Lemon – The small wonder!

Did you know that lemon was the gift to the world from India/South Asia? Even today, India is the largest producer of lemons. Lime is something that we consume directly (lemon juice, for example) and indirectly (cooking, garnishing, etc). Let us learn some interesting and useful things about lemon, in this article.

Source: Wikimedia Image by Aka and it is published under this Creative Commons License.

It seems, lemon is a fruit and not a vegetable (I was pretty confused about this one!). My first encounter with a lemon tree (lemon plant, actually) was when some of our relatives gave some big lemons and asked us to sow the seeds in the garden, as that variety of lemon was rare (and big). Since we were kids then, we enthusiastically went and put it in our small garden. Surprise – One seed grew into a rather big lemon plant!

I can’t really take much credit for that lemon plant because our garden was directly under a water tank overflow line and the plants were mostly watered due to our watchman’s negligence! The lemon plant took its revenge – We stayed in that house for about 4-5 years after planting it, but got no lemons whatsoever! I later learned that lemon plants take 6-8 years to give fruits. Tough luck!

That lemon plant had thorns, leaves smell lemony when you cut them and lemon plants give white flowers? I have not even seen a single lemon flower from that plant! It seems lemon trees can grow up to 15-20 feet. Our lemon plant was not even 5 feet, when we left!

It seems lemons are initially green in colour (I have seen such lemons in shops) and then they become yellow when they ripe. But lemons that ripen in the tree are more nutritious, especially when consumed immediately after they are plucked. Also, if you want to store lemons (intact with its nutrition), you need to fill up water in an earthen pot, put lemons in it and close it. It is not advisable to eat raw lemon extract (without mixing it with water or honey) as it is bad for health.

Lemons are very rich source of Vitamin C and Potassium (among others). The thin white skin inside the yellow thicker skin is a good source of Vitamin B, it seems. Lemons help reduce body heat in summer, keep sports persons/people doing physical work active/fresh during hot months and are used in a lot of medicines.

Lemons can be consumed in any season. Lemon is the source for manufacturing citric acid, which is used to preserve soft drinks, pickles, jams, marmalades, etc for a long period.

I am familiar with lemons being consumed/used in the following ways:

  • Lime juice, Lemonades (made using fresh lime)
  • Vegetable salad dressing
  • Sprinkled on onions and used as an appetizer
  • Lemon rice
  • Lime pickle
  • Pav bhaji (bhaji is sprinkled with onions and lemon)
  • Cleaning cookware

You can add some more – I am not sure how it is used while cooking. So, when you want to drink a carbonated soft-drink next time, consider having a fresh lemon juice/lemonade with sugar, salt or sugar+salt (my favorite), instead. It’s much more healthier!

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26 thoughts on “Lemon – The small wonder!

  1. kanagu

    The smell of the lemon itself is interesting and likable. More than anything I love the juice made out of it.

    I don’t think I can add more to what you have written. At times people use it to get rid of hard stains from clothes and vessels.

    1. Rajesh K

      Smell of the lemon is strong, and we get to like it if it is not too close. I love lemon juice. I used to love lemon soda, but these days I am not having it because I feel that carbonated water is not good for health.

      Destination Infinity

  2. My Era

    I am a huge fan of freshly made lemonade (lemon juice + sugar +water).
    Thank you for this refreshing post with so much information about lemons….loved the picture!

    1. Rajesh K

      I got that picture in wikimedia commons. Its a simple pic, but still looks attractive. I was initially tempted to take two lemons and click them in the exact same way, but then decided against it. There is something with professional photographers as they make simple things look so good!

      Destination Infinity

  3. Avada Kedavra

    Lemon juice is one of my favourite drinks.. very informative article DI.. I didnt know that it was a fruit!

    1. Rajesh K

      We get lemons in vegetable shops, so we might think of it as a vegetable. But it should be a citrus fruit, I guess.

      Destination Infinity

  4. Susan Deborah

    When did you become Wikipedia!?!?!?

    Just seeing the lemon’s picture, my mouth and mind started working on the tangy taste.

    A song for you:
    Lemon Tree
    When I was just a lad of ten, my father said to me,
    “Come here and take a lesson from the lovely lemon tree.”
    “Don’t put your faith in love, my boy”, my father said to me,
    “I fear you’ll find that love is like the lovely lemon tree.”

    Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
    But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.
    Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
    But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

    One day beneath the lemon tree, my love and I did lie
    A girl so sweet that when she smiled the stars rose in the sky.
    We passed that summer lost in love beneath the lemon tree
    The music of her laughter hid my father’s words from me:

    Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
    But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.
    Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
    But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

    One day she left without a word. She took away the sun.
    And in the dark she left behind, I knew what she had done.
    She’d left me for another, it’s a common tale but true.
    A sadder man but wiser now I sing these words to you:

    Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
    But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.
    Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
    But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

    Joy always,
    Susan

    1. Rajesh K

      LOL. I appreciate the fact that a lady is sharing this poem 😛

      I am trying to beat Wikipedia in its own game. So, Wiki, beware of DI 😀

      Destination Infinity

  5. Ashwathy

    I always make sure when I buy Dettol handwash or even Vim liquid wash….I take the lemon flavoured one. Just for the smell 🙂

    1. Rajesh K

      There is a lemony dettol handwash is it? I was not aware, otherwise I would have bought it by now! I too buy lemon shaving cream, lemon flavored coconut oil, etc. The lemony smell is just lovely!! 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  6. ruchi jain

    i daily drink lemon juice..

    1. Rajesh K

      I should also drink lemon juice regularly. I am planning for it, lets see. Thanks for the inspiration…

      Destination Infinity

  7. Sandhya Kumar

    Very useful and interesting information about lemon. My neighbour has got a lemon tree and during the season, I make lemon, jaggery and ginger mix juice with a bit of kaala namak which is very good for health. We should avoid sugar as much as possible.

    We use the leaves also for a type of pickle. Naraththai yele podi. You can get it at Ambika appalam store. I like it for thayir saadam!

    1. Rajesh K

      I don’t like to eat lemon pickle, even for curd rice. I don’t know why, I have always thought that the taste was very strong.

      So, jaggery and ginger are added directly into the lemon juice or do you powder it before adding?

      Destination Infinity

      1. Sandhya Kumar

        It is a little bit elaborate. Let me write in my blog swaadhist. It is very nice.

      2. Rajesh K

        Do share the link once you have written the post.

        Destination Infinity

  8. Reema

    lemon juice is an important component in marination of any non veg item. also the best lemon is the “gandharaj lebu” as we call it in Bengali..the smell!! awesome!!

    1. Rajesh K

      gandharaj lebu? I will remember this name (or refer to this place) when I visit Kolkatta 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  9. Sapna

    Interesting! We have a lemon plant @ home but never thought abt it so much.

    1. Rajesh K

      You too have a lemon plant? Did it give any lemons till now? 🙂

      Destination Infinity

  10. Rahul Aggarwal

    the only thing i thought of adding to the post on seeing the title was that it reminded me of the famous song “a lemon tree” !!!

    quite an informative post i must say !

    rahul

    1. Rajesh K

      Yeah, I got that lemon tree song as a search result when I was trying to get some info on lemons. Especially in youtube.

      Destination Infinity

  11. Vaish

    And to add to lemon’s glory, Lemons are natural cleansing agent for your skin. I use lemons to wipe my skin particularly face and hands..and leave for few mins for it to dry – they will be a bit itchy. But after you wash off, you can feel the softness and glowing skin. Even the dirts and dryness comes off.
    And also Lemon Rasam – which tastes heavenly!
    Love lemon in any form!

    1. Rajesh K

      I too like lemon rasam. I like pineapple rasam also, for that matter 🙂 I did come across lemons being used to make skin glow, but forgot to add it.

      Destination Infinity

  12. Nancy

    Wow there’s something called lemon rasam…. never hrd of it :-o. Loved the post & the comment section, both were equally informative :-P.
    I use lemon in all the way u mentioned above except for the cleaning cookware. Must try that. And I’d like to add one more use for lemon…..errr when I felt pukish[I used to have a problem in moving vehicles], my mum used to give me a lemon to smell….it sort refreshed me 😀

    1. Nancy

      And here’s one of my favourite sayings….
      “When life gives you lemons; ask for tequila and salt ~ Anonymous”

      Not that I drink but the saying is nice no 😀

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