A guide to lemons: what you need to know about the multi-purpose fruit

Ideal for flavouring everything from fish to vegetables to tea, lemons are one of the most widely used of all citrus fruits. Here are some healthy ways to use lemons at home.

Sweetened, diluted and chilled, fresh lemonade is an old-fashioned summer thirst quencher.

• It's also an excellent source of vitamin C; 250 millilitres (one cup) of lemon juice has about 55 milligrams of vitamin C, or more than 70 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adult women.
• Lemons also provide vitamin B and antioxidants.
• Lemons have also been said to boost the immune system.

• To get the most juice, place a lemon in warm water before squeezing.
• Many recipes call for fresh lemon zest, the grated outer peel, which offers a great, strong flavour. The zest is rich in an antioxidant chemical called rutin, which helps strengthen the walls of veins and capillaries.
• Because lemons are often sprayed with fungicides to retard mold growth and pesticides to kill insects, wash them thoroughly before grating the peel.
• Select lemons that have not been waxed (wax may seal in fungicides).
• Lemon peels contain limonene, an oil that can irritate the skin in susceptible persons.
• Limonene is being studied for its anti-tumour activity and may prove useful against breast cancer.

• A small amount of lemon juice (15 millilitres or one tablespoon) in 250 millilitres (one cup) of honey-sweetened hot water or tea is a popular sore throat or cough remedy.
• Licking a lemon or sipping unsweetened diluted lemon juice can stimulate saliva flow in people who have a dry mouth. This remedy should be used in ­moderation, however, since the high acidity of plain lemon can damage tooth enamel.
• Lemon juice also serves as a digestive aid.

Lemons are frequently used in cooking and simple home remedies. Keep this guide in mind and incorporate lemons into your healthy diet for the best results.