Many Uses for Versatile Lemons
(ARA) - There is much more to squeeze out of a lemon
than just its juice. For years, this versatile fruit has
been used in households for beauty treatments, delicious
recipes, decorations and even a cleaning agent.
Here are a few ideas of things you can do with lemons to
benefit from their natural qualities.
Incorporating lemons as part of your household
decorations can offer fresh scents and bright colors to
liven up any room. Engulf your home with a soothing
citrus scent by making lemon potpourri. Bake lemon
slices on a cookie-drying rack in a 175-degree oven for
four to six hours and then add to your potpourri mix.
Even a bowl of fresh lemons will add fragrance to a room
for days!
Create a sunny centerpiece with a lemon posey. Sliced
lemons can be incorporated into a centerpiece by placing
a slightly smaller glass container into a larger vase
and sliding sliced lemons between the two containers.
Fill the smaller one with water and add your favorite
spring buds.
In addition to its aromatic fragrance, lemons also have
a more tangible quality. Lemon juice can soothe the
skin, enhance meals, and add zing to cleaning.
A touch of lemon can do wonders in the kitchen while
cooking.
Add lemon juice to rice to prevent it from sticking and
intensify its white color. Try a squeeze of lemon on
salads, steamed vegetables, soups and stews in place of
salt or butter for a low-sodium, low-fat treat.
Fresh-squeezed lemon juice can also be useful when
cooking fish. Its acidic juice will neutralize the fishy
smell and prevent the fish from sticking to the grill.
Lemon juice is also a natural tenderizer.
Lemon juice has long been recognized for its magical
cleaning properties and will make clean up healthy,
inexpensive, and fresh-smelling.
Mix lemon juice with white vinegar for quick clean-ups
around the house. Cut a lemon in half and dip it in
baking soda to scour sinks, bathtubs and cutting boards.
Or use it on its own to polish metals such as copper and
brass. The lemon juice will soften hands and toughen
nails while you clean.
Nothing can rejuvenate your senses like lemons. Lemon
and its extracts often show up in perfumes and
cosmetics. In many cultures, lemon oil is a cure-all for
a host of ailments and illnesses.
Float sliced lemons in a tub of warm water for a
refreshing and stress-reducing soak. The lemon-infused
water will soften skin, fight dandruff and strip away
soap film and excess oils.
You can even highlight your hair by using a fresh lemon
rinse. Strain lemon juice into warm water and then pour
onto wet (or dry) hair. Massage mixture into hair and
scalp and then rinse thoroughly with warm water for
beautiful, brighter hair.
And before you throw out a lemon, rub it on your nails
to whiten and strengthen them.
For more fun and functional Lemon-Aid tips, visit
Sunkist's website at www.sunkist.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
SIDEBAR:
Recipe for Citrus Spa Bath
˝ cup of Sunkist® lemon peels
˝ cup of Sunkist orange peels
2 cups milk powder
4 drops essential oils
Escape to another world with this delightful citrus
soak. Draw a bath at a temperature to your liking. When
bathtub is half full, add all of the ingredients.
Continue to run the water so that all of the ingredients
mix into the water evenly, then enjoy.
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