Even in ancient times, people used lemon as a tool in the fight against colds, because it is a source of vitamin C and an irreplaceable helper of immunity. Not everyone knows that this product can also have a beneficial effect on the body, which has been proven by doctors and homeopaths.

What it is?

Lemon peel is the surface layer of the yellow peel, containing a mass of essential oils that are in glandular containers. It has practically no taste, looks bright and shiny, has a wonderful fresh fruity smell. Lemon zest can be added to baking dough, traditionally it gives a unique flavor to fish dishes, can be used as a natural flavoring additive for tea and mulled wine.

If the lemons were transported and stored in accordance with special GOST 4429-82, the zest should be perfectly preserved, and throw it out simply blasphemy.

Benefit and harm

Consider the ratio of BZHU per 100 grams of raw product:

• proteins - 1.5 g;
• fats - 0.3 g;
• carbohydrates - 5.4 g.

The calorie content of the product is only 47 kilocalories.

As you can see from the information provided earlier, eating lemon peel will not be able to do much harm to the figure. And the taste and aroma of dishes becomes amazing when you add a pinch of this product. It helps to lose weight as dietary meals often lack flavor.

Citrus peel contains a substance that fights cancer cells. It's called salvestrol. For the prevention of oncology, it is necessary to take lemon zest regularly.

Vitamin C contained in the product is important for the body, not only in terms of maintaining immunity. He is able to participate in the absorption of calcium. Thus, lemon peel, when consumed regularly, helps to strengthen the skeleton and teeth.

The aromatic peel disinfects the mouth by killing bacteria and helps eliminate bad breath.

The zest contains pectin. It is a useful polysaccharide. Once in the human body, it serves as an absorbent, absorbing all harmful substances, heavy metals and toxins, which are then excreted naturally. Pectin increases the metabolic rate, breaks down fats, removes excess cholesterol, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. But it also has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal microflora and has an anti-inflammatory effect on the digestive tract. The substance is also used to make natural marshmallows and jellies.

The nutritional value of lemon peel is complemented by its chemical composition: it includes selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, sodium and potassium.

Potassium strengthens the heart muscle. Vitamin P contained in the zest can help people suffering from overeating and alcoholism. It removes waste products from the body. If you eat lemon zest after a heavy meal, you can get rid of hangover and stomach discomfort.

If you consume the zest regularly, you can improve the condition of your skin and hair. Lemon peel contains antioxidants that have a beneficial effect on the tone and firmness of the face. To prepare a vitamin tonic, you can brew the zest and use for wiping. This will get rid of excessive oily skin. The crushed rind is often used for a scented body scrub. For this, peel crumbs must be mixed with shower gel and applied to the entire body with massaging movements.

If you use lemon peel many times as a face rub, you will notice another useful property of it: it whitens the face and is useful in the fight against unwanted freckles. And also lemon peel is used in dermatology. It is used as an antifungal homeopathic remedy.

To get rid of dry elbows and heels, you need to crush a lemon peel in your hand and rub problem areas with this product. If you do this regularly, you can forget about the problem in a month.

There are a lot of advantages for human health, but lemon zest is also used on the farm. To get rid of the strong smell from cooking or just to flavor your home, you can spread lemon rind slices everywhere. If the fridge and dumpster smells bad, you just need to put the lemon peel pieces in there. She will absorb the bad smell.

To get rid of limescale in the teapot, rub it with a piece of lemon peel. It is easy to clean the microwave oven in the same way.

It is known that various insects are repelled by the aroma of citrus. You can put pieces of zest on the window to keep mosquitoes and flies flying by.

To maintain optimal humidity in the apartment, you can place bowls of water and zest throughout the house.

Now many girls are engaged in making soap at home. When adding a fragrant zest to the composition, you can count on an increase in demand for such handmade products.

The disadvantages of lemon peel include the fact that citrus fruits are usually contraindicated for people prone to allergies. And also lemon peel can exacerbate ulcers and gastritis, as it increases the acidity of the stomach. People who are not prone to these diseases should also be careful when using zest, a large amount of it will cause heartburn.

Lemon peel should not be used in its pure form for sore throat and sore throat, you can burn sensitive mucous membranes. For these reasons, it cannot be used in the event of dental diseases.

How to do it?

Lemon peel must be thoroughly washed with hot water, preferably with a vegetable brush. Now the whole lemon must be blotted with a paper towel and left to dry a little.

Zest is a capricious product, there are several ways to get it.

• With a kitchen knife. To do this, remove thin stripes with a sharpened object. After flavoring the dish, these stripes are removed.
• Peeler - This method is only suitable for thick-skinned lemons.
• Using a regular fine grater: rub the lemon with it and get a crumbly crumb of zest.
• Cocktail sester. It will remove small spirals from the surface of the peel, which can be used to decorate baked goods or drinks.

