Home
Science
Health
news
TikTok users are eating lemon rinds to get high. I tried it, and felt nothing but grossed out.

TikTok users are eating lemon rinds to get high. I tried it, and felt nothing but grossed out.

Andrea Michelson

I had to psych myself up to eat the thick, bitter peel.Andrea Michelson

I ate half a lemon's worth of peels because I saw it on TikTok.
TikTokers have been eating citrus rinds to feel euphoric, but I didn't notice a major effect.
More importantly, eating lemon peels is really gross.

I'm late to this trend, but apparently people are eating fresh lemon peels to get high.

@happy_trex
##stitch with @lux.alice ##lemonpeel ##lemonpeelchallenge ##healingtiktok ##lemonpeels ##lemonpeeleuphoria
♬ original sound - Rex

Lemons have many health benefits

Lemons are known to help both physical and mental health, but the mood boost people are reporting is probably subjective.

According to the World Health Network, drinking lemon water can help fight stress and depression by stimulating focus and mental clarity. Lemons contain high levels of magnesium and potassium, which are good for brain and nerve health.

The citrus fruit also contains plenty of fiber, vitamin C, and minerals. Health benefits of lemons include lowering stroke risk and blood pressure, boosting immune function, and improving complexion and weight loss.

I asked a myth-busting doctor what he made of it before trying it myself

I tried to cut away as much lemon flesh as possible. Andrea Michelson

I know next to nothing about the third eye, but I do have experience trying low-risk, mind-altering substances. I decided to give the lemon peel hack a shot.

First, I asked a doctor familiar with TikTok trends if this fad was safe to try.

"I think it's generally safe to eat lemon peels barring any pesticides or other substances, but I don't think there's any basis for euphoria!" Austin Chiang, a gastrointestinal doctor and "medical mythbuster" on TikTok, told me via email.

With Dr. Chiang's advice in mind, I rinsed the lemon in the sink before carving it up.

I only got through one slice on the first try

The first bite was mouth-puckeringly awful. Andrea Michelson

I wasn't sure how thick to cut the slices or how much I needed to eat to feel an effect.

I tried to cut away the lemon flesh as close to the rind as possible, but I ended up with a thin layer of sour fruit still stuck to the peel.

When I bit into the peel, my mouth immediately puckered at the tart lemon juice. The rind was tougher than I expected, and as I chewed on it, I worried for my digestive system.

After choking down the first slice, I felt like I needed a chaser. The taste was similar to the pith of an orange, but the texture was much worse.

I did not feel an effect after about half a lemon's worth of peels

I was not excited to eat more lemon peels. Andrea Michelson

I went out and bought another lemon a week later, determined to try again. This time, I nibbled on almost half a lemon's worth of peels over a couple hours.

I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary right away, but the aftertaste was more pleasant than I remembered. After getting past the initial pucker, my mouth tasted like a cool lemon Ricola cough drop.

About an hour after giving up on the lemon, I found myself smiling a little more than usual. Was it euphoria?

I felt particularly excited, if not euphoric, as I packed for a trip and planned for the weekend ahead. But I can't say that was the lemon talking.