Interesting Facts About Lemons You Should Know

Interesting Facts About Lemons You Should Know

Lemons are a species of small evergreen tree native to Asia.
Lemons are rich in vitamin C.
Lemons are a hybrid between a sour orange and a citron.
Lemon trees produce fruit all year round.
Lemon trees can produce more than 500lbs of lemons every year.
The high acidity of lemons makes them good cleaning aids.
Lemon zest, grated rinds, is often used in baking.
Lemon tree leaves can be used to make tea.
Arizona and California produces most of the United States’ lemon crop.
The most common types of lemons are the Eureka, Meyer and Lisbon lemons.




When we were kids, our first introduction to lemons wasn't so good. But now that we're all grown up, we actually like the tasty tangy flavour it adds additional taste to our recipes for chicken, cookies Etc, but most importantly, cocktails.
But now our bonding with lemons has moved from the kitchen to the bathroom, as we incorporate this citrus fruit (lemon) into our beauty regimen. Lemons are a great source of Calcium, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium -- minerals and antioxidants that improve the appearance and condition of our skin, hair and nails.
So here are the awesome uses for lemons you should know.
Lemons for acne and blackheads. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of lemon make them a natural alternative to treat acne. Simply slice open a lemon and rub it across your face. Or you can add a few drops of honey to a lemon half before applying it directly to the affected area where you have blackheads. Wait 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing off with cold water.

Teeth whitener.

Professional treatments for Teeth whitening can cost a fortune. Save your money and time with a homemade teeth whitener using lemon juice and baking soda. Mix the two ingredients into a solution and put onto your teeth with a Q-tip. Leave on for less than one minute (the acid is strong enough to break down tooth enamel) and gently scrub off with your toothbrush.

Get rid of oily skin.

To get oil free skin we do some pretty weird ways to bring down the glow on our faces, including costly medicines. But swing a cotton swab with a little lemon juice is just as effective. Try doing this before going to bed and wash your face the next morning to prevent oily skin.




They fade dark spots and blemishes. 

Ugly Acne scars and marks are embarrassing and a pain to get rid of. Lemon juice's citric acid gradually fades spots and you will get back your even tone. Be cautious of open wounds or cuts on the face, as it can sting real bad.

Strengthen nails.

There are so many nail hardeners on the shelves at your local medical store, but you can get the same results – that to naturally – by using lemon juice and olive oil. The solution will not only condition weak and fragile nails, but it will also whiten yellowing nails.





Brighten your hair colour. 

The cheapest way to brighten your hair colour. Mix 1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice and 3/4 cup of water in spray bottle. Sprits lemon water onto your hair but do not saturate scalp. Leave mixture on your hair for 2 hours, spending not less than 30 minutes in the sun. Be sure not to get lemon juice on your skin before going in the sunlight. Repeat these steps at least once a week, and you will notice that your hair is significantly lighter.

Lemons cleanse the face and body.

Lemon will deep cleanse the excessive sebum build up on the skin which attracts dirt and bacteria. Lemon is also one of nature’s best astringents and will tone the skin without drying. If you're not sure about what's skulking inside your favorite face or body wash, you can always be certain with a homemade cleanser made out of lemon juice, yogurt and an essential oil like lavender or chamomile. Massage this on to remove dirt and bacteria, while moisturizing your skin at the same time.

They soothe cracked lips.

Another overnight beauty treatment that only requires slicing open a lemon is an exfoliate for cracked lips. Rub the fruit onto your pucker, and then wash off the next morning. The lemon juice will remove any dead skin cells so that your lipstick goes on super smooth.

Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/lemon-beauty-benefits_n_3743905

Interesting facts About Honey

Interesting facts About Honey

Here are the health benefits of one of the oldest sweeteners on earth, And some interesting facts, some great recipes and a few cautions.To make honey Bees swallow, digest and regurgitate nectar; this nectar contains almost six hundred compounds. We need our bees, so let’s do everything we can to save them and keep them alive here on this planet.
Honey is so good we have included it in our list of foods that should be in your kitchen right now.

