lemons

Lemons features properties

Man cultivates lemons for more than a millennium. The origins of this plant, already present in China in the late 900 AD, are not certain, however its special properties have been known since the Romans. There are numerous types of lemons, each territory and nation frees itself from the others for a specific cultivation, which usually changes the appearance and degree of acidity of the different lemons, the properties remain unchanged.

The Italians have been cultivating this citrus fruit since the year 1000, the first evidences are in Sicily and in the 1400s in Liguria. Among the characteristic Italian lemons, Sicilian and Campanian lemons (from Capri) are famous, but there is no region of the Belpaese that does not grow them. The two most common types of lemons are the "feminello" and "primofiore" varieties, the first especially in Puglia.

The Italian peninsula is the main producer of lemons in the Mediterranean, reaching the tenth position worldwide, with 550 thousand tons per year.

30% of the weight of the fruit is given by the peel, used to make essential oils, while 50% is contained in the juice, used as a refrigerant, preservative and ingredient in many dishes (vinaigrette, cakes, meat marinades, sometimes it replaces the vinegar). They are very rich in vitamin C (0,5 g / l) and low in calories (35 kcal / 100 g).