We've all got a tiny bottle of lemon juice sitting in the fridge. I think I bought mine to make a pasta salad of some sort a while ago and I've never touched it since. If I'm baking, I prefer using real lemons instead of the bottled juice, so the little bottle is basically collecting dust.
But then I realized there are ways to use lemon juice that don't involve cooking or baking, so I don't have to waste the stuff I bought!
1. Weight Loss
Everyone has a few extra pounds they wouldn't mind shedding, and lemon juice can help with that. Pectin, a soluble fiber proven to help with weight loss, is found in the sour stuff, so adding a little lemon juice to your water can increase your chances of losing weight.
It's also suggested that lemons can slow down your body ability to absorb sugar, which is never a bad thing.
2. Sore Throat
Ever wonder why cough syrups and lozenges are often lemon flavored? That's because lemon is a naturally pain reliever when it comes to sore throats. Mixing lemon juice with honey is a great way to naturally relieve a sore or itchy throat.
3. Bug Bites
Summer is the season of mosquito bites, and those suckers are near impossible to stop itching. Luckily, lemon juice can help. Mixing the juice with cornstarch until it forms a paste has been proven to stop the irritants that cause your skin to itch. Spread the paste on the affected area and you'll feel instant relief!
4. Digestion
Even if you're not trying to lose weight, staying "regular" is important for your digestion. Mix some lemon juice with flaxseeds to help your body digest food quickly and keep things moving in your digestive tract.
5. Kidney Stones
No, it won't cause kidney stones, but lemon juice can help prevent them! The painful stones are caused by a build up of calcium in your kidneys, but drinking half a cup of lemon juice in a day can help. Lemon juice increases the citrate levels in your urine, which an help combat the formation of kidney stones.
6. Anticancer Properties
It's too far to say drinking lemon juice will prevent you from getting cancer, but studies have shown that citrus liminoids can protect your cells from amassing too much damage over time. If your cells are less damaged, it's less likely for cancer cells to form.
7. Fevers
A nasty fever can set you back physically and emotionally, and it feels like it will never end. Thankfully, there is a lemon juice mixture that can help break your fever so you can get back to normal.
Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 1/2 cups warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon honey and drink it slowly. This will help boost your immune system to fight the fever.
8. pH Levels
A healthy body needs to be balanced and in homeostasis, and even though lemon juice seems very acidic, it can help balance everything out.
9. Potassium
Potassium is something we need every day, and most of us think bananas are the best way to get it. However, lemon juice is high in the mineral as well, and can keep your heart healthy and regulate your blood pressure.
10. Alertness
Most of us start our morning with a cup of coffee (I know I sure do!) but lemon juice has been shown to be equally as effective. Studies show that the scent of lemon can increase your alertness and ability to concentrate, so it could be worth switching out one of your daily coffees to some warm lemon water or tea!