Top 10 Health Benefits of Honey

1. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal

“All honey is antibacterial and antifungal, because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂),” said Peter Molan, director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

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2. Prevent cancer and heart disease

Honey contains antioxidants and flavonoids which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease.

3. Increase athletic performance

Ancient Olympic athletes would eat honey and dried figs to enhance their performance and energy levels. This has now been verified with modern science, showing that it is superior in maintaining glycogen levels and improving recovery time when compare to other sweeteners.

4. Reduce mouth ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems

Research shows that honey treatment may help disorders such as ulcers and bacterial gastrointestinal problems. This may be related to the other benefit.

5. Reduce cough and throat infections

Honey fight with coughs, particularly buckwheat honey. In a study of 105 kids, a single dose of buckwheat honey was just as effective as a single dose of dextromethorphan in relieving nocturnal cough and allowing proper sleep.

6. Balance the 5 elements

Since 4000 years, Honey has been using in ayurvedic medicines in India and is considered to affect all three of the body’s primitive material imbalances positively. It is also said to be useful in improving weight loss, eyesight, curing impotence and urinary tract disorders, premature ejaculation, bronchial asthma, diarrhea, and nausea.

Honey is called as “Yogavahi” since it has a quality of penetrating the deepest tissues of the body. When honey is used with other herbal preparations, it adds the medicinal qualities of those preparations and also helps them to reach the deeper tissues.

7. Blood sugar regulation

Even though honey contains simple sugars, it is NOT the same as white sugar which we use or artificial sweeteners. Its exact combination of glucose and fructose actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. Some honeys have a low hypoglycemic index, so they don’t push your blood sugar.

8. Heal wounds and burns

Studies have shown that honey to be very successful in healing wounds. External application of honey has been shown to be most effective as conventional treatment with silver sulfadiazine. It is speculated that the drying effect of the simple sugars and honey’s antibacterial nature combine to create this effect.

9. Probiotic

Some varieties of honey owns large amounts of friendly bacteria. This includes up to six species of lactobacilli and four species of bifid bacteria. This may explain many of the “mysterious therapeutic properties of honey.”

10. Strengthen the immune system

According to a study at the School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
Manuka honey is a favorite of mine. Manuka Honey has been found to stimulate the production of immune cells.

Extra!

For Beautiful skin

Its anti-bacterial qualities are particularly useful for the skin, and, when used with the other ingredients, can also be moisturizing and nourishing! For a home beauty treatment for which you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen already.

Different honeys have different flavonoid profiles, depending on the floral source of the nectar. The most beneficial honeys for the body are Manuka and buckwheat.

Different Types of Honey

• Manuka honey strengthens the immune system. pure Manuka Honey harvested from the remote hills, forest, and coastal areas of New Zealand.
• Buckwheat is also good for the immune system  and as a healthier alternative to cough syrup.
• Wildflower – Topanga Quality Wildflower Honey is raw, unfiltered and unpasturized. Kosher too.
• Alfalfa – Stockin's unheated and unfiltered raw Alfalfa honey is made in Saskatchewan, Canada from Alfalfa Blossoms.
• Black Locust has the lowest glycemic index (32) of all of the honeys.
  Raw Locust Honey by the Beekeeper’s Daughter is light, clean, and very aromatic and floral.
• Blueberry
• Orange Blossom

There are at least 40 types of honey – each one has distinctive taste and unique properties.
Darker honey tends to have higher antioxidant levels.
Monofloral honey (honey from a single plant species) usually has the lowest glycemic index. For example, locust honey from the Black Locust tree has a Glycemic index of 32. Clover honey, which is used commercially, has the highest glycemic index at 69.

Honey Suggestions

If you want to get the goodness from your honey, make sure it is pure and  Organic.
Raw Organic honey contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes not present in refined honey.

Source: http://www.realfoodforlife.com/health-benefits-of-honey/