10 Ways to Use Lemon and Limes

Unique uses for meals, health and home

In the summertime, lemons and limes are great for lemonade and margaritas, but they’re just as good during winter and all year round! Besides adding bright flavor to limitless recipes, lemons and limes are also natural cleaning agents. And with abundant amounts of vitamin C, these natural wonders help you feel better and stay healthy, too. Here are some ideas to get the juices flowing.

  • Lemons on the verge? Squeeze and freeze the juice and the zest. Add a small amount of water to rinds and microwave them for a minute, then grind them in the garbage disposal. Both your microwave and your sink will smell fresh.
  • Fresh lemon juice or wedges in water improves the flavor and may aid in digestion.
  • Mixing lemon juice into green tea increases the tea’s antioxidant longevity by as much as five times. Catechins, released in green tea, need an acidic environment to stay active within the intestinal tract. Lemon juice (and other citrus fruits or ascorbic acid) increases their staying power.
  • Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon lime juice and massage it into your scalp for 10-15 minutes for a natural way to address dandruff.
  • Sprinkle coarse salt on your cutting board, then scrub it using a lemon half (cut side down). The combination cleans the board and eliminates odors. (Be sure to use soap and water to clean and sanitize in between raw meat/poultry and ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables.)
  • Make lemon tomato chutney. Chunks of lemon and roma tomato mixed with sweet and savory spices make an intensely flavorful relish for fish, chicken or pork. Get Recipe
  • Make ceviche. Combine chopped pre-cooked shrimp, chopped cilantro, chopped jalapeno (seeded), chopped tomato, chopped bell pepper, chopped green onions, lime juice, salt and pepper. Chill for an hour. Serve in martini glasses with tortilla chips.
  • Keep your brown sugar soft by putting a few good-sized lemon peels (pulp and pith removed, skin scrubbed well) into the package.
  • Get relief from an itchy mosquito bite by rubbing a lime wedge on it—or place a few drops of lime juice onto a cotton ball and dab the welt. (Note: this is not medical advice; for severe bites or symptoms, be sure and consult your physician.)
  • Save summer in your freezer—make limeade concentrate. To make the simple syrup base, heat equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Add lime juice (about 1/3 the quantity of the simple syrup). Cool and then freeze in an empty large water bottle. To make limeade, add two parts water to one part concentrate and stir.