Tips for Removing Fresh Zest:

• choose citruses with a thick rind;
• chill lemon before zesting;
• try to grind the peel pieces as much as possible in order to increase the evaporation surface of essential oils;
• if you often need lemon zest, store these fruits in the freezer, this will simplify the task of getting it;
• try to use the zest immediately after removal for the best flavoring results.

There is a lot of information about fresh zest. Often questions arise about how to properly prepare lemon peel for future use.

Algorithm for making dried lemon peel:

• wash and dry the lemon thoroughly;
• cut off the zest, being careful not to touch the white layer, or grate it;
• spread the zest on parchment paper in a clean, cool room, it will dry in a couple of days with occasional stirring;
• if there is no time to wait, you can send the crushed lemon peel to the oven for 1-2 hours at a temperature of 60 degrees.

What can you cook?

Lemon peel can come in handy all over the place. But its use is especially popular in cooking.

There are various recipes for preparing zest as an independent dish.

Lemon zest in sugar

For cooking, you need to take 100 g of zest and 150-200 g of sugar. Lemons must be well washed with a brush and boiled for a minute in water. After that, remove the softened zest with a grater and grind it with sugar. After that, put in jars and cover with another layer of sugar. This mixture can be poured into dough, drinks, ice cream.

There is a popular combination of ginger, lemon and honey that has been helping people fight colds and raise their vitality for many years.

More popular are several recipes for the joint preparation of such products.

Candied lemon

This delicious dessert is very easy to prepare. To do this, you need to make sugar syrup: boil a few tablespoons of water with sugar in a saucepan. With a decrease in the volume of water, candied fruits come out more crisp. After making the syrup, you need to dip the thinly sliced ​​lemon zest into it and cook them for about half an hour. After this jam has cooled, the pieces must be taken out and laid out on foil or a tray and sprinkled with powdered sugar. When the pieces are completely dry, it is best to store them in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator.

Lemon curd puffs

For cooking, you will need ready-made puff yeast dough 500 g, cottage cheese 200 g, sugar - 150 g, zest of half a lemon. Cut the puff pastry squares into 4 pieces for a total of eight servings. Mix cottage cheese with sugar and lemon zest, you can add vanillin to taste. Place the curd mass in the middle of each dough square and pinch along the edge. Place the prepared puffs on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake them according to the recipe on the dough packaging. When serving, sprinkle the puffs with powdered sugar for garnish.

Pancakes with citrus flavor

To make pancakes with a unique lemon scent, add some of the peel to the dough according to your recipe. This will make them taste very spicy. You can also add zest to pancake sauces. For example, mix sour cream with sugar and zest to taste.

Flavored muffins

Beat 3 eggs with 300 g sugar with a mixer at medium speed. Prepare the zest of 1 lemon. Add 100 g butter, 200 g zest and sour cream. Sift 400 g flour, put a teaspoon of baking powder and add to the mixture. Pour the finished dough into muffin tins, greased with butter, and bake for 20 minutes at a temperature of about 200 degrees.

Pie with aromatic zest

If guests suddenly come and have nothing to serve, you can quickly make a sponge cake with an appetizing lemon aroma.

You will need: 4 eggs, 250 g of sugar and a glass of flour, butter to prevent the cake from sticking to the mold, baking powder and a pinch of lemon zest.

For this quick bake, beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy, gently stir in the flour with a teaspoon of baking powder, then add the lemon zest and stir everything. Pour the mixture into a mold. Bake in the oven for thirty minutes at 200 degrees.

If desired, you can also add pineapples and apples to such a cake, and vanilla will help to enhance the aroma of the zest.

Lemon cake

For the cake, you will need 6 eggs, 1.5-2 cups of sugar, 2 cups of flour. Beat sugar and eggs until thick foam, add flour and stir. Add a baking powder for fluffy baked goods. This amount of the finished mass is designed for 4 cakes. Bake them on a pre-oiled baking sheet for 15-20 minutes. After the pastries are cooked, let them cool down properly.

The cream consists of two glasses of sour cream, one glass of sugar and the zest of one lemon. Whisk the cooled ingredients until fluffy and spread over the crust. Leave the cake in the refrigerator overnight. Then it will be as delicious as possible.

Poultry marinade

To make a fragrant marinade, you need to mix a quarter cup of vegetable oil, salt and pepper to taste, a few chopped cloves of garlic, Italian herbs, the zest of one lemon. With this composition, the meat should be soaked for about a day at a temperature of about 4 degrees. As a result of this method of marinating, the meat is simply amazing.

Fish lemon marinade

To prepare it, you need to prepare: half a glass of lemon juice, one tablespoon of zest, chopped clove of garlic, a pinch of ground black pepper, half a glass of wine. The fish should be in such a marinade for at least three hours. After infusion, the fish is baked in the oven or grilled. This marinade can also be useful for shrimp and other seafood.

