Table of Contents
Lemon Definition
Lemon is a real nutritional treasure and very beneficial for our health. It is a fruit curative par excellence because it contains vitamins, eliminates toxins, and is a powerful bactericide, so WHO recommends regular consumption.
It is native to Southeast Asia, although it currently occurs in all tropical and temperate areas of the globe. The leading producing country is Mexico, followed by India, while Spain is the leading exporter of lemons and limes.
The lemon tree flower is all year round, and its varieties classify according to its fruits’ ripening time.
Lemons have many uses in the kitchen: they are used to season, to cook food, or to make liqueurs. Its aroma and essence mainly use in confectionery and pastry.
What are the Properties of Lemon?
- Vitamin A, B, and C;
- Minerals;
- Protein;
- Sugars;
- And also, Citric acid;
- Calcium;
- Magnesium;
- Fibers;
- Phytonutrients;
- Phytochemicals;
- Antioxidant;
- Anti-inflammatory;
- Anti-congestion;
- And also, Flu;
- Antibacterial;
- And also, Antihemorrhagic;
- Anticancer;
- Antifungal;
- Diuretic;
- Flavonoids;
- Disinfectant;
- Exfoliating;
- Purifying;
- Moisturizing;
- Healing;
- And also, Deodorizer.
What are the Benefits of Lemon?
The lemon has tremendous bactericidal power.
1. Strengthen the Immune System
- Due to their rich satisfied vitamin C and flavonoids, Lemons help strengthen your immune system by increasing your body’s defenses.
- They also stop diseases, especially of the respiratory tract.
2. Maintains the Body’s pH
- Although lemons are high in citric acid, in the long run, they help you alkalize your body, helping to restore the pH of your body.
- If red meat is abundant, exact foods, additives, or coffee in your diet, your body can become acidic.
3. Detoxifies the Body
- Lemon stimulates the liver and aid in eliminating toxins. One of the most successful remedies to detoxify your liver is to take the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon every morning on an empty stomach, along with half a glass of water, and wait for a half-hour for it to take effect before taking other foods.
- Also, lemon increases the intestines’ peristaltic movements, helping the body eliminate digestion wastes better.
- And also, lemon juice is properties aid the discomfort of heavy digestions.
4. Helps Dissolve Stones
- The citric acid in lemons helps stop and dissolve gallbladder stones and calcium deposits, leading to kidney stone formation.
5. Take Care of the Brain
- In addition to vitamin C, lemon contains potassium, which is very advantageous for our nervous system and our brain.
What are the Characteristics of Lemon?
- Its scientific name is Citrus × Limonia Osbeck. Extracted from the tree called a lemon tree.
- Its countries with the highest production are Mexico, India, Argentina, and Iran. It is round and thick-skinned.
- Small alternate leaves. It is yellow or green. And also, flowers in the axils of the leaves and small fruit;
- Sour taste. And also, it is aromatic; multiplies by grafting. It is grown in warm and tropical areas. And also achieves a height of 6m;
- Among this fruit’s main varieties are Meyer, Eureka, Lisbon, Femminello, Interdonato, Verna, Kütdiken, and Fino.
- And also, it fights approximately 200 diseases.
What are the Uses of Lemon?
Its main uses are preparing cocktails and natural drinks, making water drinkable, and natural deodorant.
It uses various countries’ gastronomy, in cabinetmaking work, as aesthetic beauty, and as a revitalizing agent.
Nutritional Value of Lemon
Nutritional value (per 100 grams)
Calories: 22
Total fat: 0.2 g
Sodium: 1 mg
Potassium: 103 mg
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Fiber: 0.3 g
Sugars: 2.5 g
Proteins: 0.4 g
Vitamin C: 38.7 mg
Calcium: 6 mg
And also, Magnesium: 6 mg
Varieties of Lemon
Although lemon is a product that we can easily find in any Spanish market or surface, the truth is that we know or pay very little attention to its characteristics, qualities, and varieties.
