Health Benefits of Lemons

When life gives you lemons … you're in luck. Lemons are full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants. They are especially good sources of vitamin C and folate. These nutrients are responsible for several health benefits.

1. Lemons Help Support Heart Health

Lemons are a great source of vitamin C with one lemon providing about 31 mg of vitamin C or around 51% of your daily requirements. Research shows that eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C may help reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. It isn’t only the vitamin C in lemons that is thought to be good for your heart. The fiber and plant compounds found in lemons could also help lower some risk factors for heart disease. Studies have shown participants who consumed 24 grams of citrus fiber extract daily for a month reduced total blood cholesterol levels. The plant compounds, hesperidin and diosmin, found in lemons have also been shown to help lower cholesterol. 

3. Lemons May Prevent Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are small lumps that form in the body when waste products crystallize and build up in your kidneys. They are quite common and people who get them often get them repeatedly. Consuming citric acid may help prevent kidney stones by increasing urine volume and increasing urine pH. This works in your body to create a less favorable environment for kidney stone formation. Just a 1/2-cup (4 ounces or 125 ml) of lemon juice per day may provide enough citric acid to help prevent stone formation in people who have already had them.

 4. Lemons Can Help Protect Against Anemia

Iron deficiency occurs when you don't get enough iron from the foods you eat. Lemons contain some iron, but they primarily prevent anemia by improving your absorption of iron from plant foods. Your body absorbs heme iron or iron from animal sources such as beef, chicken and fish very easily. Non-heme iron or iron from plant sources is not as easily absorbed. However, the absorption of non-heme iron can be improved by consuming vitamin C and citric acid. Because lemons contain both vitamin C and citric acid they may help your body absorb as much iron as possible from your diet.

 For great ideas on how to include lemons in your diet, click here. https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/8-lemon-hacks-boosting-health-flavor/

 Denise Boyd, BSc, Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RNH) with a specialization in Cognitive and Immune Support.