Meat sauce

Half a glass of olive oil is mixed with a glass of chopped sweet dates. Add a bunch of green onions chopped in a blender and a bunch of parsley. For a mild taste, it is advisable to add crushed pine nuts, literally a handful. Lemon zest will add piquancy about 4-5 tablespoons. Chopped hot peppers and your favorite seasonings are added to the total mass. Salt is put there to taste.

Lemon-flavored beef stew

To prepare this exquisite dish, take a kilogram of beef tenderloin, a couple of Bulgarian peppers, two onions, carrots, potatoes - 1.5 kg, garlic - 1 head, lemon zest - 1 tablespoon, vegetable oil - two tablespoons, spices and salt for your discretion, dill and parsley.

Rinse the beef and potatoes and cut them into cubes convenient for you. Chop onions, carrots and bell peppers and fry until half cooked. Prepare ceramic pots with a mixture of cooked ingredients and spices with lemon zest. Cook in the oven for about two hours, check the doneness from time to time. After cooking, divide the dish into portions and sprinkle with fresh herbs.

Tea for a surge of strength and vigor

Add 3 tablespoons of grated ginger and 2 tablespoons of chopped lemon zest to your favorite tea, in addition, toss in a sprig of mint, cinnamon and a few peas. Pour two liters of boiling water over it. When the tea is infused, add sugar or honey to your taste.

Tea to relieve flu and cold symptoms

Ingredients: ginger root - 20 g, lemon peel - 20 g, honey - 30 g.

Preparation:

• peel the ginger and cut it into thin slices;
• grate lemon zest on a fine grater;
• you need to brew your favorite tea (black or green) with ginger and zest, then let the drink brew for a few minutes;
• add honey to a warm drink (remember that the beneficial properties of honey are reduced to zero when it is added to boiling water).

Drink the drink three times a day and at night.

Hot tincture with lemon zest

The zest of three lemons is mixed with a chopped bunch of peppermint. This herbal mixture is added to a half liter bottle of vodka and sealed securely. This mixture is insisted for about a week, shaking 4 times a day. After the tincture is prepared, it is necessary to strain it through a layer of gauze and sterile cotton wool. Store the tincture in a cool dry place.

How to save?

You can store the zest in three ways, which depend on the type of workpiece.

• Storage of dried zest in an airtight dry jar. After preparing the dry crushed lemon peel, it must be placed in a container specially prepared for this. This way the lemon peel will retain its unique aroma for a long time.
• Storing the rind in sugar is also done in a sealed glass container, but this mixture is best kept in the refrigerator.
• Storing the zest in lemon juice at sub-zero temperatures. This method will help you to prepare an exquisite sauce for meat or fish at any suitable time. You can grate the zest and put it in small molds and pour lemon juice on top - this is very convenient for future use.

For information on how to remove and store lemon zest, see the video below.

We mindlessly throw away many parts of foods that may still benefit our body. Various purifications are just such substances, including citrus peel. This and zest of lemon and zest and zest of grapefruit. This product is a source of a lot of useful substances, it is often used in cooking and folk medicine. The topic of our conversation today will be lemon zest, what is it, let's talk, discuss recipes with lemon zest, and answer the question, what are its beneficial properties and contraindications.

What is Lemon Peel?

Lemon peel is the topmost layer of the peel, it has a pronounced bright color and contains a lot of essential oils and other useful substances.

To obtain such a product, the fruit is scalded with boiling water, and the zest is cut off with an extremely sharp knife, like a spiral tape. You can also grate it.

Lemon zest - benefits and harms

The benefits of lemon peel

Lemon peel is rich in fiber, potassium, carotene, magnesium, calcium, folate and beta-carotene.

Such a product can be used to prevent osteoporosis, as well as to eliminate the inflammatory process caused by. There is evidence that lemon peel perfectly removes various toxins and carcinogens from the body.

The systematic inclusion of zest in the diet allows to slow down the growth of oncological lesions by an order of magnitude. Also, this product has pronounced antibacterial properties. Traditional medicine specialists use lemon peel to eliminate bacterial and fungal ailments, treat anemia and prevent thrombosis.

Lemon peel contains a mass, which makes it useful for immunity and for the prevention of respiratory ailments. This product is a source of vitamin P, which protects blood vessels from fragility and has a positive effect on heart health.

Lemon peel essential oils improve mood and have a good tonic effect. Simply chewing such a substance will help to cope with sore throat. Also, lemon peel is not bad, it improves blood circulation, neutralizes ear infections, prevents varicose veins and adds elasticity to blood vessels.

Is lemon peel dangerous, what harm is there?

Lemon peel can be harmful to patients suffering from indigestion. You should not use it if you have been diagnosed with an ulcer, gastritis or enteritis. Also, this substance often provokes allergic reactions.

Of course, excessive consumption of zest can also be harmful. Overeating is fraught with the development of heartburn or nausea.

