Here’s Why You Should Stop Putting Lemon in Your Drink
Nothing beats a drink with a little hint of lemon on a hot, sunny day. While most of us don’t even think twice about squeezing lemon into our drink before dunking the whole thing into our glass, research suggests that it’s probably not the best idea for you to do when you’re out at a restaurant. Why? Well, a bunch of research points to the fact that, when you’re out, the lemons on the bar are probably teeming with a bunch of bacteria you definitely don’t want spicing up your drink. So, it’s probably a good idea that you think twice before adding that lemon garnish to your lemonade iced coffee, right?
According to a 2007 study, almost 70 percent of lemons tested at restaurants carried some kind of microbe, including E. coli, staph and norovirus. There has also been research to suggest that the lemon on the rim of your drink could also be carrying old skin cells and even fecal matter. Gross doesn’t even begin to describe it.
What you can do, however, is ask for your lemon wedges to be brought on the side, then squeeze the juice and discard the peel. That way, the chances of getting contaminated from your drink are slim to none. That being said, depending on if your drink is alcoholic or not, there could be enough alcohol in your glass to kill anything harmful before it does any damage. What this news shouldn’t do, however, is stop you from getting that margarita while you laze by the pool on your next vacation, because nothing beats that little slice of lemon heaven.
What’s your favorite lemon drink? Tell us @BritandCo!
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