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A new trend has recently made its way to TikTok where people are eating lemon peels to experience feelings of euphoria and a positive boost in their mood. While this seems intriguing to say the least, it may not be entirely accurate. Many users are claiming that those who experience results are experiencing a placebo effect, while others claim this is the real deal. While this trend may seem completely random and out there, it did not appear out of thin air. Science has shown that lemons provide a variety of health benefits that can potentially promote gut health, increase energy, alertness, and mental clarity.

But before you try this lemon peel craze, let’s take a closer look at what science has to say about this trend.

The TikToks

@lux.aliceTell me I’m not the only one 🍋💕 #lemonpeel #girlys #girlsecrets #justforgirls #girlsonly #witchcraft #feminineenergy♬ original sound – Isa 🍉

Source: @lux.alice/TikTok

This is the TikTok that started the lemon peel trend. With over a whopping 11.2 million views, TikToker @lux.alice urged her female followers to eat a lemon peel and to wait 45 minutes to see how they feel afterward. Although she did not give any other details or instruct how much of the lemon to consume, this video blew up and had millions of users dying to experience the results for themselves.

@mamajambaReply to @mamajamba lemon peels=euphoria?! ✨THE RESULTS✨ #NightDoneRight #WhatWouldPopTartsDo #healingtok #lemonpeels #euphoria♬ Aesthetic – Xilo

Source: @mamajamba/TikTok

This TikToker by the name of @mamajamba decided to try out this popular trend for herself to discover if lemon peels actually have an effect on your body and your mood in particular. After eating her lemon peels, she decided to go about the rest of her day and reported having a more accepting and carefree attitude. She also seemed to have a greater awareness of her surroundings and a heightened appreciation for nature. She described the feeling as being “happier and more appreciative of what’s around her”.

The Science

According to science, this euphoric feeling that follows the consumption of lemon peels that people on TikTok are describing may be subjective and could possibly have more to do with the burst of mental clarity and focus that lemon juice has been known to enhance. World Health Network says, “Lemon water can give you a boost to help fight stress and depression, it creates more focus and mental clarity as it contains high levels of magnesium and potassium which are beneficial on our nerve health and brain.” If you find that you feel sluggish or low-energy throughout your day, research has shown that swapping out your daily coffee for lemon water can optimize your mood and memory, and is much more refreshing and replenishing for the body.

Not only do lemon peels, in particular, contain fiber, vitamin C, and minerals, but there are plenty of health benefits to be gained from incorporating them into your daily diet.

Medical News Today lists all the health benefits of lemons:

While more research is still needed, the euphoric feeling and mood boost that people are experiencing is probably a subjective one as opposed to a scientific one.

The Takeaway

Contrary to this popular TikTok trend, there is just not enough scientific evidence to back up this lemon peel phenomenon. However, while eating lemon peels may not necessarily leave you feeling euphoric or boost your mood drastically, there are many health benefits of eating lemons and it’s a great idea to add them to your diet. Lemons have the power to fight free radicals, boost your immune system, protect your cells from cancer, reduce your chance of developing kidney stones, remove toxins and waste from the body, help clear your skin, promote gut health, increase energy and alertness, and neutralize chemicals in your body. If this wasn’t enough, the great thing about lemons is that they add a nice tangy flavor to your food and have the power to enhance any meal. If you’re not up to the challenge of eating lemons directly, do not worry! You can add lemon juice to salads, avocado toast, turn it into a marinade, freshen up your water or iced tea, and even use the lemon zest to top off a dish if you’re feeling fancy. Check out these delicious lemon recipes:

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

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