Lemon zest recipes

How to make a cupcake with lemon zest (recipe)

To prepare such a delicious dish, you need to prepare one hundred and fifty grams of refined, two hundred grams, two hundred grams of powdered sugar, four tablespoons and four chicken eggs. Also, use one hundred and fifty grams of sour cream, a couple tablespoons of baking powder, and a teaspoon of lemon zest.

To soak the cake, you will need three tablespoons of powdered sugar and three tablespoons of lemon juice.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs with the powdered sugar. Stir best with a whisk. Add sour cream, zest, and lemon juice to a bowl. Pour in vegetable oil there and mix well until smooth. Add flour and baking powder to the resulting mass. Whisk until smooth. Pour the finished dough into the prepared mold. Send it to the oven, preheated to one hundred seventy to one hundred and eighty degrees, and bake a pie with lemon zest for forty to forty-five minutes. A cupcake for tea with lemon zest should please you!

Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice. Apply this mixture to a hot cake, grease until the sweet liquid is completely gone. Remove the cooled cake from the mold and serve.

Freezer Lemon Yogurt Recipe

To prepare such a delicious dessert, you need to prepare three 4.5% vanilla yoghurts, sixty milliliters of lemon juice, seventy-five grams of sugar, 4-6 teaspoons of lemon zest and a glass.

Transfer the "yogurt" to a convenient plastic container and place in the freezer until freezing (just to grab). Take sugar (without a teaspoon), lemon juice and zest. Stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer the frozen yogurt to a blender and beat until soft. Pour the lemon and sugar into the blender bowl and beat again. Divide the resulting mass into bowls and send to the freezer for half an hour.

For the sauce, combine the raspberries with the remaining sugar in a blender until smooth. Leave it on for a quarter of an hour to let the juice stand out. Pour the prepared juice over the frozen yogurt and serve.

Roasting lamb in the oven in a sleeve with lemon zest

To prepare such a delicious dish, you need to prepare two and a half kilograms. Lamb meat marinade: a teaspoon, a quarter cup of honey, a couple of tablespoons of mustard, a couple of tablespoons of chopped rosemary (fresh), a teaspoon and the same amount of lemon zest, three cloves of garlic.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine honey with mustard, rosemary, black pepper, lemon zest and finely chopped garlic. Apply the prepared marinade to the meat. Place the lamb in the refrigerator overnight. Place the prepared meat in the oven, inserting it into the sleeve, preheated to two hundred and thirty degrees, sprinkle it with salt. Bake for twenty minutes, then reduce the temperature to two hundred degrees and bake for about an hour. Then let the lamb stand for ten minutes, cut it and serve.

Additional Information

Cooking lemon zest is possible not only for culinary purposes. Lemon zest, as well as the lemon itself, can be used to treat a wide variety of pathological conditions.

Prevention and treatment of vascular atherosclerosis... Traditional medicine experts advise grinding dry zest to a powder state. Such a remedy will help prevent and cure atherosclerosis. It should be taken one to three grams three times a day.

If you boil the lemon peel in sugar or honey until soft, such a remedy will help improve digestion in the stomach.

Alternative treatment of head pain... If you are worried about a severe headache, cut off the rind from the lemon as thin as possible, peel it from the remnants of the white skin and apply to the temple for a quarter of an hour.

To remove calluses on toes, feet... Also, the zest will help to cope with calluses on the feet. To achieve a lasting therapeutic effect, it is necessary to thoroughly steam the feet in hot water and wipe dry. Tie a lemon rind to the problem area. Perform this procedure several times (over several days), then steam your legs again and remove the corn.

Rheumatism of the joints folk treatment with lemon along with zest... To prepare the medicine, you need to prepare three lemons with peels and three peeled heads of garlic. Pass such raw materials through a meat grinder. Pour the prepared gruel with one liter of boiling water and let it brew for 24 hours. The filtered medicine must be taken in a quarter of a glass three times a day immediately before a meal.

For those who are looking for what they can increase blood pressure you can write yourself one more remedy. Tincture of lemon peel will help to cope with hypotension, which is accompanied by fainting. To prepare the drug, you need to grind one hundred grams of dry lemon peel and combine it with a liter of vodka. Insist for three weeks in a fairly dark place. Take twenty-five to thirty drops three times a day.

Inflammation of the mouth and tongue- treatment by chewing lemon peel. Including will help to cope with angina, stomatitis, pharyngitis, etc. In addition, this procedure perfectly freshens breath.

To remove a wart with vinegar and lemon peel... To do this, you need to remove it from two lemons, grind and pour half a glass of thirty percent vinegar. Insist for weeks in a glass container with a tightly closed lid. Strain the medicine, soak a cotton-gauze swab in it, and apply it to the wart area. Repeat the procedure several times a day.

Lemon peel is an amazingly healthy product that can help treat many ailments. And when used in cooking, this substance gives ready-made dishes an amazing aroma and taste.

