When life hands you lemons… celebrate! Though there are countless idioms to suggest otherwise, lemons really aren’t so bad. They can be used to add delicious flavor to chicken and fish, they are delightful in cakes or dessert bars, and they are refreshing in water. And of course, you can’t make lemonade without lemons! And the benefits of lemon aren’t just in the flavor. There are plenty health benefits of lemon, too:
Health Benefits of Lemon
- Like many citrus fruits, lemon is an impressive source of vitamin C. This means that lemons have powerful antioxidant properties, which neutralize free radicals in the body which are known to cause cancer and other disease. Free radicals can also cause swelling and inflammation, which may manifest in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Getting plenty of vitamin C is also essential to a healthy immune system. Some research has even gone so far as to suggest that vitamin C may reduce the risk of death from heart disease, cancer, and stroke.
- Liminoids are compounds that are found in limes and lemons. These compounds have been shown to help fight certain cancers, like those of the stomach, colon, breast, lung, and skin. These compounds are not only powerful, but they stay in the body for extended periods of time. That means that your dose of liminoids packs a long-lasting wallop.
- Drinking lemon water may provide its very own health benefits as well. Many believe that lemon improves digestion, eases the symptoms of illness, and keeps the skin firm and healthy. Lemon water stimulates the liver, encouraging it to produce more bile for your system to use to digest fats. The vitamin C in lemon water is also thought to prevent wrinkles and dryness by hunting down and neutralizing free radicals. And finally, lemon water can act as an expectorant, loosening and decreasing phlegm caused by colds.
Source:
- “Health Benefits of Lemons”, Doctor Oz
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