Micah Stanley
Lemon essential oil gives food a delicious aroma. It also improves concentration and memory and elevates mood.
Lemon Oil: Aromatic and healing
The peel of the lemon consists of two layers, the white, spongy albedo (from Latin albus = white) and the yellow or green colored flavedo (from Latin flavus = yellow). The latter is also called lemon yellow. This layer contains numerous oil glands that contain lemon essential oil. While it is characterized by its sour taste, the essential oil provides the popular fruity lemon aroma.
The aroma in the kitchen: With lemon peel or lemon oil
Whether lemon risotto or lemon cake: To give dishes the typical citrus note, the outermost, colored layer of the fruit skin is peeled off with a peeler or zester or rubbed with a grater and then added to food and drinks.
You can also use essential lemon oil in the kitchen – a few drops are enough. Of course, it must be a high-quality essential oil that is also suitable for consumption.
The lemon oil is obtained by cold pressing the lemon peels. It takes around 3,000 fruits to produce 1 liter of lemon oil. The lemon yellow and the essential oil not only provide culinary delights but are also used in medicine. The dominant active ingredients include the antitumor limonene and the antidepressant β-pinene.
Lemon scent for the brain
If lemon oil evaporates in a fragrance or aroma lamp, a fresh and relaxed feeling quickly sets in. In the olfactory mucosa of the nose, there are certain receptors that are activated by lemon oil. In this way, impulses are sent via the nerve tracts to those regions of the brain where emotions and memories are stored. The ideal dosage is 6 to 8 drops of lemon oil (diluted with a little water) per application.
Lemon oil uplifts mood and improves concentration
Lemon oil has a mood-enhancing and revitalizing effect and is ideal for poor concentration and stress. A Japanese study showed that the error rate of people who work on computers can be reduced by 54 percent with the help of the lemon scent. Scientists from Tottori University in Japan have even shown that lemon oil in lemon juice can improve cognitive functions.
Often more effective than medication for depression
Lemon oil also helps with anxiety and depression. Researchers from Mie University School of Medicine treated 12 depressed patients with lemon oil and found that it significantly reduced the dose of antidepressants. They stated that the lemon scent was even more effective than the medication.
Antibacterial and anti-cancer
The tiny molecules of lemon oil enter the bloodstream via the mucous membranes and skin and are transported to the organs, which can benefit greatly from them. Studies have shown that lemon oil acts against free radicals, bacteria, viruses, and fungi and, due to its high limonene content, has great potential in terms of preventing and curing cancer.
Lemon Oil: Internal and external use
Internally, lemon oil is used in folk medicine, e.g. taken for infections, high blood pressure, and arthritis. The recommended dosage is up to five drops several times a day, which are added to a glass of lukewarm water or a cup of herbal tea.
Applied externally, lemon oil can be helpful for skin diseases such as eczema. Since pure essential lemon oil can cause skin irritation, you should always mix it with a carrier oil (e.g. evening primrose oil, coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, olive oil, or similar) – a maximum proportion of 2 percent should not be exceeded.
If you would like to use lemon juice therapeutically or preventively or as a cure, you will find suitable applications here:
- Lemon Garlic Cure
- lemon water
- Lemon Juice Treatment (Master Cleanse)