Don't know what lemon or orange peel is? It's just a citrus fruit crust, a finely chopped crust without the white flesh. Immediately behind the crust, we see such a white pulp, it is usually very bitter, so the zest is removed carefully, only the topmost layer of the fruit rind, so that there is no bitterness during baking.

And making lemon and orange zest is very easy at home, any housewife can handle this task. By the way, citrus zest can be added to add a special taste and aroma to a wide variety of baked goods: cakes, cookies, pastries, etc. Also, zest is added for a special aroma in a variety of dishes and even drinks. Methods for peeling lemon or orange are below. And for this you need from kitchen utensils: a vegetable knife and a grater.

How to peel lemon zest

Before removing the zest from the lemon, be sure to wash it and rinse off the wax, pesticides and dyes. It is advisable to do this with soapy water. After the lemon has been washed, you should give it time to dry. Now you can start removing the lemon zest. And this can be done using a regular vegetable grater, which you use to grate carrots or beetroot (red beets) for borscht. On a fine grater, gently grate the skin of the lemon, without removing the white crumb, otherwise the zest will be bitter.

It will be very convenient to put a square grater on a cutting board and rub the zest on it. The flat grater should be held at an angle so that its lower end rests on the cutting board. Gently run the lemon from top to bottom on the grater, slightly twisting the fruit while rubbing. Now all that remains is to collect the resulting zest to add it to various dishes.

How to remove the zest with a regular knife

The zest from a lemon or orange, and from any other citrus fruit, can be used with an ordinary knife with which you cut vegetables. It must be sharp, otherwise it will be very difficult to remove the zest. First, carefully cut the peel into thin strips (without touching the white bitter flesh), then chop the strips as small as possible. Remember and tell your family and friends that the zest must be removed carefully, without touching the white core.

To get more zest, you need to choose a fruit with a thick and rough skin. Previously, such thick-skinned lemons and oranges must be cooled in the refrigerator.

It is advisable to use lemon and orange zest immediately, because over time it loses its aroma and taste.

The lemon flavor in any dish, baked goods, or drink will be stronger if you use a finer zest.

Ingredients:

• Lemon

How to peel lemon or orange peels

The zest is the thin top layer of citrus fruits. It is used quite often in cooking. The most commonly used zest of oranges and lemons. Less commonly, other citrus fruits. But not everyone knows how to grate the zest correctly.

The zest is used in the preparation of fish, added to baked goods, desserts, and drinks. She always ennobles the taste of a dish very much. Removing it from citrus fruits, you should take into account some important nuances:

Before removing the zest from a lemon or other fruit, wash them well, and then pour boiling water over them.

You only need to remove the upper thin colored part. Do not rub the white layer that lies under the colored one - it will add bitterness to the dishes.

It is better to grate the zest on a fine grater. And if the zest needs to be removed in thin strips, then there is a special knife for this.

Grate the zest quite easily, quickly and easily. The problem is that after rubbing, it is difficult to clean the grater from the remnants of the peel, which clogged in the grooves of the grater. Thus, we lose part of the product and spend time cleaning the grater. Here's a great way to make the zest of a lemon or other fruit, thanks to which the grater will remain practically clean, and you will get the whole zest without loss!

How to grate the zest step by step instructions with a photo:

Step 1

To grate the zest, we need citrus fruits, a grater, parchment paper, a kitchen board.

The use of lemon is very diverse - almost no one doubts it. But did you know that lemon peel is also an equally useful product?

There is 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 - even if it will serve the cause.

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

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

Calorie zest lemon a is 16 kcal per 100 grams of product: K

• Calories, kcal: 16
• Proteins, g: 0.9
• Fat, g: 0.1
• Carbohydrates, g: 3.0

How do you get lemon zest?

Fresh lemon zest is easy to get yourself.

1. First, those fruits that are sold in markets and supermarkets are processed with various substances- first with chemicals against pests, then wax to heighten the 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 easily peels off the white layer under the crust. If the lemons have special labeled stickers, then remove them so that no traces remain.

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

How to store lemon zest?

Method 1. Grated lemon, orange or tangerine zest can be stored, so the zest can be prepared for future use. Grated or cut into thin strips, the zest 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 rubbed together with the zest, the white loose subcrustal layer is rubbed, 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 a zest is added to the dish, the bitter taste of lemon will be felt.

Method 2. Therefore, it is better to make the lemon zest in a slightly different way. The zest 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).
All types of zest are dried by spreading it out 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 to dry evenly, and the zest is ready when it becomes brittle.

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

So, lemon peel is a thing no less useful than the fruit itself and has a very wide application. Below I present to your attention a few tips on “how to use lemon peel” in the household, in the kitchen and to maintain beauty and health. I hope you will find something I have collected useful.

The use of zest for medicinal purposes
The benefits and harms of lemon peel lie in its composition, which is rich in fiber, potassium, carotene, magnesium, calcium, folic acid and beta-carotene.

