When you smell or taste a lemon, what’s the first thing you think of? Sunshine. Summer. Freshness. Even the vibrant skin of the lemon reminds you of light. And that’s a good thing because lemons are good for you. In fact, the health benefits of lemon can go a long way to helping you feeling great.1
In addition to being a highly nutritious food, lemons have a multitude of uses you might not know about. When life gives you lemons, use them to support your health.
Adding Lemon To Your Diet: 8 Fabulous Health Benefits
There are many ways to add lemon to your diet on a regular basis. Try adding a splash of lemon juice to a cup of water or tea. You can also slice up a lemon and cook it in with dinner or squeeze fresh lemon juice over a salad. By incorporating lemon into your diet you may be able to support:
1. Hydration
Water is the most important nutrient in your body. Cells need water in order to function properly. Not only that, but water is also required to remove toxins from every organ, and every body system. It’s recommended that you drink at least 8-10, 8-ounce glasses of water every day.
Why not take things to the next level, and add lemon to your water?
Lemon water provides additional vitamins and nutrients, including Vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and magnesium to help you stay hydrated. 2 Squeeze a spritz of lemon juice into your water bottle, or add extra slices of fresh lemon to that tall glass of ice water for a burst of beneficial flavor.
2. Immunity Function
Oranges aren’t the only citrus fruit packed with Vitamin C. Lemons are packed with this immune-boosting nutrient, too. How much? A medium-sized lemon contains about 40 grams of Vitamin C. This yellow fruit might just be your ticket to supporting a healthy immune system.3
3. Digestive Health
Lemons contain the phytochemical compound D-limonene, known to offer many different benefits for digestion. Studies have shown that this compound, found mainly in the peel or in the essential oil of lemons, was able to relieve heartburn and help to neutralize gastric acid.4
4. Skin Health
Both internally and topically, lemons are a best-kept beauty secret for clearer skin. When consumed, lemons’ natural ability to detoxify may help to eliminate lingering waste in your GI tract, reducing the risk of acne breakouts.
Lemons also offer a natural source of AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) that work in a similar way to a professional chemical peel.
As an exfoliant, lemon juice can clear away dead skin cells and lingering sebum for a evener skin tone, and a dewy complexion.
Additionally, studies have shown the ability of lemons to help protect healthy skin cells. This is due to the content of a unique class of antioxidants they contain called flavonoids.5 These powerful antioxidant compounds are known to slow abnormal cell division and also provide antibiotic properties to boost resistance against common skin infections.6
5. Kidney Health
Your kidneys work hard to filter out toxins and pollutants from your body. However, over time, they can become congested with buildup. This could result in painful kidney stones.
Research suggests that a chemical compound in lemons called oxalates may be beneficial for kidney stones. One study revealed that lemon juice was able to increase levels of citrate in urine, and potentially inhibit kidney stone formation.7
6. Cardiovascular Health
Lemons contain a flavonoid called hesperidin. This compound is shown in clinical studies to support a healthy cardiovascular system. The hesperidin in lemons may help to support healthy blood vessels, which in turn, may help to reduce your risk of developing artery problems.8
7. Weight Loss
Lemons are a naturally low-fat, low-calorie food. They are also an excellent source of pectin, a type of soluble fiber. When consumed, soluble fibers are known to lower blood sugar levels, as they aid in slowing the digestive process.9,10
As this fiber slows digestion, it works to increase feelings of fullness (satiety) to support weight loss. Feelings of fullness may help with cravings, but you can also read about how to stop food cravings.
8. Nutrient Absorption
Because lemons contain a good source of Vitamin C and citric acid, they aid in the absorption of iron from other foods you eat. For this reason, adding lemons to your diet may help to improve nutrient absorption, reducing your risk of developing an iron deficiency.11,12
Can Too Much Lemon Be Bad For You?
Lemon is safe and quite normal to consume as part of a regular diet.
To get technical, you can actually consume up to 500 mg/kg of your body weight in citric acid from a natural source. So, lemon is pretty well absorbed in your digestive tract.
However, when you consume citric acid orally, you should be somewhat careful. Extreme consumption of citric acid has been associated with tooth enamel erosion.13 Lemon water does dilute citric acid in lemon juice, so drinking lemon water is fine. If you have concerns, talk to your dentist.
The Not So Bitter End
You’ve seen it in your water at restaurants or at a high-end spa, and now it’s time to incorporate them into your own diet at home. For a delicious alternative to sugary soda, try it out in Dr. Gundry’s healthy “diet” soda recipe! There is little doubt that lemons are one of nature’s top superfoods. With so many potential health benefits, there is little doubt that lemons are one of nature’s top superfoods.
Make lemons a part of your regular diet. Add lemon juice to your water. Or squeeze some lemon over fresh veggies and fish. You’ll be adding flavor, sure, but you’ll also be supporting your health.
Have dark spots left you with a blotchy, uneven skin tone? Check out Gundry MD’s groundbreaking polyphenol dark spot serum.
For more superfoods you should incorporate in your diet, keep reading here:
Berberine: Why You Need This Powerful Plant Compound
Turmeric: One of World’s Most Powerful Health-Boosting Herbs
Disclosure: The GundryMD team creates these articles as a way to provide you with the latest information on health and nutrition. Unfortunately, we cannot make specific product recommendations for our website visitors, such as “Energy Renew” or “Heart Defense” Please consult with your healthcare provider to determine the best products for you.
Sources
- http://health.clevelandclinic.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/15-HHB-1078-Lemon-Water-Benefits-Infographic_FINAL.pdf
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Raw Fruits Poster (Text Version/Accessible Version). Nutrition Information on Raw Fruits for Restaurants & Retail Establishments.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Raw Fruits Poster (Text Version/Accessible Version). Nutrition Information on Raw Fruits for Restaurants & Retail Establishments.
- Sun J. D-Limonene: safety and clinical applications. Altern Med Rev. 2007 Sep;12(3):259-64.
- J.A. Del Rı́oa, M.D. Fustera. Citrus limon: a source of flavonoids of pharmaceutical interest. Food Chemistry. Volume 84, Issue 3, February 2004, Pages 457–461.
- Oussama A, Touhami M. In vitro and in vivo study of effect of lemon juice on urinary lithogenesis. Arch Esp Urol. 2005 Dec;58(10):1087-92.
- Shashank Kumar, Abhay K. Pandey. Chemistry and Biological Activities of Flavonoids: An Overview. The Scientific World Journal. Volume 2013 (2013), Article ID 162750, 16 pages.
- Antiatherogenic Properties of Naringenin, a Citrus Flavonoid. Lisa J. Wilcox, Nica M. Borradaile.
- Lemon/Limes. The World’s Healthiest Foods. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=27
- Joanne Slavin. Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits. Nutrients. 2013 Apr; 5(4): 1417–1435.
- Ballot D, Baynes RD. The effects of fruit juices and fruits on the absorption of iron from a rice meal. Br J Nutr. 1987 May;57(3):331-43.
- Péneau S, Dauchet L. Relationship between iron status and dietary fruit and vegetables based on their vitamin C and fiber content. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 May;87(5):1298-305.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/citric-acid
