The benefits of parsley and lemon for weight loss
The healing properties of these plants have been known since ancient times. They were used to treat and prevent colds, for disinfection, wound healing, and improve digestion. In the Middle Ages, the doctor Abu ibn Sina used lemon to relieve toxicosis in pregnant women, and the ancient Roman scientist Pliny used the herb to detoxify fish poisoning. The ancient Greeks said that a handful of green parsley was equal to a handful of gold, and the Egyptians sprinkled lemon juice on their food to avoid poisoning. What makes parsley and lemon effective for weight loss?
Beneficial properties of lemon
This is a small evergreen citrus tree of the rutaceae family, the fruit of which is called lemon. Its homeland is considered to be China, India, and the Pacific Islands. The plant is cultivated in countries with a subtropical climate. Citrus is used in cooking, medicine, and cosmetology. The peel, pulp, and juice are used for various purposes. Lemon fruits contain alkalis, organic acids, nitrogenous substances, minerals (copper, potassium salts), phytoncides, vitamins C, A, P, B and pectins. Thanks to its composition, this citrus is indispensable for weight loss because:
- Vitamin C accelerates the absorption of iron, which is necessary for the metabolism of B vitamins, increasing acidity, and improving digestion. Ascorbic acid is a powerful antioxidant that helps remove toxins and waste from the body. The most important property of this vitamin for accelerating the weight loss process is its ability to influence the production of “fat-burning” substances - carnitine and thyroxine.
- Lemon essential oil reduces appetite and promotes a quick feeling of fullness, which helps you avoid overeating.
- The pectins that make up this citrus accelerate metabolic processes in the body.
- The zest and juice are effective diuretics.
How to make lemon juice at home
To obtain freshly squeezed juice, it is recommended to buy slightly unripe fruits without defects. They contain a lot of vitamins. To make pressing easier, it is recommended to immerse the fruit in hot water. For ease of squeezing, lemons need to be cut.
The easiest way to squeeze out juice is with a citrus juicer. The finished directly pressed product should be mixed with water.
The squeezed healing juice should be drunk immediately after preparation. If you do not do this, then after an hour the drink will lose half of its beneficial properties. You should not store the product at high temperatures: it changes its properties, as a result of which it becomes toxic.
It is allowed to store the medicinal product in the refrigerator. Low temperature helps preserve vitamins. It should be in a glass jar with a lid (it will store better). For long-term storage, it is recommended to freeze the fresh juice in the freezer in a mold for making edible ice. It is not only a tasty and healthy food additive, but also a cosmetic product.
Lemon juice can be prepared for the winter for long-term storage. To prepare it, you need to squeeze the lemons in a juicer. You can also peel the fruits, cut them into small pieces, and squeeze them out using a meat grinder. The resulting puree should be filtered through a sieve or cheesecloth.
To prepare the preserves, you must adhere to the following recipe proportions:
- 70 g of pure fresh juice;
- 80 g sugar;
- 140 ml water;
- 30 g ground lemon peel.
Boil the required amount of water, pour it over the chopped zest, and leave for half an hour. Then pour in the lemon product, add sugar. Place it all on the stove and simmer (make sure the mixture does not boil). Turn off the stove as soon as the temperature of the mixture reaches 70 degrees Celsius.
Then pour the hot preserves into sterilized jars and roll up. Turn them upside down and cover them with a blanket. This preservation is suitable for long-term storage (shelf life – one year).
How to use it correctly
Parsley with lemon for weight loss is indispensable for those who want to say goodbye to excess weight and volume. Drinking cocktails based on them with fermented milk products prevents the feeling of hunger from developing and helps the body avoid stress during a diet. It is useful to include parsley and lemon in your daily diet as a salad dressing to increase the benefits of your dishes.
In acute forms of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary system, diarrhea, and intestinal disorders, cocktails with fermented milk products should be avoided until the symptoms disappear completely. If you have high acidity, you should exclude drinks with spices with a pronounced taste (ginger, turmeric, pepper) and citrus fruits from your diet.
Parsley and lemon for weight loss will increase the effectiveness of fasting days and diets. They will produce the maximum effect as part of a set of weight loss measures, including:
- adherence to healthy eating rules,
- physical activity,
- sports,
- full sleep,
- rejection of bad habits.
Effective recipes
Parsley is a very healthy product. For weight loss, it can be used in the form of decoctions or infusions. Greens can also be added to salads and soups. Green smoothies are highly effective.
Be sure to read: Formula for calculating body mass index and its norms
Decoction
To make a decoction of parsley for weight loss, you need to take several fresh branches of the plant. It is recommended to take 2 small spoons of greens for 1 glass of water. To begin with, the leaves should be crushed, then add hot water and heat in a steam bath for half an hour.
After completing the specified time, the composition must be cooled and the volume of liquid brought to the original volume. It is recommended to take 100 ml of dietary drink per day. This is done when a feeling of hunger appears.