* Prevention of oxidative processes
Lemon peel contains concentrated bioflavonoids - powerful antioxidants. They remove free radicals that cause mutations in cells, and as a result - premature aging, cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system.
In addition, the benefits of lemon peel are known as a product capable of neutralizing toxic compounds - carcinogens accumulated in the body.

* Anti-cancer properties
Regular addition of the peel to food can slow down the development of malignant tumors, and it also has antimicrobial properties.
Lemon peel inhibits the spread of cancer cells thanks to the flavonoids in its composition. The substance limonene has anticancer properties.
According to scientific studies, people who consume lemons with the peel are much less likely to develop lung, colon and breast cancers.
Lemonoids also promote apoptosis - the arbitrary death of foreign cells. The peel also contains a special easily digestible pectin, which slows down the development of skin, breast and prostate cancer.

In folk recipes, the benefits of lemon peel are widely used in the fight against bacterial and fungal infections, in the treatment of anemia, and in the prevention of thrombosis.

* Strengthening bones
The benefits of calcium for bones are undeniable. There is quite a lot of it in the lemon peel. In combination with vitamin C, it prevents osteoarthritis, polyarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis.

* Reducing cholesterol
To keep your heart healthy, you need to monitor your blood cholesterol levels. Lemon peel contains a lot of polyphenols - flavonoids that lower the level of "bad" cholesterol. Potassium regulates blood pressure, and vitamin C prevents blood clots from forming in blood vessels, significantly reducing the risk of heart disease.

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

* Oral hygiene
In order to avoid problems with gum disease (including gingivitis and bleeding), it is necessary to include in the diet a sufficient amount of vitamin C, which is rich in lemon peels. This vitamin fights bacteria that cause tooth decay and periodontitis.

* For digestion
The dietary fiber in the zest is beneficial for the digestive system. It improves bowel motility and removes waste, treats constipation, and eliminates gas and intestinal cramps. Due to its remarkable properties, lemon peel is used in folk medicine for indigestion, dyspepsia, colic and vomiting.
It destroys putrefactive bacteria in the mouth and intestines, eliminates bad breath and improves digestion.
Traditional medicine recipes recommend zest for reduced appetite, insufficient formation of gastric juice, diseases of the gallbladder, and digestive disorders.

In addition, the benefits of lemon peel lie in the ability to: cleanse the liver, improve blood circulation, neutralize ear infections, make capillaries elastic, and prevent varicose veins.

* Slimming zest
The pectin found in lemon peels slows down the absorption of carbohydrates, helps fight excess weight, and reduces appetite. It provides long-lasting satiety and counteracts sugar cravings.

Due to the presence of citric acid in the product, lemon peel can be harmful for those who suffer from indigestion. It should not be used for ulcers, gastritis or enteritis. In addition, the harm of lemon peel for allergy sufferers is quite common. It can provoke the appearance of hives.

Alchemy of love

Zest is a mild aphrodisiac. However, when combined with chocolate, honey, wine and spices such as cloves, cinnamon, ginger, mint, nutmeg, black pepper, the tonic properties of the zest are enhanced. So you can and should not be stingy to season food and drinks for love with zest!

The use of lemon zest in food ...

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

* Lemon zest is used in the world's most widely culinary world. 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 (cabbage soup, borscht, fish soup), main hot dishes and side dishes for them , as well as in aspic, jellies, casseroles, minced meat, gravies and sauces. Lemon peel, along with vanilla and cinnamon, is the number one spice for desserts and pastries: muffins, biscuits, Easter cakes, charlottes, manniks, sweet puddings, ice cream.

* Orange and tangerine peel used mainly for flavoring confectionery, desserts and sweet sauces.

* Grapefruit zest it is used by gourmets in the same types of dishes as lemon zest, but gives them a more subtle, refined and strong aroma.

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

All types of zest are used in the preparation of marmalade, preserves, jelly, compotes, mousses, jellies, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages (rum, liqueurs, vodka, liqueurs, etc.).

The zest will not add acid (as it would if you add fruit slices), but it will provide a subtle aroma.
All types of zest belong to weak, mild spices, so the zest can be consumed in larger doses compared to other spices. They use the zest to taste, being guided in measurements not by grams, but by 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.
In hot dishes, zest is added 3-5 minutes before cooking or after the end of heat treatment and the dish is allowed to brew under the lid for several minutes.

The zest is introduced into all dishes in a powdery ground form. The zest goes well with most spices and is part of the traditional oriental "Five Spices" seasoning along with coriander, cinnamon, cumin and black pepper. When cooking roasted meat, ground dry rind can replace salt.

I will not present recipes here that use lemon zest, but I will give several original ways to use it in food.

* Maintain the flowability of brown sugar.
If your brown sugar looks more like refined sugar, try adding some lemon rind (removing all traces of rind from it first) to keep it moist and free flowing. (In all recipes using lemon peel, always clean the surface well of dirt and wax.)

