You already know about the versatility and benefits of lemon juice, so never forget to make the most of it. But after squeezing the juice out of a lemon, what do you do with the peels? Throw them away, right? Not anymore! The peels of the fruit are just as versatile as its juice. Here are 23 clever and exciting uses of lemon peels you must know.
Lemon Peels for Culinary Purposes
Being rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers, lemon peels have vast culinary uses. Learn how to use them for these purposes and give your body a nutritional boost:
- Zest off the lemons and use them in your dishes. Lemon zest adds terrific flavor to both sweet and spicy food items. Put the extra zest in an air-tight container inside the refrigerator for later use.
- Want to try an inexpensive seasoning that can excite your taste buds like anything? Make lemon pepper seasoning at home with dried lemon zest, freshly cracked pepper, and salt. Super easy!
- Have you ever thought you could make lemon extract at home alone? Put some freshly grated lemon peels in use and make your cookies, muffins, and mousse even more tantalizing.
- If you want to give your baked items a burst of lemon flavor, prepare some lemon sugar by pouring lemon peel extract powder into a jar of sugar. This is awesome for a subtle tangy taste.
- Forget regular olive oil. Now, you can give it a ‘yummy makeover’ by adding some grated lemon peel. You’ll love the flavor of this homemade lemon olive oil.
- Make long strips of the lemon peels, put them in the ice tray, and wait until the ice cubes are formed. Your summer party drinks will look even brighter with these frozen lemon twists.
- You’ll love having candied lemon peels if you have a sweet tooth. These can be enjoyed plain, made yummier by dipping them into melted chocolate, or used in baked food items.
Lemon Peels for Skin and Hair
From your skin to your hair to your teeth, lemon peels can beautify almost every part of your body. Know the uses below: (1)
- The acidic properties of lemon peels can lighten and brighten our skin tone. As a natural bleaching agent, it can be used to scrub comparatively darker areas like elbows, heels, etc. Finely chopped lemon peels can be mixed with sugar and olive oil to make an excellent body scrub. If you are using it as a skin brightener on your face, make sure that you skip the areas around the eyes and lips.
- Are you tired of those pesky age spots on your face? Rub the areas with lemon peels twice daily as a skin lightener; they will become significantly lighter within weeks.
- Lemon peels can make yellow fingernails completely white with their citric nature. Rub your nails thoroughly with a few to use as a nail whitener, and you’re done!
- Like your nails, lemon peels can also be used as teeth whiteners. Rub a few of them on your teeth and rinse well with water. However, please do not do it frequently, as the acid content of the peels can take a toll on your teeth’ enamel.
- When getting soft, beautiful feet, lemon peels can work wondersfully. Make your moisturizing lemon foot soak by combining almond milk, olive oil, and lemon essential oil with some boiled lemon peels, and get rid of dry, cracked feet easily.
- A citrus vinegar hair rinse will be ideal if you are dying to get healthy, shiny locks. Prepare it yourself by soaking a handful of lemon peels in a jar filled with apple cider vinegar for a couple of weeks and then straining them. While using, mix one tablespoon of this solution with 1 cup of plain water and rinse your hair with it.
Lemon Peels – Other Uses
Besides culinary and beauty uses, lemon peels have many other exciting uses. We bet you’ll be surprised to know most of them. Here we go:
- The fresh citrus aroma of lemon peels is a cure for travel sickness. Smelling the peels can help you stop feeling nauseous on your way.
- You can make homemade Vitamin C powder by dehydrating and grinding lemon peels.
- Putting a few lemon peels in a container filled with brown sugar can keep it moist, soft, and easy to use.
- Does your refrigerator smell awful? Keep a few lemon peels inside and freshen it with a beautiful citrus fragrance.
- Make your all-purpose lemon-vinegar cleaner by infusing leftover lemon peels in white vinegar for two weeks. It is excellent for cutting grease, cleaning, and disinfecting various stuff, including sinks and bathtubs.
- The deposits of minerals in a tea kettle or coffee pot look extremely ugly. To remove it, boil water in the kettle or pot with some lemon peels, cool it down for an hour, and rinse well.
- Putting lemon peel slices near door entrances, thresholds, cracks, windowsills, etc., can help you eliminate cats, pests, and insects (ants, cockroaches, fleas, and so forth).
- Sanitize your cutting board occasionally by rubbing its surface with lemon peels. The antibacterial properties of lemon will help prevent food poisoning.
- The odor of garbage disposal becomes terrible at times. Throw some lemon peels at its bottom to absorb the stink and make it smell fresh.
- Want to keep your house smelling heavenly while keeping the dry heat away in winter? Add lemon peels, orange peels, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a pot of water simmering at the lowest stove-top settings. The aroma is fantastic, and it works as a humidifier too.
Summary
Discover 23 ingenious uses for lemon peels beyond juicing. From culinary delights like lemon zest and homemade seasonings to beauty hacks for skin, hair, and teeth, the versatility of lemon peels shines. Explore their roles in creating candied peels, skin brightening, nail whitening, and hair rinses. Additionally, learn about surprising household uses, including combating travel sickness, making Vitamin C powder, refreshing the refrigerator, and creating all-purpose cleaners. Unlock the full potential of lemon peels in enhancing various aspects of daily life.