According to Links(2021), lemon averts kidney stones and kill cancer cells. The story of lemon is link to scientist James Lind who conducted experiments on board a naval ship in 1747, showing that lemon nutrition could help ward off scurvy.India, Mexico and China are leaders in lemon production.
Scientific benefits
1. support immune health
Lemons are loaded with vitaminC, significant in immune health. lemons are also loaded with antioxidants that can help fight inflammation and promote improved immunity.
One study by Wintergerst et al., (2006), demonstrates that adequate intakes of vitamin C and zinc ameliorate symptoms and shorten the duration of respiratory tract infections including the common cold. Furthermore, vitamin C and zinc reduce the incidence and improve the outcome of pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhea infections, especially in children in developing countries.
Another study by Puertollano et al.,(2011) also demonstrates that, antioxidants in lemons protect the immune cells by neutralizing harmful free radicals and keeping the body free of infections caused by bacteria or viruses.
2. support cardio Health
Links(2021) agrees that, one of the most impressive lemon nutrition benefits is its effect on heart health. This is due to its high vitamin C content.
This was further cemented in a study conducted by Joshipura et al.,(2001) which examines the diets of 126,399 adults over a period of eight to 14 years and found that each serving of fruits and vegetables was associated with a 4 percent decreased risk of coronary heart disease. Interestingly enough, leafy green vegetables and vitamin C fruits and veggies, like lemons, had the greatest impact.
Another study by Kato et al.,(2014) also found that both walking and eating lemons every day were associated with a decrease in blood pressure.
3. Fight Cancer
Lemons are loaded with antioxidants and cancer-fighting compounds. One test –tube study by Alshatwi et al.,(2011) demonstrated that lemon fruit extract helped kill breast cancer cells. Additionally, another test-tube study by Raimondo et al.,(2015) also demonstrated that the components in lemon juice successfully inhibited the growth of several types of cancer cells.
Lemons also contain compounds like hesperidin and d-limonene. These have both been proven in one study by Lee et al.,(2010) as cancer-preventing properties.
4. Averts Kidney Stones
According to study, incorporating a serving or two of lemons into your diet may be able to help fights kidney stones. This is supported by one study by Penniston et al.,(2010) which shows that the Citric acid in lemon has been proven to increase urine volume and aid in kidney stone prevention.
Another small study by Kang et al.,(2007) which retrospectively evaluated the impact of long-term lemonade therapy on urinary metabolic parameters and stone formation in patients with hypocitraturic nephrolithiasis. The result indicates that stone formation dropped significantly, from an average of one kidney stone per year down to just 0.13 per year.
Another study by Aras et al.,(2008) demonstrates that treating kidney stone patients with lemon juice increased urinary citrate levels and decreased the amount of calcium in the urine. This suggests that lemon juice may be a potential alternative treatment for relieving kidney stone symptoms.
5. Increases Iron Absorption
There are many groups of people at risk for iron deficiency, says Links(2021). Vegans and vegetarians, for example, consume a type of iron that is not as well-absorbed by the body. Additionally, women of reproductive age are at a higher risk due to blood loss through menstruation.
One study by Hallberg et al.,(1989), demonstrates that vitamin C, which is plentiful in lemons, can help enhance iron absorption to prevent conditions like iron-deficiency anemia.
This is further cemented by a similar study by Hallberg and Hulthén(2000), which demonstrated that taking 100 milligrams of vitamin C with a meal increased iron absorption by 67 percent.
Limes, oranges, peppers, berries and broccoli are some additional vitamin C foods that you can include in your diet to boost iron absorption.
6. Dermatological Health
Antioxidants help fight off free radicals and prevent oxidative damage, which accounts for the many benefits of lemon water for skin.
The buildup of free radicals contributes to the aging process, resulting in changes like wrinkles, age spots, dryness and decreased elasticity.
One study by Fusco et al.,(2007) agrees that, antioxidants could be an effective way to slow aging and improve skin health.
An earlier study by Arican et al.,(2005) proved that patients with acne have increased levels of oxidative stress. The authors recommended that using antioxidants could be beneficial in combination with traditional treatment.
For best results, according to Links(2021) try applying a bit of lemon juice to your skin or mixing with your favorite skin care products. Besides lemons, other ingredients that should be staples in your natural skin care routine include tea tree oil, coconut oil and avocado.
7. Increases Weight Loss
To compare, one cup of orange juice contains 112 calories and nearly 26 grams of carbs. On the other hand, there are just six calories in lemon water without sugar.
Links(2021) is of the view that, while there are a good amount of carbs in lemon juice, diluting it with water significantly slashes the carbs in lemon water, dropping it down to just two grams per serving.
“Theoretically, if you traded one cup of juice or soda for one cup of lemon water every day for a year, you would save nearly 39,000 calories. That means that you could lose up to 11 pounds even without making any other changes in your diet.
While lemon benefits weight loss, it should be combined with a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle to really get the results that you want in terms of weight loss”, she added
8. Antioxidant Powerhouse
In a recent study by Klimek-Szczykutowicz et al.,(2020)antioxidants present in lemon help improve skin health and support healthy aging, but they have also exhibited radical scavenging activity and protection for the body from DNA mutations that lead to disease.
Lemon contains powerful flavonoids, including quercetin, luteolin, apigenin and hesperidin. Quercetin, for example, helps reduce damaging inflammation, may work to relieve allergy symptoms and helps fight pain.
Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, ND, PhD
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