15 GREAT BENEFITS OF LEMON FOR YOUR HEALTH - NUTRITION - 2025

The lemon is a very popular edible fruit acid and fragrant taste in much of the world. Native to India and Southeast Asia, it belongs to the citrus genus of the Rutaceae family.

The benefits of lemon are multiple. A powerful antioxidant citrus that helps purify the body or protect the heart, among other contributions, which we will show you below.

In the West it was introduced after the Arab conquest in Spain and from there its cultivation spread along the Mediterranean coast. Today it is produced in different parts of the world and adapts to different terrain conditions.

Lemon is used to dress certain foods such as fish or salads, as well as being able to be enjoyed in the form of a refreshing juice, through the pulp concentrate with water.

15 properties of lemon for health

As specialists point out, antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals, damaging cells and tissues and therefore increasing the risk of suffering from diseases.

Well, according to an article published by the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture in 2011, drinking lemon water would increase the presence of antioxidants necessary for health.

In this sense, numerous are the research works in which it is established that the flavonoids –present in this fruit- perform a great variety of biological actions, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Prevents eating diseases

To reduce the risk of diseases transmitted by bacteria present in food, a good option is to marinate them with lemon juice, as found in an investigation on the consumption of raw meats.

Raw or partially cooked meats (fish and beef) that are marinated with lemon juice in preparation, considerably reduce outbreaks of illnesses transmitted by these foods.

"The efficacy of lemon juice in reducing the number of Escherichia coli O157: H7, Salmonella enteritis and Listeria monocytogenes in stationary phase during marinating was investigated and positive results were seen, although not entirely conclusive", states the American research.

Helps to lose weight

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition in 2008, chemicals in lemon plants called polyphenols help eliminate increased body fat.

The high presence of potassium - 49 milligrams in the juice of a lemon -, helps in metabolism and digestion. In addition, this juice contains almost a quarter of vitamin C, which could be useful for weight loss.

According to a study published in Nutrition and Metabolism in 2006, people with low vitamin C in their tissues do not burn fat as efficiently during exercise. While more research is needed, "increasing your vitamin C intake with lemon water is good for overall health."

Alkalizes the body

Lemon is one of the most alkalizing fruits that exist. Alkalinity in the body is essential to avoid disease.

It is recommended to drink lemon juice on an empty stomach or warm water with lemon first thing in the day, because that is when our body will best absorb the lemon.

Cardiovascular protector

Lemon juice also reports an apparent ability to protect the circulatory system.

Due to its high potassium content, this fruit can help protect the heart and also control high blood pressure. Its benefits can even extend to the brain, as it can help relieve dizziness, stress, and depression, provide relaxation, and act as a sedative.

Improves metabolism

When we talk about metabolism, we mean the rate at which the body burns fuel for energy. The factor that determines this speed is not what you eat - although it influences - but rather the amount of muscle mass that the body has, determined by the amount of exercise that is performed.

Drinking lemon water is a healthy way to stay hydrated, especially while exercising, as it contains vitamins and electrolytes, which also increase metabolism.

A study published in the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" in 2003 concluded that the metabolic rate of healthy men and women increased by 30% after drinking 2 cups of water every two hours. Drinking lemon juice daily would increase this effect.

Fight cancer

As published by Medical News Today, lemon is a good source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that helps prevent the formation of free radicals.

In any case, caution must be exercised with this, since various studies confirm that the benefits of antioxidants to fight cancer are not exactly known.

Asthma prevention

According to Medical News Today, people who consume more vitamin C have a lower risk of asthma, although more studies are needed to confirm this.

Immune system stimulation

Foods like lemon that are a good source of vitamin C can help strengthen the immune system and fight colds, flu, or other common germ-borne illnesses.

Medicine points out that foods that are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants can help the immune system fight germs that cause colds and flu.

On the other hand, the vitamin C in lemons helps neutralize free radicals related to aging and different types of diseases.

Therefore, doctors recommend maintaining a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, especially during the winter.

Rejuvenates the skin

This citrus fruit reduces aging, since the antioxidants found in vitamin C fight against the damage caused by free radicals, thus keeping the skin looking fresh and young.

According to Dr. Ax, getting enough vitamin C from a lemon juice-based diet enables the body to produce collagen, essential for smoothing lines on the face.

In a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming vitamin C leads to younger skin and fewer wrinkles.

Increases energy and mood

According to Dr. Ax, drinking hot lemonade can boost energy levels.

The body gets energy from the atoms and molecules in food. When negatively charged ions, such as those found in lemons, enter the digestive tract, the result is an increase in energy levels.

Excellent source of potassium

As already mentioned, lemons are rich in vitamin C, but also - like bananas - it is an important source of potassium.

According to Life Hack, this is positive, since potassium helps improve heart health, as well as brain and nerve function. It is also used for inflammation and muscle aches.

Helps reduce caffeine consumption

Experts suggest that replacing coffee in the morning with a cup of hot water with lemon has the same energizing and replenishing effect as caffeine, which contributes to reducing its excessive consumption, which could harm the body.

Also, lemon is more relaxing than caffeine, which quickens the nerves and can raise anxiety levels.

Protection against rheumatoid arthritis

Foods rich in vitamin C, such as lemons, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis that involves two or more joints.

Cleans the intestines

This fruit increases the peristalsis of the intestines (bowel movement), which contributes to the displacement of the intestines, thus removing waste from the body to better regulate and evacuate waste more efficiently.

The Real Food For Life site suggests adding lemon juice to warm water and then drinking two to three cups of water first thing in the morning.

How to make lemon juice

Ingredients

-1/2 lemon.

-1/4 liter of warm water.

-1/3 of a liter of boiling water.

Instructions

In a glass, squeeze the juice with a juicer, throwing out the seeds if necessary.

Add boiling water, shake and drink while hot.

Nutritional breakdown of lemons

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, a raw lemon, without peel (about 58 grams) offers:

• 5.4 grams of carbohydrates (including 1.6 grams of fiber and 1.5 grams of sugar).
• 51% of the daily needs for vitamin C.
• 0.2 grams of fat.
• 17 calories.
• 0.6 grams of protein.
• Lemons also contain small amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese.

One fluid ounce of lemon juice provides:

• 7 calories
• 0.1 grams of protein
• 0.1 grams of fat
• 2.1 grams of carbohydrates (including 0.1 grams of fiber and 0.1 grams of sugar)
• 23% of the daily needs for vitamin C.

References

1. "THE LEMON AND ITS BIOACTIVE COMPONENTS" (2003), García Lidón, Del Río Conesa, Porras Castillo, Fuster Soler and Ortuño Tomás. Murcian Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Development (IMIDA). Department of Plant Biology (Plant Physiology), Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia.
2. Lemon nutrition facts, taken from nutrition-and-you.com.
3. Does lemon water contain antioxidants? Taken from livestrong.com.
4. Inactivation by lemon juice of Escherichia coli O157: H7, Salmonella Enteritidis, and Listeria monocytogenes in beef marinating for the ethnic food kelaguen. Taken from ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
5. Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention Taken from cancer.gov
6. How can lemons benefit your health? Taken from medicalnewstoday.com