Infusion
To make a healthy product, you need to take 2 small spoons of chopped parsley. It must be filled with 250 ml of boiling water and left for 10 minutes. The finished composition must be strained and drunk in the morning on an empty stomach for 30 days. This will not only help you achieve sustainable weight loss, but also improve skin health.
Tea
To relax after a difficult day, you should make healthy tea from dried parsley. This product has calming properties and helps cope with excess weight.
To do this, take 1 large spoon of parsley, mix with boiling water and leave for a quarter of an hour. Then you can drink the spicy tea. It is recommended to use the product up to 3 times a day. In addition, parsley can be added to any tea.
Kefir with cucumber
Based on these products, you can prepare an effective parsley cocktail for weight loss. To do this, you need to take 1 cucumber, 1 glass of 1% kefir, dill and parsley. First, the peeled cucumber should be chopped using a grater. Then add the resulting slurry to the kefir and beat with a mixer. Pour the mixture into a glass and sprinkle with chopped herbs.
The product helps improve the digestion process of food. Therefore, it is recommended to make this drink part of your daily diet. It should be consumed between meals.
Drink with lemon
The combination of lemon and parsley provides a pronounced tonic effect that invigorates the body. First you need to wash a bunch of parsley and chop it carefully. Then squeeze the juice of one lemon and combine with herbs.
Add 500 ml of water to the resulting mixture and beat the resulting mass using a blender. You can drink 250 ml of this product per day. You can drink lemon drink a maximum of 4 times a week.
Vitamin decoction
A whole range of herbs is used to prepare it. Thanks to this, the product is incredibly useful. To prepare the drink, you should stock up on ingredients such as a bunch of parsley, dandelion leaves, half of celery, corn silk, fennel seeds and currant leaves.
These herbs should be mixed with boiling water and left covered. Take the drink throughout the day.
Puree with celery
This dish can be used as a snack or made into a full meal, because it perfectly satisfies hunger. For this healthy recipe you need to take a couple of apples, 500 g of celery and a bunch of parsley.
Be sure to read: Rules and principles of nutrition for yogis
All products should be washed, peeled and cut. Grind apples and celery using a blender. Add a little fresh parsley to the resulting mass.
If you eat this dish instead of dinner every day, you can lose 5 kg in 1 month.
Juice
It is quite possible to make juice from parsley, which has as many unique properties as the fresh plant. It is especially useful to use this product in summer. To prepare the juice, take several bunches of parsley and soak in cold water.
After a quarter of an hour, rinse the branches and chop coarsely. Grind the chopped leaves through a meat grinder. Squeeze the resulting pulp through cheesecloth. The finished juice can be mixed with other vegetables to make a tasty and healthy drink. The product can also be added to various cocktails.
Ginger extract
This product is ideal for people who play sports. The composition is recommended to be consumed before physical activity or used as a snack. To make the product, you need to mix the following components in a blender:
- 1 cup kefir 1%;
- 100 ml parsley juice;
- Half a small spoon of cinnamon and ginger.
This cocktail provides a real boost of energy, which is required by people leading an active lifestyle.
Salad
To prepare this dish, you should use not only parsley leaves, but also its rhizome. For this purpose, you should mix 500 g of green roots, 2 apples, fresh parsley. You will also need olive oil and lemon juice.
First you need to wash all the vegetables. The parsley root should be cut along with the apples. Add the greens, then pour the oil and lemon juice over the salad. If you replace dinner with this salad, you can get rid of 3-5 kg of excess weight in 1 month.
Soup
Diet soup will help you lose weight with parsley. To prepare this dish, you need to take 1.5 liters of water, 1 parsley root, 5 sprigs of herbs, 1 carrot, 1 stalk of green onion, 1 clove of garlic. All components need to be crushed and boiled. Filter and puree the vegetables. Then mix with broth, add salt, pepper and herbs.
Side effects and contraindications
Parsley and lemon are a natural source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, pectins, fiber, and essential oils. With all the positive properties of these products, it is important to remember to comply with the dosage and contraindications for use. With uncontrolled consumption of parsley, the following are possible:
- nausea;
- dizziness;
- hallucinations.
It is believed that an overdose of lemons is unlikely due to the sour taste of citrus. Excessive consumption of pure lemon juice can cause damage to tooth enamel due to its high acid content. An excess of lemons can cause:
- diarrhea;
- vomiting;
- allergic reactions, rash;
- lethargy;
- decrease in physical and mental activity.
There are a number of diseases and conditions in which parsley and lemon for weight loss are strictly contraindicated. These include:
- individual intolerance to plants or their components;
- acute, chronic diseases of the kidneys, urinary system: nephritis, cystitis, urolithiasis, gout, hypocalcemia;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcers, pancreatitis, cholecystitis);
- epilepsy;
- pregnancy, breastfeeding.
