Kumquat and Lemon Honey Preserve

Why people make this drink

Nourilo was doing a little reading on limonin — a naturally occurring compound found in citrus fruits — when he noticed something worth sharing. Most people, when they drink lemon tea or lemon water, squeeze the juice and discard the peel and seeds. But limonin, along with other protective compounds in citrus, is concentrated almost entirely in the peel and seeds, not the juice. The flesh of the fruit contains very little of it.

Citrus peel also contains flavonoids and hesperidin, which are associated with supporting DNA repair — something of real relevance, since DNA damage is considered a key mechanism in how normal cells become cancerous over time. Eating clean, well-washed citrus peel is a simple, delicious way to benefit from these compounds.

So when kumquats came into season, Nourilo bought two pounds and turned them into this fragrant honey preserve — a jar you keep in the fridge, spooning out a couple of tablespoons into warm water whenever you feel a cough coming on, or simply as a daily wellness drink.