Beyond their mood-boosting yellow hue and sour flavor, lemons are full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and more. Lemons are a type of citrus fruit and grow in a range of size, shapes and colours. They can also be used in myriad delicious ways — not just as a seasoning or garnish. They are loaded with nutrients, including bone-strengthening calcium, mood-boosting magnesium, and muscle-supporting potassium. The pulp, juice, and peel contain flavonoids and vitamin C — two superstar antioxidants that are responsible for many of lemon’s nutritional benefits. What’s more, lemon pulp in particular is packed with soluble fiber, which is essential for healthy digestion, carbohydrate absorption, and management of blood cholesterol.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF LEMONS
Supports Immune Function. When it comes to citrus fruits, oranges often steal the spotlight for their impressive vitamin C content. But with 53 milligrams of the nutrient per 100-gram serving of raw, peeled lemon, these yellow orbs deserve plenty of attention too.
Vitamin C is regarded as the holy grail for healthy immune function. It helps create white blood cells, which produce antibodies and helps keep your immune system strong and able to fight off foreign pathogens.
Stave Off Diseases. Lemon pulp, juice and peel are teeming with vitamin C and flavonoids, two potent antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals which are unstable molecules that, in excess, can trigger oxidative stress, thereby increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
Promote Digestive Health. The soluble fiber found in lemon pulp feeds the “good” bacteria in your gut. With proper nourishment from soluble fiber, these microbes can properly reduce inflammation in your stomach and aid in digestion. Soluble fiber is also dissolvable in water, meaning it bulks up stool and promotes regular bowel movements. This is great news if you are prone to constipation, but note that this gut-friendly nutrient is found in the pulp, rather than the juice itself. Meaning, you have to eat the whole lemon — almost as if you’d eat an orange — to really reap the gut-helping nutrients in the pulp.
Protects the Heart. Consuming the pulp in lemons also supports healthy blood cholesterol levels by lowering the amount of cholesterol that’s absorbed into the bloodstream. This is particularly beneficial as high blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease. What’s more, the whole fruit (read: juice, pulp, and rind) also contains citric acid, a compound that promotes the absorption of magnesium and calcium. Both of these minerals are essential for managing blood pressure. The more stable (and lower) your BP, the less likely your risk for developing a cardiac condition. The vitamin C in lemons can assist in keeping your heart healthy. It reduces high blood pressure by stopping the breakdown of nitric acid, a compound in your cells that has a relaxing effect on blood vessels, thus improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure.
Aid Iron Absorption. The vitamin C in lemon is the perfect partner for iron-rich foods. That’s because vitamin C improves iron absorption. Iron is essential for creating hemoglobin, the oxygen-transporting protein in red blood cells. In the body, Vitamin C combines with iron to create an iron chelate complex. This form of iron (vs. the type naturally found in food) is more soluble, meaning it will be better absorbed by the small intestine.
This is one of the most noteworthy lemon benefits if you follow a vegetarian, vegan, or pescatarian diet, as these eating styles mainly consist of non-heme iron, which is found in plant foods and is harder for the body to absorb. Eating lemons and iron-rich plant foods can promote better absorption of non-heme iron, thus preventing iron deficiency or anemia.
POTENTIAL RISKS OF LEMONS
Lemons are super acidic, so you’ll want to avoid them if you’re prone to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), aka acid reflex. That’s because acidic foods can relax your lower esophagus, allowing stomach juices to flow back up and ultimately causing or worsening GERD symptoms such as regurgitation and heartburn. The acidity of lemons can also erode tooth enamel, potentially increasing the risk of tooth decay. Finally, the fruit contains tyramine, a natural compound that may trigger headaches in people who are prone to migraines.
