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The Top 12 Products You Can Replace With Lemons Tuesday, September 09, 2008 by: Neil McLaughlin (see all articles by this author)

(NaturalNews) Those looking for ways to both save money and improve their health should consider using more lemons. Lemons offer a substitute for so many products that a person can save hundreds of dollars per year just by switching. Using lemons allows one to avoid dozens of toxic chemicals and to reduce the amount of plastic in landfills and water supplies. Lemons also provide an alternative to many "antibacterial" products that contribute to breeding "super" bugs.

Lemon - Citrus Limon (Rutaceae).

Lemon contains vitamin C and (when fresh) has an alkalizing effect on the system. Lemon relieves stomach discomfort and removes gallstones (when mixed with olive oil). Consuming lemon helps prevent osteoarthritis, diabetes, atherosclerosis and kidney stones. Lemon juice has antibacterial, antiseptic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Lemon contains the perfect balance of sugar and oil for optimal skin health both internally and externally.

Below are some of the most popular uses for lemons.

1) Digestive Aid - Adding lemon juice to green vegetables like broccoli allows up to 50% more calcium to be absorbed from the vegetable. This is due to the chemistry between the citric acid in the lemon and the minerals contained in the vegetable, which are then more easily extracted during digestion.

2) Antiseptic –Fresh squeezed lemon juice can be immediately applied after a cut is sustained. It will sting momentarily but prevents skin infections while promoting faster healing and killing bacteria.

3) Deodorant – Instead of masking odor with toxic fragrances or clogging the pores with aluminum (that has been implicated with Alzheimer's disease) to reduce perspiration, fresh-squeezed lemon juice used as a substitute actually kills the bacteria that causes odor "i.e. lemon fresh". This provides 6-8 hours of odor protection.

4) After Shave Lotion – No shave is complete without applying lemon juice. A natural astringent, lemon helps tighten pores and helps treat nicks and abrasions.

5) Anti-Inflammatory Agent - Lemon juice helps reduce inflammation and can treat dandruff and dry scalp. Applying a cold lemon wedge to the skin is useful to treat burns.

6) Acne Medication – Lemon juice kills bacteria and balances the skin, so it can be used to treat acute acne and rashes, however chronic acne is generally a sign of a toxic liver, likely caused by poor diet.

7) Household Cleaner – Fresh lemon juice is a substitute for all-purpose household cleaner, especially for cleaning the sink or counter tops. Throw the used lemon rinds in the garbage disposal to make it lemon-fresh. Lemon juice is also an effective laundry stain remover.

8) Scour Pad – A half-lemon can be used to scrub tough-to-clean areas like the stove top. It should be followed with a towel to remove pulp.

9) Sore Throat Treatment – Fresh lemon juice (especially when mixed with honey) is a highly effective treatment for sore throats, providing soothing relief along with antibacterial action and concentrated nutrition.

10) Air Freshener – Simmering lemon rinds on the stovetop will deodorize the kitchen.

11) Soft Drink – One of the healthiest drinks is the easiest to make –- fresh squeezed lemonade is a great substitute for canned and bottled soda and juice. Lemon juice contains vitamin C and citric acid. Agave nectar and stevia are the healthiest sugar substitutes.

12) Condiment – Adding fresh-squeezed lemon juice to food not only adds flavor, but it kills food-borne bacteria. Lemon juice helps reduce the risk of food borne illnesses and has preservative effects. This is especially important when traveling.

In the old days volumes of information were published about lemons, however food and drug manufacturers prefer that people use lots of more expensive, more toxic and likely petroleum based products instead.

Only fresh lemons are effective as the juice lasts only for a few hours. Fresh limes and grapefruit can be used as (somewhat less effective) substitutes for lemons, while oranges contain too much sugar for external use.

Recipe for Homemade Lemonade

Homemade lemonade is a sustainable product if the rinds are composted. Consider that producing one liter of processed orange juice requires 250 liters of water and 1/2 liter of gasoline! Also, bottled and canned juice is pasteurized and thus void of any enzyme content, providing a negligible amount of nutrition.

Ingredients:

* 4-8 fresh, organic lemons (locally grown if possible)
* 8 cups filtered water (ideally distilled)
* (option 1) 2-4 Tbsp organic sugar
* (option 2) 4-8 tsp agave nectar
* (option 3) 2-4 packets (about 1 tsp) stevia

Instructions:

* Warm water (or use from distiller when it is freshly made).
* Squeeze lemons (amount based on your preference) through strainer to filter out seeds.
* Combine lemon juice with sweetener (the citric acid dissolves the sugar so it won't settle).
* Add water and mix well.
* Refrigerate 2 hours.



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