You know that lemons add a delicious, citrusy kick to everything from salad dressings to cocktails. And you may have heard about their impressive health benefits — lemons contain antibacterial properties and may strengthen your immune system, says Priya Lawrence, RD, cofounder of Tried and True Nutrition in New York City. Lemons also offer a hefty dose of vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with other antioxidants that can fight free radicals and may help keep you looking and feeling younger, Lawrence adds. Vitamin C also promotes collagen production and improves iron absorption, according to the National Institutes of Health.

But lemons also have some unexpected uses, too. Here are nine ways this citrus fruit can solve your trickiest kitchen dilemmas and help enhance your meals:

1. Lemon Juice Prevents Your Fruits and Vegetables From Turning Brown

A few squeezes of juice can do wonders for avocados, apples, bananas, and peeled raw potatoes, since lemon juice is just acidic enough to prevent the oxidation that turns produce brown. According to past research, this happens because of ascorbic acid. “It’s found in all citrus fruits, including lemons, and helps keep other fruits and vegetables fresh by preventing browning,” says Grace Clark-Hibbs, RD, owner of Nutrition with Grace in Portland, Oregon. “It does this by interfering with oxidation, the enzymatic reaction that occurs when the inside of an apple or potato, for example, is exposed to oxygen.” To keep apples from browning, mix 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of lemon juice per 1 cup of water and soak the slices for about five minutes before rinsing. “This will prevent browning for about three hours if kept in a sealed container and will have minimal impact on the flavor of the apple,” Clark-Hibbs says. For other fruits and veggies, the amount of lemon juice to use without turning food sour depends on the food and how long you’re trying to preserve it. In general, brushing or sprinkling the cut fruit with about 1 teaspoon (tsp) of lemon juice should do the trick, says Kelsey Sackmann, RD, based in Butler, New Jersey. Try this next time you’re doing meal prep ahead of time or when you set out a platter of fresh sliced fruit.

2. Lemon Juice Helps You Avoid Sticky Rice

Have a problem with clumpy rice? You’re in luck — adding a few drops of lemon juice to your cooking water helps prevent the rice from sticking together. Clark-Hibbs points out a study published in July 2019 in Food Research International that shows that ascorbic acid helps improve the texture and stickiness of aged rice, which is a rice that has been kept dry for one or more years and tends to be stickier than fresh rice. The evidence that this works on fresh rice is more anecdotal than scientific. “Still, many cultures use a few drops of lemon juice (about ¼ tsp) in their rice cooking water to promote light, fluffy, and bright white rice granules,” Clark-Hibbs says.

3. Lemon Peel Keeps Brown Sugar Soft — and Saves You the Sifting

The juice isn’t the only useful part of the lemon; its super moist and flavorful peel can work wonders in the kitchen, too. Add a slice of the skin (with the pulp completely removed) to your box of brown sugar to keep it from clumping and hardening. “The molasses in brown sugar will evaporate over time, leading to dryness,” says Melissa Rifkin, RD, CDN, a Mount Kisco, New York–based nutritionist and health expert for Juice Plus+. “The lemon peel can add some moisture and oils to help keep your brown sugar soft and slow the speed at which it may harden.” This way, you won’t have to do any sifting the next time you make a batch of cookies.

4. Lemon Juice Helps You Cook Perfectly Hard-Boiled Eggs

Try brushing the eggshells with lemon juice before adding them to the pot for a little added insurance that the shells won’t crack. This one is an anecdotal hack rather than one that has a study supporting it, Rifkin says, but if you’re constantly dealing with shells that break before you’re ready for them to, it’s worth a try. Apply this technique before you enjoy the eggs in our Healthy Deviled Eggs Recipe.

5. Lemon Juice Can Promote Healthy Skin

Lemon benefits extend to your beauty regimen too. “Your skin can benefit from lemons since research shows the vitamin C in lemons promotes collagen synthesis,” Sackmann says. “Adding lemon juice to your water [when washing your face] promotes hydration, gives a boost of vitamin C, and helps fight inflammation, which may benefit your skin health.” That’s why you may spot lemon as an ingredient in skin-care products.

6. Lemon Juice Tenderizes Meat and Makes It Even Tastier

Lemon juice is a great meat tenderizer; the acidity gently breaks down the protein fibers in meat, according to Science Learning Hub. That leaves it scrumptiously fork-tender. “You can simply coat a piece of meat with lemon juice for at least one hour before cooking to improve tenderness,” Rifkin says. “You will want to coat the meat pretty well, so you may need the juice of one whole lemon per pound of meat.” The longer the meat sits with the lemon juice, the more likely it is to tenderize, she says. Taste the difference next time you cook a steak on your grill.

7. Lemon Juice Enhances the Flavor of Your Food — No Need to Add Salt

A little bit of lemon can totally transform a meal, brightening up creamier dishes and balancing the flavor in seafood. “The acidic quality of lemon juice brightens up everything it touches,” Sackmann says. Clark-Hibbs adds that it also works well in enhancing bitter or sweet flavors. It packs so much flavor that it also works as a sodium-free substitute for salt, says Lawrence. This is perfect for those with high blood pressure and anyone looking to cook healthier dishes without sacrificing flavor.

8. Lemon Juice Is an Everyday House Cleaner

The acid in lemon has an antimicrobial effect, which makes it a natural cleanser. “To create a cleaning solution, combine 2 tbsp of lemon juice with 1 cup of water,” Rifkin says. “You can also add a tbsp or 2 of vinegar for extra cleaning power.” Use this solution to clean cutting boards, windows, stovetops, and some countertops. Be careful around certain materials, such as a marble countertop, though. “The acid in lemon can damage some materials,” Rifkin says. Clark-Hobbs also likes to use lemons to clean the microwave or oven, where food and grease build up over time. “Place a single lemon wedge in a bowl of water, heat it up until the water is hot or boiling, then let it sit for a few minutes,” she says. “This will make wiping out either the microwave or the oven very easy. Plus, it will help eliminate any unwanted odors, leaving your kitchen smelling fresh and clean.”

9. Lemon Juice Can Repair Your Hair

You may be familiar with using lemon juice to lighten your hair, though that’s not recommended because it can lead to damage. But it can be used in other hair products, such as shampoo, in other ways. Citric acid opens up the hair cuticle, which allows for deeper penetration. That’s why lemons may be used to correct hair styling goof-ups, such as to wash out wax or hair coloring.