While many people are aware of the benefits associated with lemon juice, few realize that eating lemon peel can provide many health benefits. Lemon not only tastes delicious but it can also help stimulate good health. When applied topically, it can also do wonders for our skin and hair. Most of the time when focusing on the benefits of lemons, people tend to think of lemon juice, but lemon peel can be just as effective as it has some enzymes that help us live a healthier life.

The next time you remove a lemon’s skin, don’t throw it away! The lemon peel holds even more properties than the fruit does to defend our health.

Below are seven reasons why.

Fights Cancer

Lemon peel contains a ton of micronutrients. Three specific ones that fight cancerous cells and retard cancerous cell division are flavonoids, limonene, and salvestrol Q40. Research shows these work especially well against breast, colon, and skin cancers.