There is also a risk of pushing bacteria from the skin into the fruit, especially if you're pulling peel from an orange or slicing through a lemon for example. To be safe, no matter how you are eating your citrus fruits, it's always a good choice to give them a thorough clean.
Even though oranges, lemons and limes aren't part of the dirty dozen fruits and vegetables, you should still wash citrus—even if you aren't going to use or eat any of the peel. You want to make sure that no bacteria gets into the fruit as you're cutting it up.
The juice you can squeeze from each lemon varies. On the average, you can expect 3 tablespoons of juice from one lemon and about 1 1/2 teaspoons of grated peel. Also, wash lemons before using them. This is especially important when you are using the peel.
Even with organically grown produce (which I strongly recommend), it's important to clean fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating. All food has been handled by people on the way to the store or farmers market, and people sometimes make mistakes.
Servers, bartenders, and kitchen staff, all handle those chopped lemons at some point. Each person who handles the lemons could potentially introduce bacteria or other contaminants. Another issue is that lemons have porous rinds that are not typically washed or cleaned before they are sliced or cut.
Fruits, including citrus fruits, are the main contributors to overall dietary exposure to pesticide residues. Several studies have shown that lemon fruits contain numerous as well as high amounts of registered or unregistered pesticide residues [15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22].
The US Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture and other scientists agree: use a cold water soak with baking soda to effectively help remove dirt, chemical residue, and other unwanted materials from your fresh vegetables and fruits.
Drinking warm lemon water will make sure that your digestive system functions smoothly. The citric acid present in lemon will keep digestive problems at bay. It will interact with the other essential enzymes in your stomach and stimulate the secretion of gastric juices.
Pour boiling water over lemons in a colander to break up the wax with heat. Then scrub the lemons under cool water and pat them dry with a towel. Microwave the lemons for 10-20 seconds to soften the wax. Then scrub it away with a brush or sponge under cool water, and pat the lemons dry.
Unwaxed lemons are ideal for slicing and adding to drinks or using as a garnish and when the zest is required. If a recipe uses lemon juice waxed lemons are the best choice. If you prefer to use unwaxed lemons but only waxed are available, simply lightly scrub the peel first to remove the wax.
Storing lemons in the fridge is a great way to extend their shelf life. And if you want to keep lemons fresh for longer than a week, you'll definitely want to refrigerate them.
And although no citrus item makes the dozen, EWG notes that more than 90 percent of citrus fruits had toxic pesticides on them when tested.
If you see very shiny citrus in the supermarket, it has probably been treated with wax. Most food-grade wax is made with carnauba wax. This is sourced from the leaves of a South American palm tree. It is non-toxic and apparently edible.
The Good News. None of these chemicals are approved for use in organic produce, so IF you can find (and afford) organic lemons, oranges, and grapefruits, you don't have to worry about them.
Lemon skin acts as a host for harmful germs
Restaurants often put lemon wedges in lemon-based drinks. However, various studies prove that lemons contain microorganisms that may cause dangerous diseases. To reduce the risks, it is advisable to squeeze the lemon into your drink instead of adding lemon skins to it.
How do you know when a lemon is bad? Lemons that have gone bad will feel soft and squishy. They may have a slimy outer skin instead of a bright yellow rind. Lemons that have gone bad may also appear shriveled and wrinkled or have a powdered and dusty surface that's gray, blue, or green in color.
Lemon juice and vinegar also make a great degreaser, so the next time you're facing a greasy stovetop, you know what to do. Mix 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 2 cups of white vinegar in a spray bottle to make your own degreasing kitchen spray. Simply spritz and wipe up with a rag or paper towels.
Lemons and other fruits are waxed to maintain their appearance and freshness. In addition to shellac, made from a resin secreted by the female lac bug, waxes may be made from beeswax, which is also not strictly vegan.
So why is Coke sometimes served with lemon? A slice of lemon is added to a Coke to make it taste fresher by adding an extra citrusy taste; it can significantly boost the flavor profile of Coca-Cola.