Facts about Lemon

Most members of the Citrus genus arose as hybrids, and the hybridized types of citrus, such as lemon (Citrus limon), may or may not be recognized as species according to different taxonomies (Krueger 2003).

Lemons and limes are also used as garnishes for drinks such as iced tea or a soft drink, with a slice either inside or on the rim of the glass.

Lemons were once used by the British Royal Navy to combat scurvy, as they provided a large amount of Vitamin C.

Lemons are very high in Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which is essential to human health.

The lemon fruit is used primarily for its juice, although the pulp and peel (rind) are also used, primarily in cooking and baking.

Lemons and limes are used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes and their juice can commonly be found in salad dressings and squeezed over cooked meat or vegetables.

Many other plants are noted to have a lemon-like taste or scent.

Lemon (Citrus Ч limon) is a hybrid of the plant genus Citrus, as well as the common name for the popular edible fruit of this small tree or spreading bush.

Marmalade, a condiment derived from cooked orange and lemon, can be especially bitter.

Lemons warmed to room temperature before squeezing (in a microwave or by leaving on a counter) increases the amount of juice that can be extracted.

Research has identified lemons in the ruins of Pompeii (Russell and Cutler 2004).

The electricity generated may also be used to power a motor to move the lemons (on wheels) like a car or truck.

Lemons also make a good short-term preservative, commonly used on sliced apples.

Some sources state that lemons contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties (GMF 2007).

The origin of the name "lemon" is through Persian (???? Limu ), akin to the Sanskrit nimbuka.

At the end of the twelfth century, Ibn Jami', personal physician to the Muslim leader Saladin, wrote a treatise on the lemon, after which it is mentioned with greater frequency in literature of the Mediterranean.

Only lemons, however, are used in the Italian liqueur Limoncello.

Astringent citrus, such as lemons and limes, are generally not eaten on their own.

Storing lemons at room temperature for long periods makes them more vulnerable to mold.

Both lemons and limes are regularly served as lemonade or limeade by diluting the juices of these fruits and adding sugar.

On a lemon tree, flowers and ripe fruits can be found at the same time (Lanzara and Pizetti 1978).

Depictions of citrus trees appear in Roman mosaics of North Africa, but the first unequivocal description of the lemon is found in the early tenth-century Arabic treatise on farming by Qustus al-Rumi.

A wedge of lemon is also often used to add flavor to water.

The peel of the lemon is used to make commercial pectin.

Lemon oil or the essential oil is used in perfumes, cosmetics, and furniture polish.

Commercially, lemons are commonly picked while green and ripened in cool, dark rooms.

Several other plants have a similar taste to lemons.

Lemons can be processed to extract oils and essences.

Lemons and other citrus fruits contain amounts of different chemicals that are thought to have some health benefits.

Lemons also contain significant amounts of citric acid—this is why they have a low pH and a sour taste.

Among non-culinary purposes are the use of lemon oil in perfumes, cosmetics, and furniture polish and the tree for aesthetic purposes.

Lemon juice is about five percent acid, which gives lemons a sour taste and a pH of 2 to 3.

The use and cultivation of the lemon, by the Cantonese (Southern Barbarians) is noted in the early twelfth century.

Historically, lemons have been utilized in a number of non-culinary purposes, including as an epilepsy remedy, an invisible ink, and a bleaching agent (Herbst 2001).

Limonins found in lemons could also be anti-carcinogens.

Among them are cymbopogon (lemon grass), lemon balm, lemon thyme, lemon verbena, scented geraniums, certain cultivars of basil, and certain cultivars of mint.

A lemon tree can grow up to ten meters (33 feet), but they are usually smaller.

Lemon myrtle is popular in foods that curdle with lemon juice, such as cheesecake and ice cream.

The crushed and dried leaves and edible essential oils have a strong, sweet lemon taste, but contain no citric acid.

Lemon fruit are oval and can range from about the size of a large egg to a small grapefruit (Herbst 2001).

Lemon juice is used to relieve the pain of bee stings, though the juice does not have any antibiotic effects.

Lemon juice is typically squeezed onto fish dishes—the acidic juice neutralizes the taste of amines in fish by converting them to nonvolatile ammonium salts.

A common school experiment involving lemons is to attach electrodes and use them as a battery to power a light.

A lemon tree can grow up to ten meters (33 feet), but they are usually smaller.