7 Ways Lemons Can Improve Your Health

Unless you cannot stand the taste of lemons or have adverse reactions to them, you really can't go wrong by consuming them. Make sure you always buy organic fruit and veggies when you have the opportunity, else wash well.

Research exists on the benefits of consuming lemons and today I'm sharing with you some ways, seven to exact, that I've learned lemon water can be beneficial. The problem I have, is lemons don't grow well in the Pine Tree State and pine water doesn't taste good at all!

Research shows lemon water has many potential health benefits. Aside from those, adding lemon to your water may help you drink more throughout the day and keep you hydrated. Staying hydrated is critical to good health, so lemon water is pretty much a win-win.

1. Improves hydration

According to the Food and Nutrition Board, general guidelines say that women should get at least 91 ounces per day and men should get at least 125 ounces. This includes water from food and drinks.

Water is the best beverage for hydration, but some people don’t like the taste of it on its own. Adding lemon enhances water’s flavor, which may help you drink more.

2. A good source of vitamin C

Citrus fruits like lemons are high in vitamin C, a primary antioxidant that helps protect cells from damaging free radicals. You’ve probably heard that vitamin C may help prevent or limit the duration of a cold in some people, but studies are not all conclusive.

Vitamin C may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and lower blood pressure.

While lemons don’t top the list of citrus fruits high in vitamin C, they’re still a good source. According to the United States Department of AgricultureTrusted Source, the juice of one lemon provides about 18.6 milligrams of vitamin C. The recommended daily amount for adults is 65 to 90 milligrams.

3. Supports weight loss

Research has shown that polyphenol antioxidants found in lemons significantly reduces weight gain in mice that are overfed in order to induce obesity.

In related studies, the antioxidant compounds also offset the negative effects on blood glucose levels and improved insulin resistance, the two main factors in the development of type 2 diabetes.

While the same results need to be proven in humans, anecdotal evidence is strong that lemon water supports weight loss. Whether this is due to people simply drinking more water and feeling full or the lemon juice itself is unclear.

4. Improves your skin quality

Vitamin C found in lemons may help reduce skin wrinkling, dry skin from aging, and damage from the sun. How water improves skin is controversial, but one thing is certain. If your skin loses moisture, it becomes dry and prone to wrinkles. A 2018 laboratory study showed that the antioxidant activity of ascorbic acid, which is found in fruits such as lemon makes it a good candidate as a protective compound against UV light.

5. Helps digestion

Some people drink lemon water as a daily morning laxative to help prevent constipation. Drinking warm or hot lemon water when you wake up may help get your digestive system moving and it's said to help the body become more alkaline and increase pH. Lemon juice has an acidic pH before it is digested. However, once metabolized by the body, it produces alkaline byproducts.

Ayurvedic medicine says the sour lemon taste helps stimulate your “agni.” In ayurvedic medicine, a strong agni jump-starts the digestive system, allowing you to digest food more easily and helping to prevent the buildup of toxins.

6. Freshens breath

Have you ever rubbed a lemon on your hands to get rid of the smell of garlic or some other strong odor? The same folk remedy may apply to bad breath caused by eating foods with strong smells such as garlic, onions, or fish.

You might avoid bad breath by drinking a glass of lemon water after meals and first thing in the morning. Lemon is thought to stimulate saliva and water also helps prevent a dry mouth, which can lead to bad breath caused by bacteria.

7. Helps prevent kidney stones

The citric acid in lemons may help prevent kidney stones. Citrate, a component of citric acid, paradoxically makes urine less acidic and may even break up small stones. Drinking lemon water not only gets you citrate, but also the water you need to help prevent or flush out stones.

Good to know...

• Lemons should be picked at their peak ripeness because, unlike many other fruits, they do not ripen or improve in quality after being picked.

• They should be stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight.

• Lemons pair well with both savory and sweet dishes. They are often used with fish, shrimp, scallops, chicken, and in many Mediterranean dishes, as well as desserts.