Lemon is a popular fruit that people use in small amounts to flavor food. However, they are rarely consumed on their own due to their intense and acidic flavor. Lemons add flavor to baked goods, sauces, dressings, marinades, drinks and desserts, and are also a good source of vitamin C. A 58-gram (g) lemon can provide more than 30 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C.
Vitamin C is essential for good health, and a deficiency can lead to health problems. Early explorers knew this and took lemons with them on their long voyages to prevent or treat scurvy, a deadly disease common among sailors. This article examines the nutritional content of lemons, their potential health benefits, ways to use them in the diet, and potential health risks.
Lemons health benefits
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids, which are antioxidants. Antioxidants help eliminate free radicals that can damage cells in the body.
These nutrients can help prevent disease and improve health and well-being.
These are some of the possible benefits of consuming lemons.
1) Decreased risk of stroke
According to a 2012 study, citrus flavonoids may help reduce the risk of ischemic stroke in women. The study of data from nearly 70,000 women ages 14 and older showed that those who ate the most citrus fruits had a 19 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke than women who ate the least. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. It can occur when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain. A 2019 population study showed that regular, long-term consumption of foods containing flavonoids may help protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, the study indicated that people who smoked or drank a lot of alcohol were less likely to benefit.
Potassium may help reduce the risk of stroke. What foods contain potassium?
2) Blood pressure
A 2014 study found that women in Japan who walked regularly and consumed lemon daily had lower blood pressure than those who did not. More research is needed to identify the role of lemon in this improvement and to find out if consuming lemon can help lower blood pressure, since walking every day can also lower blood pressure.
3) Cancer prevention
Lemons and lemon juice are an excellent source of vitamin C, an antioxidant. Antioxidants can help prevent free radicals from causing cell damage that can lead to cancer. However, it is not clear exactly how antioxidants can help prevent cancer.
4) Maintain a healthy complexion
Vitamin C plays an essential role in the formation of collagen, the skin’s support system. Sun exposure, pollution, age and other factors can cause skin damage. A 2014 study in mice suggested that consuming vitamin C in its natural form or applying it topically may help prevent this type of damage.
5) Asthma Prevention
People with asthma who consume higher amounts of vitamin C and other nutrients when they have a cold may have fewer asthma attacks, according to a study. The authors found evidence that vitamin C was also beneficial for people with bronchial hyperresponsiveness when they also had a cold.
6) Increases Iron Absorption
Iron deficiency is one of the main causes of anemia. Combining foods rich in vitamin C with foods rich in iron maximizes the body’s ability to absorb iron. However, a high intake of vitamin C can trigger gastrointestinal problems in people taking iron supplements. That’s why it’s best to get iron from food sources, such as beef liver, lentils, raisins, dried beans, animal meats, and spinach. Adding a little lemon juice to a salad containing baby spinach can maximize iron and vitamin C intake.
7) Strengthen the immune system
Foods rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants can help strengthen the immune system against germs that cause colds and flu. One study found that while vitamin C supplements do not appear to reduce the incidence of colds in a population, they may help shorten the duration of a cold. Vitamin C may also help boost immunity in people who engage in extreme physical activity. Squeezing a whole lemon into a glass of hot water with a large spoonful of honey is a soothing drink for people with coughs or colds.
8) Weight loss
In a 2008 study, rodents that consumed lemon peel phenols along with a high-fat diet for 12 weeks gained less weight than those that did not consume lemon. In 2016, 84 premenopausal Korean women with a high body mass index (BMI) followed a lemon detox diet or another diet for 7 days. Those who followed the lemon detox diet experienced greater improvements in insulin resistance, body fat, BMI, body weight, and waist-to-hip ratio than those who followed the other diets.
More research is needed to confirm if lemon can help with weight loss, and if so, how.
nutritional value of lemon
A lemon weighing 58 grams (g) contains:
energy: 16.8 calories (kcal)
carbohydrates: 5.41 g, of which 1.45 g are sugars
calcium: 15.1 milligrams (mg)
iron: 0.35mg
magnesium: 4.6mg
phosphorus: 9.3mg
potassium: 80mg
selenium: 0.2 micrograms (mcg)
vitamin C: 30.7mg
folate: 6.4 mcg
choline: 3.0mg
vitamin A: 0.6 mcg
lutein + zeaxanthin: 6.4 mcg
Current dietary recommendations recommend an intake of 75 mg of vitamin C per day for women over the age of 19 and 90 mg per day for men.
Smokers need 35 mg per day more than non-smokers. Lemons also contain trace amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, copper, and manganese.
Advice
Unlike many fruits, lemons do not ripen and their quality does not improve after picking. It is recommended to harvest lemons when ripe and store them at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. Lemons go well with savory and sweet dishes.
risks
Lemons have a high acid content, so their juice can affect people with:
Mouth ulcers: May cause a tingling sensation.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): This can worsen symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation.
In summary
The nutrients in lemons provide various health benefits. However, it is difficult to get all the necessary nutrients from lemon due to its sour taste and high acid content.
However, consuming lemon juice as part of a varied diet that includes many other fresh fruits and vegetables can make a person’s diet more nutritious and healthy.
* HealthKey strives to convey health knowledge in a language accessible to all. In NO EVENT can the information provided replace the opinion of a health professional.