Does Lemon Zest Add Anything More than a Flavour to your Dish?

What are lemon zests?

It is the yellow outer portion or peel of the lemon, which is the main contributor to the aroma and flavor that enhances the quality of food. Lemon juice and zest are different as juice has more water content, zest only adds the flavor and not the sourness of a lemon.

Lemon zests are not only a great inducer of taste but also have many benefits like-

– High nutritional value- Lemon peels are high in nutritional value, it has high amounts of fiber, and vitamin c. Not just that it also has small amounts of nutrients like magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

– Better Oral Health- lemon peels have antibacterial properties which inhibit the growth of bacteria like Streptococcus mutans which spread dental cavities and gum infections.

– High levels of antioxidants- Antioxidants help prevent cell damage and can help reduce conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It is also great for immunity.

– Antimicrobial and antifungal properties of the peel- they can fight against a fungus that is known to cause skin infections and prevents the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

– Immunity boost- due to its high vitamin c content, it improves immunity and is also helpful in fighting colds in many conditions, it also reduces the severity and duration of common colds. It also consists of flavonoids and phagocytes (found in Vitamin C) that ingest any kind of harmful compounds.

– Promotes a healthier heart- lemon zests can help reduce blood pressure and LDL which is known to be bad cholesterol and increases the HDL which is the good cholesterol while lowering blood sugar levels, the pectin which is also found in lemon zests are good at reducing the cholesterol by increasing the bile acid excretion. The flavonoids, vitamin c, and pectin all reduce the risk of heart diseases by keeping in check our high blood pressure, cholesterol, and obesity.

– Anticancer properties- Zest has several cancer-fighting properties, vitamin c is also known to increase the growth of white blood cells, which are responsible for the elimination of mutated cancer cells. D-limonene is a substance found in the lemon zest that fights well against stomach cancer.

– Can be beneficial in the treatment of gallstones- D-limonene can help treat conditions like gallstones, which are the hard deposits that develop in the gallbladder. In many of the patients, D-limonene was injected to see the effects and it successfully dissolved the gallstone, and can therefore be a good alternative to surgery if researched further upon.

Lemon zest is a naturally occurring substance and therefore is comparatively less harmful than other medications and is recognized as safe for consumption by Food and Drug Consumption.