And also, we want to show you all the types of lemons that exist and how to recognize them:
1. Meyer
- After Frank Meyer, this lemon of Chinese origin name was the first to import this lemon to the United States.
- The most curious thing is that this variety of lemon is a hybrid of lemon, orange, and mandarin.
- It characterizes by its rounded shape and its large size. And also, the bark has a yellowish color, is smooth, soft, and delicate.
- It does not have a powerful lemon aroma but somewhat softer nuances, and its pulp is very juicy and tender.
2. Eureka
- The Eureka variety is native to California (one of its leading producers) and is grown in Australia, South Africa, Argentina, and Israel.
- This fruit is of medium size, with an elliptical shape, and generally has a small neck in the peduncular region.
- And also, its bark is of a medium-fine thickness. It is usually smooth, except when it is grown in Mediterranean climates, which appears some roughness.
- And also, it has excellent juice content and high acidity.
3. Lisbon
- This variety is quite similar to the Eureka lemon variety in terms of the amount of juice and high acidity.
- And also, its main difference is that its nipple is less pronounced and the texture rougher.
- This American variety believes in having its origin in the Galician Portuguese variety.
4. Femminello
- It represents the Italian lemon production. And also, the fruit depends a bit on the harvest.
- And also, it is not always the same.
- The Femminello lemon variety encompasses other lemons selections and has a medium size, very thick rind, little juice, and high acidity.
5. Interdonato
- The Interdonato lemon is large, elongated, and with a smooth rind. It doesn’t have a lot of juice, and its skin is thin.
- And also, Nizza (Sicily) is the place of origin of this Italian variety.
6. Kütdiken
- The place where it is most cultivated is in Turkey, and its characteristics are similar to Eureka and Femminello lemons.
7. Verna
- It is of Spanish origin and is the second most important variety in Spain, after Primofiori, and occupies the world’s fifth position.
- Its production represents 20%, and it is grown in the gardens of Alicante and Murcia. It has two blooms: The harvest and Verdelli.
- And also, these lemons are large. Their pulp is tender and juicy, with plenty of juice and moderate acidity. And also, the Verdelli variety has smoother and more delicate skin than the harvest.
8. Primofiori or Fine Lemon
- It is the most important and the earliest variety of Spanish lemon. Its cultivation area is the Huerta del Segura.
- Its flowering is very intense. Primofiori lemons are medium in size, oval, and with a thin, smooth rind.
- And also, the pulp has a pale tone. And also, it is very juicy, with a high yield in sumo and high acidity.
9. Villafranca
- This variety of lemon has a high content of seeds inside, more than the Eureka.
- However, they are very similar, so it isn’t easy to differentiate them with the naked eye.
10. Genoa
- It is grown in the South American area and characterized by a smooth rind, a fair amount of juice, and acidity.
11. Lapithkiotiki
- And also, this typical variety of Chile is the most important. It has a thin skin, and its pulp is juicy, good juice, and with few seeds.
12. Monachello
- It is a variety of Italian lemon with a later fruit and delicate to the climate. And also, this kind of lemon does not bloom in all settings.
- For this reason, it is usually grafted with bitter orange so that the fruits can proliferate.
13. Verdelli
- And also, it is the second flowering belonging to the Verna variety.
- We include it as a separate variety since there are significant differences in the Verna and Verdelli classes’ composition and characteristics.
- For example, the skin in the Verdelli variety is thinner and smoother.
Conclusion
The lemon is a very nutritious fruit with medicinal, therapeutic, aesthetic, curative, and preventive properties. With countless benefits to combat various conditions, take care of skin, hair, cravings, and improve overall health.
Likewise, this fruit can consume both in juice and in tea. Its peel for culinary or pastry uses and its essential oil in various parts of the body.
And also, contraindications, as in any natural remedy, consult your doctor. And also, do not consume in excess, demineralization, pregnant women, children, people with skin wounds, rheumatic diseases, and heartburn.
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