Although it's extremely sour and isn't often eaten by itself, the lemon is an important part of our lives. It has a variety of different uses, ranging from flavoring in food to skincare. But have you ever wondered if you could also eat the lemon peels that you usually dispose of? If you've never considered saving the peel of your lemon, you should really start thinking about that.
Can They Be Eaten?
Can you eat lemon peel? First of all, yes, it's safe to eat lemon peels. They contain many vitamins, minerals, and fibers, so they are beneficial to your health.
However, you should consider that they may be covered in insecticides, pesticides, or protective wax covering, so you should wash them thoroughly before eating them. You could buy organic lemons to avoid this problem in the first place. Another is that they have a high amount of oxalates, so if you're prone to kidney or gallbladder stones, you should avoid eating them.
When Can They Be Consumed?
The most common way lemon peels are eaten is in cooking that incorporates lemon zest. Zest is little bits of the peels that are used to season food, and you zest a lemon by rubbing the peel against a grater. Lemon zest can be put in both sweet and savory foods, which shows how versatile lemon peels are.
It's also common for lemons to be used in teas. Lemon peels can add a punch of flavor to your favorite tea. After you dry them, you can drop them into your cup of tea to add some citrus flavor.
Lastly, you can make candied lemon peels. After you boil them and let them sit in saturated sugar water, you'll have some candied lemon peels to eat right away. They can be eaten on their own or used as garnish for pastries.
As long as you keep a few health concerns in mind, you can easily add lemon peels into your cooking and diet. Now that you know more about lemon peels, don't be afraid of adding something new into your diet, and embrace the citrus flavor!