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Harvesting vegetables and fruits is an integral part of human life. In North African countries, salted citrus fruits are the most popular homemade preparation. Lemon with salt has been an important part of the country’s culture in Morocco for several centuries.
Can you eat lemon with salt?
It turned out that if you cut a lemon and cover it with salt, the result will exceed all expectations. The Moroccan tradition of salting lemons has long gone beyond the borders of this country. The use of such a product in food, as well as adding it as a seasoning to various dishes, has become a worldwide practice. The preparation of fermented lemons is firmly established in European Mediterranean cuisine along with olives, pickles and capers.
Fermentation of lemons allows you to repeatedly increase their beneficial properties. By removing excess water, the substances in them become more open and active. And thanks to the large amount of salt contained in the product, they are perfectly stored.
As with other foods, eating salted lemons in excess can be detrimental to health. It is worth following the recommendations and restrictions. Since the activity of chemical compounds in a fermented lemon is higher, the amount of product consumed should be 2 times lower compared to the fresh version.
Benefits of Lemon Salt
Everyone knows the healing power of lemon. These citrus fruits are a storehouse of useful substances, vitamins and chemical trace elements. Lemon has an excellent antiseptic effect, strengthens the body, helps fight many diseases.
As for lemons with salt, such a dish helps to cleanse the human circulatory system of toxins, removes harmful toxins and bacteria. Their regular use normalizes the level of cholesterol in the blood. In addition, when used correctly, such a dish has a tonic effect, and also improves the metabolism in the body.
The benefits of lemon salt for weight loss
Nutritionists are unanimous in their opinion that eating salted citruses helps cleanse the body and is an excellent helper in the fight against excess weight. One of the most important aspects is the calorie content of this dish. 100 g of the product contains:
- proteins – 0,9 g;
- fats – 0,1 g;
- carbohydrates – 3 g;
- calories – 16 kcal.
Lemons with salt perfectly strengthen the body, restoring the digestive system. A properly functioning stomach and intestines is the key to future successful weight loss. The composition of the lemon contains a unique substance – polyphenol, which has properties for reducing human weight. According to reviews, lemon with salt for weight loss can give stunning results.
The most popular drink for burning fat is the following recipe: diluted in a glass of water 2 tsp. salted lemon pulp and 14 tsp. ground black pepper. Such a cocktail effectively starts the process of burning excess fats in the body. Such a drink should be consumed every morning on an empty stomach for the greatest effect.
In addition to fat-burning cocktails, nutritionists recommend once every six months to clean the body with water with salted lemons. To prepare it, you need to grind the whole fruit in a blender and mix the resulting slurry with 1 liter of boiled cooled water. Purging implies that on such days, in addition to lemon water, only cereals and fruit juices can be eaten.
Is lemon and salt good for pressure?
Salted lemon is an excellent remedy for raising blood pressure. It has been scientifically established that the regular use of such a product contributes to the normalization of pressure in hypotensive patients. The active ingredients contained in this fruit help strengthen blood vessels. Due to this, the restored pressure level stabilizes for a long time, allowing patients to forget about the problem.
At the same time, it is worth approaching the issue of treating low blood pressure with all seriousness. Excessive consumption of fermented citrus can seriously harm people prone to hypertension and blood pressure surges. For the most correct restoration of the vascular system, salty lemon should be taken as directed by a doctor in conjunction with other medications.
Do you eat lemon with salt for a cold
Salted fruit, like its fresh version, is an excellent tool to combat the symptoms of flu, colds and colds. Such a product becomes most effective in combination with a small amount of red pepper. Just one slice of pepper has a warming effect on the body, dilates blood vessels. Just 2-3 slices can relieve nasal congestion.
If you grind such fruits into gruel, add a pinch of red pepper to them and pour water – you get an excellent remedy for washing the throat. Regular use will reduce the number of coughing fits. The mixture also helps to reduce soreness in the throat.
Due to the high concentration of vitamin C in the composition, the fermented fruit has a general strengthening effect. Lemon with salt at night has a positive effect on blood vessels. Combined with other medications, it gives amazing results.
The benefits of salted lemons for immunity
Everyone knows the positive effect of citrus fruits on immunity. Regular consumption of food can provide the body with a sufficient dose of vitamin C – the basis of good health. As you know, 100 g of lemon contains about 40% of the daily intake of the substance. Therefore, in combination with the right diet, daily consumption of a quarter of the fruit can fill the body with the necessary elements.
