Freezing lemon juice

Freezing lemon juice means a ready source of vitamin-C and limonin at hand to liven up your food; it will greatly improve any dull green salad.

Since more than half of the nutrients are found in the pulp we recommend not using the strainer; but do spoon the pips out.

A daily intake of vitamin C is absolutely essential for the body to synthesise collagen, the building-block of every single cell. You won't get bad gums and will recover more quickly from a sprained ankle or slipped disc, for example.

Freezing enough lemon or lime juice for several months using an electric appliance makes a lot of sense. However our handheld-device has done monumental work over the years and it's good exercise for the arms.

Weakness of the hands is one of the hallmarks of frailty-syndrome^[2] so it makes some sense not to buy an electrical squeezer. I use both.

Notice there is no strainer below; we want as much of the pulp as possible. There are varieties of citrus-trees for the garden that have few or no pips.

The juice, pulp and zest of citrus are the richest source of a carotene known as beta-cryptoxanthin which scientists have found is incredibly powerful in the fight against dementia; but from supplements it has little benefit. We have to get it from our food.

Each one of those trays will provide enough lemon-juice for a whole month. I absolutely detest the commercial concentrates; they taste simply awful, loaded with preservatives and whatever else. 

Today I will set out to measure just how long it takes to firstly pick the lemons from the garden, slice them in half and then squeeze enough to fill one-tray for the freezer. 

We will today use the rough-skinned lemons that we currently have a glut of. Incidentally, if you have a large garden do plant several different varieties. The limes will fruit first; overall you should in a mild climate have nearly nine-months of juice straight from your trees.

It took almost exactly two-minutes from when I left the kitchen, basket in hand, to return with ten lemons.

Halving those ten lemons took thirty-seconds.

Squeezing the halved lemons took just a little over two-minutes.

Getting the seeds out of the juice definitely took the longest, perhaps three or four minutes; and I didn't get them all, but we are not anxious about swallowing a few pips.

Helen then uses these seeds for pectin when she is making her lime marmalade. The skins including the zest alas went to the compost-bin. Contrary to what some sites say they can be safely used for making humus, only they take a little longer to decay.

So in ten minutes or less you can harvest the lemons, slice and squeeze them. I reckon in half an hour I could be freezing enough juice to last three-months.

One could do this when prices are low at the supermarket. However for my money growing a lemon or lime tree, or several for that matter is an excellent investment; apart from anything else you will eat more which can only be beneficial.

Pouring the juice and pulp into an ice-tray took just a few seconds, of course. Now it will go into the freezer overnight before being popped out and stored in plastic bags.

Those ten lemons made fifteen blocks, perhaps enough for a month for the average family. We use them in our hummus, for a making a chilled summer-drink and in a host of other recipes.

Helen uses lemon juice as well as the seeds in her jams, marmalade and various jellies^[3].

Fresh lemon juice has been shown to be important not just for its vitamin C. There are a host of other phytochemicals like beta cryptoxanthin and the limonin that scientists have shown is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent; they also help to mop up the free radicals that cause destructive cellular damage.

That is the reason that taking ascorbic acid in a supplement can in no way come even close to fresh lemon juice. And far as is known, freezing it has no detrimental effects.

So I think you'll agree ten-minutes to improve the flavour of your food, not to mention wellness, is not such a lot.

Even if it took a whole hour I would gladly be freezing lemon juice; spending a small amount of time feeding your family properly is better than a lot more hours consulting doctors and the pharmacist.

Vitamin C based skincare products

Of course pharmaceutical companies want you to buy their vitamin C-based skincare products rather than freezing lemon juice. There's no profit for them if you plant citrus trees in your garden in an attempt to lighten your dark spots. 

It's a matter of philosophy really. Does well-being come from eating better food or taking expensive products from pharmaceutical companies? You have to make your own calls.

As for me an my family we will plant citrus trees, enjoy the fruit and by freezing lemon juice have it for the whole year.

Freezing lemon juice

Freezing lemon juice is so easy and an important step in evading frailty-syndrome; becoming old and losing your marbles long before your time.

Newsletter

Our newsletter is entitled "create a cyan zone" at your home, preserving both yourself and Mother Earth for future generations; and the family too, of course. We promise not to spam you with daily emails promoting various products. You may get an occasional nudge to buy one of my books.

Here are the back issues.

Did you find this page interesting? How about forwarding it to a friendly book or food junkie? Better still, a social media tick would help.

Address:

56 Groenekloof Rd,

Hilton, KZN

South Africa

Website:

https://www.bernard-preston.com

Create a Cyan Zone at your home; one which complements blue areas for longevity with green for protecting Mother Earth.