* By the way, if you do not like sour tea, but if you want to enjoy the lemon taste and aroma - add not lemon slices to your tea, but its zest. Or even simpler: cut off a small portion of the rind from the lemon and place it in the brewed tea.

* Dried peel.
Lemon peel can be finely grated to retain all the lemon flavor. You can use the peel fresh, dried or frozen. (If you know you will be harvesting the rind, it’s easier to grate it when it’s still on the lemon, before squeezing out the juice.) To dry the peel, sprinkle it in a thin layer on a towel and leave to dry completely, then transfer to a jar. Use a freezer container to freeze the peel. Lemon peel is used in salads, marinades, baked goods, cereals, etc.

* Lemon sugar
Sugar with a fresh and pleasant lemon scent - what could be better? In order to prepare such sugar, we need: a plastic bag with a fastener, 2-3 glasses of sugar and fresh zest of several lemons.

I want to note that the more zest, the richer the lemon taste and aroma of sugar will be. How to make lemon sugar: pour granulated sugar into a bag with a fastener and send fresh zest there, mix well and leave for several hours in an open bag to make the sugar a little stick (a couple of hours will be enough). Next, close the bag, shake the sugar well and send it for storage in a dry, dark place.

* Candied fruit.
You can also make candied peel from grapefruit peel. Candied fruits are easy to prepare, because they are just candied peels, and you can eat them just like that, dipping them into melted chocolate, add them to cookies, sweets or bread.

* Making biscuits with lemon peel.
If you've prepared the rind, be sure to add it to the cookies.
It will surprise you with its amazing taste!

* Lemon peel flagella.
Lemon peel strips, which curl into flagella when dried, are good for use in cocktails, soda, or regular drinking water. Use a peeler or knife to prepare them, carefully removing the bitter white flesh.
These flagella can also be frozen in a container or bag.

* Preparation of lemon extract.
Make lemon peel flagella (above) and dry them upside down on a plate for 3-4 days. Put them in a blender and grind them to a flour condition. Use as an extract in recipes.

* Spicy salt
A very interesting recipe is spicy salt with lemon and a mixture of peppers. For cooking, we need: a third of a glass of a mixture of dried peppers (sold in any store), a zest of 4 lemons and a glass of salt.
Rub the zest as fine as possible. Mix with pepper and leave to dry and grind in a blender. Then we mix the spices with salt (preferably sea salt) and pour into a hermetically sealed jar. Can be added to any dish

* Cooking lemon pepper.
Combine the lemon extract (above) with freshly ground pepper.

* Olive oil infused with lemon peel
Olive oil infused with lemon zest is very simple to do: pour the freshest lemon zest into a glass container, fill it with oil and leave in a dark place for two weeks. It is better not to close the lid. Shake the zest from time to time. Next, we filter the oil, after crushing the zest in a bottle with oil with a handle of a wooden spoon (so that all the essential oils come out). We store the strained lemon-olive oil in a glass bottle with a closed lid.

* Lemon tincture
The tasty lemon tincture is another great use for lemon zest. How to cook: for 250 ml of vodka, take the freshest zest of 6 lemons, mix these ingredients in a glass bottle, close tightly and leave to infuse for 4-6 weeks, depending on how rich we need the citrus taste.

* Lemon zest in ice cubes
A great addition to drinks and cocktails, especially summer ones, will be a few ice cubes, to which we will add fine lemon zest. You can also cut the lemon peels into thin strips and freeze them to add to smoothies, even without ice.

* Oil with zest and herbs
Mix dried or fresh herbs and finely grated lemon zest with butter (using a blender or just finely chop with a knife).
Put the mass on one edge of a sheet of parchment paper and roll it into a roll, tamping the oil well. Then place the roll in the paper in the refrigerator for a few hours and the lemon peel spiced butter is ready to use.

In the House...

Lemon juice contains on the order of 5-6% citric acid and a pH level between 2 and 3. This makes it
the ideal companion for the safe cleaning of kitchen surfaces from scale and mineral stains.

* Removal of greasy stains.
Greasy deposits on pots? Are the cooking zones overgrown with grease? If your kitchen has fallen prey to sautéing, try using lemon halves before using toxic cleaners. Sprinkle a little salt (for abrasion) on half a lemon and rub the greasy stain with it, then wipe the surface with a rag. (Be careful with marble surfaces or any other acid sensitive).

* Lemon vinegar to remove stains and grease
All-purpose detergent - lemon vinegar. It effectively removes various impurities. Place the crushed peel in a glass container and cover with vinegar, close the lid. After two weeks, strain and add 50:50 water. You will get a product that can clean almost anything. Also lemon vinegar has strong disinfectant properties.

* Cleaning the kettle or coffee maker.
To remove limescale from your kettle, fill it with water, add a handful of finely chopped lemon zest and put it all on fire. After boiling, let the kettle with this liquid stand for an hour, pour out the liquid and rinse the kettle well. To clean the coffee maker, you need to put ice, salt and lemon zest in it, shake it all well for a minute or two, shake it out and rinse the coffee maker. Everything will shine!

