Health & Food: Health benefits of lemon

You will agree with me that Lemon is one fruit that is on high demand at this time of the pandemic and that is why I want to give us some of the benefits of this wonder fruit.

Lemon is one of the members of the citrus fruit, high in Vitamin C, fiber and various other beneficial plant compounds. It is also known for its versatility and popularity, and also has some refreshing flavour and scent. It is also a rich source of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium etc.

Apart from eating or drinking the juice, it is also used for flavouring many recipes and perfumes.

It also has some medicinal values, and good antibacterial properties which helps to fight infections. These nutrients found in lemons are good and support heart health, weight control and digestive health. It is also an excellent fruit to fight common cold

• Heart Health

One Lemon contains about 31mg of Vitamin C, gives about 51% of the required daily intake and as research shows, eating fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C reduces risk of heart disease and stroke.

However, it is not only the Vitamin C that is good for the heart, the fiber and some other plant compounds in Lemon helps in reducing the risks of having heart diseases. These plant compounds (hesperidin and diosmin) have been found to lower cholesterol as well.

• Weight Control

Lemons have been known to promote weight loss which has been proven by some studies. One common theory is that the soluble pectin fiber in them expands in your stomach, making you to feel full for sometime.

It also increases the body’s metabolic rate and protects the body from immune system deficiencies.

• Kidney Stones prevention

Kidney Stones are small lumps that form when waste products crystallize and build up in your kidneys.

Citric Acid helps prevent kidney stones by increasing urine volume and pH, thereby creating a less favourable environment for kidney stone formation.

• Protects against Anaemia

Lemons contain some quantity of Iron. However, they prevent anaemia by improving absorption of iron from plant foods.

Research shows that our guts absorb iron from animal proteins (heme iron) very easily but does not do same with iron from plant sources (non-heme iron). Therefore, we need to aid the absorption by consuming Vitamin C and Citric Acid.

• Cancer Risk

Some cancers can be prevented by consuming diets rich in fruits and vegetables.

• Digestive Health

Having a cup of warm lemon water before breakfast helps to replenish the water lost overnight, prepares the digestive system, improves digestion, and regulates natural bowel movement.

It helps to flush out toxins in the body, and cleanse the liver.

• Skin Health

Antioxidant properties in lemon helps to decrease wrinkles/blemishes and combats free radicals. Vitamin C is vital for healthy glowing skin while the alkaline nature kills some types of bacteria that cause acne.

It also rejuvenates the skin from within the body.

It can also be called a cleanser because it increases the rate of urination in the body thereby flushing out unwanted materials in the body and releasing toxins at a faster rate.

• Freshens Breath

Lemon is known to keep the mouth and breath fresh. It is also known to help relieve tooth pain and gingivitis.

However, be aware that citric acid can erode tooth enamel so it is advisable not to brush your teeth immediately after taking lemon juice. You can brush before taking lemon juice or wait a while after taking the juice before you brush.

• Mood Enhancer

The scent of lemon has mood enhancing and energizing properties and as one of the few foods with more negative charged ions, it provides your body with more energy as it enters the digestive tract.

Other benefits of Lemon

• The anti-inflammatory properties help to fight respiratory tract infections, sore throat and inflammation of tonsils.
• Lemon juice helps to reduce joint and muscle pain.
• It helps to keep the body hydrated.
• It also helps to detoxify the body.

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source https://njay.com.ng/health-food-health-benefits-of-lemon/