The beneficial bacteria contained in the lemon peel act as a kind of catalyst for the effects of beneficial properties. A slice of salted lemon for breakfast is an excellent exercise for the body and is equivalent to traditional tea with a couple of fresh slices. Salted lemon with honey is also a great immune booster, a great way to avoid colds and flu during the most dangerous times of the year.
How to make salted lemons
According to the classic Moroccan recipe, for the preparation of fermented citruses, you will need the fruits themselves, salt and bay leaf. On average, 5 lemons take about 1 kg of salt. The amount of bay leaf is calculated based on the personal preferences of the cook. For the correct result, you should follow a simple instruction:
- Each lemon is cut at the base in a criss-cross pattern about 23 cm across.
- The cuts are filled with salt. It is best to use sea salt – it is larger and does not contain a large amount of impurities.
- Fruits with salt are transferred to a small saucepan, after which they are pressed with a load for stronger juice release.
- After 3-4 hours, the load is removed, the remaining salt and bay leaf are added to the pan.
- The jar is hermetically sealed and sent for ripening for a month.
Lemons prepared in this way are an excellent snack, as well as a means for losing weight. At the end of fermentation, each lemon is turned into gruel, which is used in a ratio of 2 tsp. lemon for 14 tsp. black pepper and 1 cup water. Taking lemon with salt for a month cleanses the intestines and contributes to a sharp weight loss.
In addition to the traditional way of preparing citrus fruits, there are many others. Most often, such recipes for salted lemons differ in the set of spices used. The cooking process itself is identical except for the moment of laying additional ingredients. Due to the correct bouquet of spices, the taste of such lemons with salt will be excellent. An excellent combination of citrus and spices is the following recipe:
- 8 lemons;
- 1,5 kg of sea salt;
- 3 tsp ground coriander;
- 2 tsp ground black pepper;
- 2 h. l. fennel;
- 34 h. l. cardamom;
- 1 bay leaf;
- cinnamon on the tip of a knife.
A rich set of spices, combined with the beneficial properties of the fruit, helps to strengthen the immune system. Each fruit must be cut into 8 slices and eat one slice every day. Eating such a treat during the most dangerous winter months will allow you not to worry about the occasional cold.
How to take salted lemons
Properly fermented fruits contain a huge amount of vitamins and nutrients. Of course, excessive consumption of the product can lead to exceeding the allowable doses of these substances in the body. For a general strengthening effect on the body, it is necessary to eat no more than two slices of lemon per day.
The recommended course of taking lemon with salt is from one to two months. The best time to consume it is in the morning. It is best to eat the product on an empty stomach before breakfast. This method will awaken the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, which in the future will have a beneficial effect on both the digestive system and the general state of immunity.
Storage Rules
Salting products is designed to extend their shelf life. The salt contained in the product is the best preservative that prevents harmful bacteria from entering the product. The finished dish is recommended to be stored in a tightly closed jar. It should be avoided to open it frequently to take small portions of the product. As a rule, an opened jar should be used within one month, otherwise the saline solution will be spoiled by frequent contact with air.
The most suitable place for storage is a cool darkened room with an air temperature of no more than 10-14 degrees. If it is impossible to organize such a place, it is best to use the top shelf of the refrigerator. With a properly carried out fermentation procedure, citrus fruits can be stored for up to a year.
Limitations and contraindications
Despite the undoubted benefits of lemons with salt, its use can cause irreparable harm to the body. Do not give the product to young children under 1 year old, whose gastrointestinal tract is not yet adapted to acidic foods. After a year, it is possible to give children complementary foods in the form of one teaspoon as an addition to sweet tea or water. In its pure form, the child can be given the composition only after the final formation of the digestive system – after 3 years.
People who are prone to allergic reactions should be wary of fermented lemons. The increased sensitivity of the body to citrus fruits is an important reason for eliminating this dish from your diet. Such people should also stay away from Moroccan cuisine, which often contains this component in their composition.
With great care, the use of this delicacy should be taken by people with problem teeth. With damaged enamel or caries, the acid contained in the dish can lead to great destruction of enamel and dentin. In this case, it is only worth refraining from eating them raw. As a component of other dishes, citrus fruits become less aggressive.
Conclusion
Lemon with salt is a great way to preserve, allowing you to increase the beneficial properties of citrus fruits. Unusual taste and a wide range of applications provide the product with an important place among other vegetables and fruits. Properly prepared, they will bring gastronomic pleasure to a person and strengthen his health.