* Cleaning the microwave.
Microwaving food, especially unsuccessful cooking, usually leads to a rapid loss of cleanliness and appearance of the latter. The spots may look like dried lumps of cement. Before you pick up a chemical cleaner, try this: Add lemon peel to a microwave-safe dish half filled with water. Turn on the oven at full power for 5 minutes, let the water boil and the steam condense on the walls of the microwave. Then just take out the dishes and wipe off all that dirt with a damp cloth.

* Waste bin deodorization.
You can also use lemon zest to deodorize the most unpleasant place - trash cans - and give your kitchen a fresh flavor. This, by the way, is a good last use of lemon after using any of these tips.

* Polishing chrome surfaces.
Mineral deposits on chrome-plated faucets, as well as on other surfaces made of this metal, can be easily removed with lemon. Rub this surface with a squeezed half of lemon, rinse and lightly polish with a soft cloth.

* Copper surface polishing.
A lemon half dipped in salt or baking soda can be used to clean and freshen copper, brass, and stainless steel cookware. It is necessary to rub the contaminated place with such a half of lemon and leave for 5 minutes. Then the dishes should be rinsed with warm water and polished dry.

* Cleaning stainless steel sinks.
Use the same method as for cleaning chrome surfaces.

* Repelling insects.
If uninvited guests have settled in your house - cockroaches, ants, moths, fleas - put the zest at the doors, window sills, in cracks and crevices.
These insects cannot stand the citrus scent.

* Making a scented humidifier.
If in winter the air in your home is dried up by heating, a lemon will again come to the rescue. Fill the crockery with water, put the lemon zest in the water and place on the stove. After boiling, reduce heat to low and leave it there for a while. The air will be humidified and filled with a fresh scent.

* Refresh the cutting board.
Due to its low pH, lemon has antibacterial properties, making it an excellent cleaner for many kitchen surfaces, including cutting boards. After disinfection, rub the surface of the board with half a lemon, let it sit for a few minutes and rinse.

For beauty...

* Use for the skin.
You can add radiance to your skin. To do this, simply wipe the skin over your face. Citric acid stimulates cell regeneration, removes the stratum corneum, brightens and refreshes the skin.
Natural fruit acids also regulate the sebaceous glands and prevent acne. Free radical activity leads to early signs of aging and age spots. The antioxidants in the peel help eliminate them.

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

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of grated lemon zest (20 g)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (5 g)
• 2 tablespoons of cucumber juice (20 ml).

How to use:

• mix lemon zest, sugar and cucumber juice until smooth,
• apply on face and leave on for 15 minutes,
• Rub the skin lightly in a circular motion, then rinse everything off with cold water.

* Lightening age spots.
Many popular recipes recommend using lemon zest to lighten age spots. To do this, place a small piece of lemon zest on the stain and let it sit for an hour.

* Softening the skin
If you notice that your skin on your elbows, heels or knees has darkened and become dry, take advantage of the emollient properties of lemon peel. Combine some baking soda, zest and citrus juice, apply to problem areas and enjoy velvety skin.

* Softening dry elbows.
Use half a lemon sprinkled with baking soda. Just dip your elbow in the lemon and twirl it for a few minutes, as if you are going to squeeze juice out of it. Then rinse your elbows and pat dry.

* Making a sugar scrub:
Combine half a cup of sugar with lemon zest and olive oil until you get a sour cream consistency.
Moisten body skin in the shower, turn off the water and massage the mixture onto the skin, then rinse.

* Lemon peeling
Dead skin cells can be removed using the alpha and beta hydroxyl acids found in lemon.
There are several recipes for making lemon peel scrubs, and some scrubs can be found ready-made in specialty stores.
You can do your own lemon peel:

• Use a grater to grate the lemon zest.
• Put 100 g of sour cream and 5-8 drops of rosemary oil in a container with zest.
• Apply the mixture to the skin and rinse after 15-20 minutes. This procedure is advised to be done 1-2 times a week.

* Strengthening nails
Use lemon zest, yellow side, to rub down the nail plates.

* Nail whitener
If you notice that your nails are yellowish and weak, then you can add a little grated lemon zest to your clear polish or manicure base. Alternatively, you can rub fresh zest directly into the nail plate before painting.

Ingredients:

• zest of 1 lemon,
• transparent varnish - 1 bottle.

How to use:

• grate lemon zest and add to a bottle of varnish,
• varnish your nails as usual.

Alternative method: Rub the white side of the peel onto the nail plates 2 times a day.

Interesting fact:

Zest was introduced as a spice only in the Middle Ages. Gourmets of Ancient Greece and Rome considered the zest unworthy of culinary use because of the unpleasant, in their opinion, taste and smell.

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

That is, in fact, all the tricks. You already knew all this, right?