The unique properties of lemon are known to everyone. It is famous for its high content of vitamins and minerals, is an excellent means of prevention in the cold season. In addition, it is used in cooking to give dishes a unique taste. However, to get the most out of citrus, you need to know how to choose a lemon.
The benefits of citrus
Lemon contains many useful components necessary for the human body. It is especially appreciated for its high content of vitamin C. In addition, citrus saturates the body with other vitamins:
- A;
- Group B (except B12);
- E;
- PP and others
The fruit is also valued for the content of minerals: calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese. Thanks to the thick peel, all useful substances remain for a long time after the citrus has been removed from the tree.
How to use lemons
Lemon is a fruit that every good housewife has in the refrigerator. After all, its application is diverse. First of all, the fruit is eaten fresh, it is added in the process of preparing various fish, meat dishes, confectionery products, and used as an additive to tea.
However, citrus will be useful not only in cooking:
- Lemon juice is an excellent tool for removing stains from clothes, lightening the skin. It is also used to give shine to hair, strengthen nails.
- Small doses of citrus improve digestion, contribute to weight loss.
- Lemon zest is successfully used for respiratory diseases.
- Lemon is a fruit that is used to eliminate the symptoms of a cold. In combination with hot drinks it helps to reduce the temperature, fights with drowsiness and lethargy.
Everyone understands that not all lemons that are offered to us in the market and in supermarkets will be useful and will allow us to saturate the body with the necessary substances. Given that most of the fruits are brought to our country from abroad, and this does not always allow us to preserve their freshness and avoid damage, you need to know how to choose the right lemon in the store.
Features of choice
Most often in the Russian market you can find lemons of the Eureka variety. Such fruits are of medium size, oblong shape, light yellow or saturated yellow shades, without a large number of seeds. Citruses have a not very thick skin, juicy flesh, have a fairly acidic taste.
Less commonly found are citrus fruits from Georgia and Uzbekistan. The Tashkent variety is the most popular - large orange-yellow fruits, which have a thin peel, juicy pulp and a mild flavor.
The only indicator that you are guided by when choosing a product of any grade is the peel. By its color, texture and appearance in general, one can understand whether such a fruit will be useful or whether it is better to refuse to buy it.
Color
Before choosing a lemon, pay attention to the color of its peel. Bright shades are not always a sign of ripeness. How mature is the fetus can be understood by evaluating the luster of the skin. Unripe citrus will have a matte surface, and the peel of ripe fruit will shine. If there is no need to use the fetus immediately, you can choose immature specimens. They will be stored longer under the right conditions.
Dimensions
The size and shape of the fruit depends on the type of tree. These indicators do not affect the quality of citrus. Therefore, a larger fruit will not necessarily be better.
Density
To understand how ripe the fruit is, press on the peel with your fingers to determine its elasticity. About the maturity of the fetus says the rapid disappearance of a dent. If the surface of the citrus does not respond well, then it is not mature enough. If after pressing the skin does not return to its original form, the fruit is soft, most likely, it is overripe and is unlikely to benefit you.
Skin thickness
How to choose a lemon by this parameter, if it is difficult to determine the thickness of the skin by eye. To do this is quite possible. In a pachyderm, the surface is hilly and coarser. Smooth and delicate citrus most likely has thin skin. Thanks to the thick peel, the beneficial properties of the product are preserved better. However, thin skin is a sign that the tree has begun to bear fruit recently, so they are distinguished by a large number of vitamins. Therefore, focus on your preferences.
The presence of defects
It is better to refuse to buy fruits with black spots or dark spots. Such defects indicate that the lemon was frozen during transport or storage.
Tricks of the sellers
Particular attention should be paid when buying fruits in opaque individual packaging, as well as those sold in sets with other fruits. Most often, such methods are used by unscrupulous sellers in order to sell low-quality or old lemons. The price of the fetus will not differ from the cost of a good product. Also, in addition to the expiration date, it is advisable to inquire about the harvest date, which will help to choose not only a high-quality fruit, but also give an idea about the content of vitamin C. As you know, its amount decreases if citrus has been stored for a long time.
How to properly store and use the fetus
Little to know how to choose a lemon. It should also be noted that improper storage will lead to the fact that the beneficial qualities of the fetus will be lost. Therefore, it is worth listening to some tips:
- do not freeze citrus;
- for storage of fresh lemons, the bottom shelf or refrigerator door is most suitable;
- the cut fruit should not be used if it has been stored for more than a day;
- to remove the bitterness in taste, pour boiling water over the fruit.
Before using lemon, it must be thoroughly washed. The surface of the fruit is often treated with compounds that contain wax or paraffin. Also, these products may include antifungal supplements and preservatives, the use of which will not bring benefits to the human body. Therefore, you should rinse the fruits with hot water, using a special brush for greater efficiency. It is also allowed to use soap or a product specially designed for such purposes.
There is one way to help determine if the fetus has been treated with chemicals or not. To do this, apply a napkin to the citrus. If traces of essential oils remain on it, then the lemon was not treated with chemistry.
How beautifully cut a lemon
Lemons are used not only to give an exquisite taste to dishes or to treat colds, but also to decorate the table.
You can use a simple method of slicing. To do this, you must:
- Wash citrus.
- Peel it. To do this, you can use the usual grater with small holes, on which citrus is rubbed until it is peeled from all sides.
- Cut the fruit into thin circles. They, in turn, cut into slices, which are laid out on a dish with a zigzag.
To cut fruit in an original and beautiful way, use the cannulation knife and a small sharp kitchen knife.
Using the first tool, make longitudinal grooves in the citrus peel, then cut it into thin rings with a sharp knife.
You can also decorate the dish with a spiral of lemon, for this you need:
- Cut citrus into circles (no more than five millimeters thick).
- Make a cut from the center of the circle along the radius.
- Expand the edges in different directions, put a slice of citrus in the form of a spiral on a dish.
- Decorate the folds of the spiral with olives or cherries.