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I bet you didn't know that it takes about 3,000 lemons to make one kilo (2.2 pounds) of lemon essential oil.

And I bet you didn't know that lemon essential oil is made by cold pressing the peel/rind of the fruit, not from the actual fruit itself. The peel is actually the most nutrient dense portion of the lemon.

I bet you also didn't know that lemon juice is such an effective treatment against nutritional deficiencies that Mrs. Grieves' Modern Herbal noted in the early 1900's that 'œEnglish ships are required by law to carry sufficient lemon or lime juice for every seaman to have an ounce daily after being ten days at sea'.

Lemon essential oil is a staple of many crafters' supplies, as it is versatile, inexpensive, and a widely recognized and beloved scent. It's also wonderfully cleansing; according to a study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology last year, lemon oil may actually be the most powerful anti-microbial agent of all the essential oils. Another study published in Experimental Biology and Medicine found that breathing in the scent of lemon essential oils improved neurological activity that promotes the breakdown of body fat.

Lemon essential oil blends well with a variety of other essential oils including eucalyptus, geranium, other citrus (orange, lime, grapefruit, etc.), peppermint, sandalwood, rosemary, ylang ylang and fennel. Depending on how you plan to use the oils, good substitutes for lemon essential oil could be frankincense, wild orange, lime or peppermint essential oils. It is used both for cleansing purposes (it is particularly good at cutting grease, much like sweet orange essential oil!) and for its uplifting scent, which many find to enhance their mood (much like peppermint essential oil!) For an uplifting diffuser/aromatherapy blend, try 2 drops each of bergamot, sweet orange and lemon essential oils in a water or carrier oil base!

Here are some other ways you might want to try using lemon essential oil:

1)Mix just a couple of drops of lemon essential oil with cold pressed olive oil to make an inexpensive wood furniture polish. (As always, try on a hidden corner of the wood first before oiling the whole surface!)

2)Make a natural disinfectant by mixing 40 drops of lemon oil and 20 drops tea tree oil in a 16-oz spray bottle fill with distilled water and a touch of white vinegar.

3)Laundry freshener. Accidentally leave your clothes in the washer too long? Spritz them with distilled water with a touch of lemon essential oil to get rid of that 'funky' scent. (Only try this on colorfast clothing, please!)

Enjoy!