DISCLAIMER: Please note these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. I am not a doctor. I am simply sharing my thoughts and what has helped me.
Lemons. Those sunny little citrus fruits. They remind me of sunshine and bring a smile to my face. Sound silly? Well, maybe a little but I do love lemons! To be completely honest, I’ve not always had this affection for this luscious little fruit. It wasn’t until I started reading about all the wonderful health benefits that just one little lemon contains that I started to appreciate all the goodness they contain. Here are just a few of the many nutritional goodies of these little guys.
A great source of vitamin C. One lemon contains roughly half…YES HALF of your daily requirement for vitamin C. Why is vitamin C so important? We’ve all heard that it is good for your immune system which helps to fight off infection and illness. We are talking everything from the common cold to cancer. Building a healthy immune system is vital. Vitamin C also helps to keep your skin healthy. A study was conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that examined the link between nutrient intake and skin aging. They studied 4,025 women between the ages of 40-74 and found that higher vitamin C intakes where associated with a lower likelihood of wrinkles, dryness of skin, and a better skin-aging appearance.
Lemons alkalize the body. Since lemons have the bad rap of being so sour, it’s surprising to me that they have the opposite affect on the body. Lemons can balance your PH levels. Your PH levels can range anywhere from negative 4.5 which is very acidic to positive 9.0 which is considered very alkaline with a balanced state being around 7.0. When your body becomes out of balance there will be some tell-tale warning signs like cold symptoms, fatigue, acne, and tummy issues. These may seem insignificant at first but they are signs something is not right. When your body is in balance you have
- less inflammation
- reduction of Candida (yeast) growth
- Increased mental alertness
- Better skin
- Deeper sleep
- Improved immune function
Good for your gut! Lemons stimulate your liver, cleans your bowels, and destroys intestinal worms. Because lemon juice’s structure is similar to the digestive juices found in the stomach, it tricks the liver into producing bile, which helps keep food moving through your body and gastrointestinal tract smooth. Lemon water also helps relieve indigestion or ease an upset stomach.
The acids found in lemons also encourage your body to process the good stuff in foods more slowly. This drawn-out absorption means insulin levels remain steady and you get more nutrients from the foods you eat. It helps to flush toxins from your body by stimulating the liver helping to detox your body and your skin. Grace, a friend of mine, told me how she uses lemons, apple cider vinegar and honey everyday lemon
- 1-2 Tbsp Apple
- Cider Vinegar
- Honey (to taste)
Mix it all together and drink first thing in the morning. She says it has given her so much energy, helped with appetite control, regulated her bowels….she sleeps better and just feels better all around. And that’s not to mention her complexion. She absolutely glows!! She convinced me!
Lemons also are chock full of all kinds of other great stuff…
- Vitamin A 46.6 IU, E0.3 mg and B6 0.2mg
- Folate 23.3 mcg
- Niacin 0.2 mg
- Thiamine 0.1 mg
- Pantothenic Acid 0.4 mg
- Copper 0.1 mg
- Calcium 55.1 mg
- Iron 1.3 mg
- Magnesium 17.0 mg
- Potassium 293 mg
- zinc 0.1 mg
- Phosphorous 33.9 mg
- Protein 2.3 mg
All of that out of one little lemon…AMAZING! So as you can see, lemons are wonderfully nutritious. There are many ways to enjoy these zesty little fruits. Simply juicing one and adding some water is a great way to start the day! I often add them to my Nutrablasts I make in the mornings. I use Grace’s recipe above quite often and have recently tried a new smoothie with lemon, cucumber, aloe gel, grated ginger and apple cider vinegar that I really like! You can add it to many recipes. Just experiment and find what you like.
Some helpful things to know….
You ALWAYS want to rinse your mouth out after eating/drinking lemons. The acid can damage the enamel on your teeth. Put them in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge to help them stay fresher longer. You can freeze them (my friend Grace does) and although they may be a bit mushy when thawed, who cares! You are going to juice them anyway!
I hope this has convinced you to make lemons a part of your daily routine. Let me know what you think and if you have any recipes for how you use lemons, please share them with us! Thanks for dropping by.
Blessings,
Becky
