The new lemon snack trend is all the rage, but is it okay to eat whole lemons?

The internet is full of all kinds of food experiments and trends. From creating unique dishes to trying strange food combinations, food trends go viral. One of the viral trends sweeping the internet is digging into whole lemons, peel and rind included. The trend gained attention after a curious TikToker discovered lemon snacks from an Italian company called Lemon Snack. The influencer revealed that not only are the pint-sized lemons less acidic, but the peels are also edible and rich in antioxidants, especially when consumed directly.

Lemons are certainly an exotic variety, but their lack of availability has led social media users to try out the viral trend with regular lemons. This begs the question: Is it healthy to eat a whole lemon?

Is eating a whole lemon good for your health?

According to a report in The Indian Express, Guru Prasad Das, senior nutritionist at CARE Hospital in Bhubaneswar, said that lemons are particularly high in vitamin C content, which supports the immune system and is a good source of collagen for a healthy body. It promotes synthesis, making it ideal for a healthy snack. Penetrates the skin and helps absorb iron. They also noted that while lemon’s anti-inflammatory properties reduce the risk of chronic disease, the peel contains higher concentrations of fiber, vitamin C, and various phytochemicals compared to the pulp. .

On the contrary, Dr. Das warned that eating whole lemons could even cause side effects. Lemons should also be thoroughly washed to remove surface contaminants such as pesticides and wax coatings.

As stated by the Center for Food Safety, eating lemons with their peels is completely safe as it helps reduce food waste. However, they are highly acidic and must be consumed in appropriate amounts with proper preparation.

As the “lemon snack” trend continues, some social media users have expressed their dissatisfaction with it. One user wrote, “Why is my Twitter feed filled with people eating lemons and then their faces scrunch up?” and another user wrote, “Why are so many people eating lemons?” I’m going to try it too,” he tweeted.

Some admitted that they had been eating whole lemons for a long time. One user said, “I always eat regular lemons. “Can’t you just eat the whole peel? I’ve been eating whole lemons with salt since I was a kid,” another said.