 20 minutes, at least enough time for the active ingredients of the fruit to take effect. Your skin will be energized. Of course, the baths are to be consumed in moderation for the good and the future of the planet .
By deodorizing the house
Passing a lemony wipe on your fingers after tasting fish helps to remove the strong smell. It’s normal, the lemon is also a “super vacuum cleaner” of bad odors. For your refrigerator, cut the citrus fruit in half and place one half in the door. No more hints of cheese! Instead, use the bark to deodorize your dishwasher, between two machines, or just after cooking, for your oven. Either way, the peelings will pick up unpleasant odors. In toilets, two to three drops of lemon essential oil on a porous stone will be enough to make the atmosphere pleasant and fresh.
On a sponge, to descale
Do you want to put an end to scaled sinks? Here again, this natural and almost universal cleanser will help you. All you need is a sponge soaked in squeezed lemon and a little salt with which you will rub all the surfaces that need it. It only remains to rinse. It’s almost magical for your taps, kettle, coffee machine or iron … This mixture even removes traces of limescale from plastic walls. To make your cutlery or glasses shiny, you can also replace the dishwasher rinse aid with lemon juice.
In paste, to have soft hands
In winter, exposed to the cold, your hands can quickly become rough, dry out, and even become covered in sores or cracks if you don’t take care of them. The regular application of hydroalcoholic gel and the fact of washing them frequently because of Covid-19 also tend to make them suffer. Fortunately, here again, this citrus fruit can help you! In a bowl, pour two tablespoons of olive oil, two powdered clay (on sale in organic stores), and lemon juice. Mix and apply this paste to the sensitive places. Then, leave on for 30 minutes before rinsing with clear water. Sweetness guaranteed!
With salt, to loosen your clothes
Worried that those ink, berry, grass, rust, or sweat stains won’t wash off? Do not panic! Before washing, apply pure lemon with a little salt on the marked areas, let it act and you’re done. On delicate fabrics, always do a preliminary test on a non-visible part. Finally, know that lemon has a whitening effect. Thus, placing a few washers in the drum of your machine (in an underwear bag) can restore shine to white clothes that have become greyish.
How do choose them well?
In the supermarket, lemons usually come from Spain, Italy, Brazil, or Argentina. French lemons arrive on the shelves between January and March. Either way, prefer organic or “untreated post-harvest” fruit. For maximum juice, choose those with thin, smooth rinds rather than rough ones. The best ones are firm and heavy in the hand and, of course, bright yellow!
