Lemon is a familiar fruit, widely used in food and beverage processing. In this article, we will explore the uses of lemon as well as some of the negative aspects of this fruit.

Lemon is known for its rich content of vitamin C and antioxidants, which help increase the body’s resistance. To better understand the benefits of lemon, please refer to the following shares.

Nutritional value of lemon

Although lemon is small in size, it contains a lot of nutrients, especially abundant vitamin C. On average, each medium-sized lemon (about 67g) contains:

• 20 calories;
• 7g starch;
• 0.5g protein;
• 0.1g fat;
• 1.9g fiber;
• 22% RDI vitamin C;
• 2% RDI iron;
• 2% RDI calcium;
• 2% RDI vitamin B6;
• 2% RDI thiamine;
• 1% RDI potassium.

Lemons are one of the top fruits rich in vitamin C.

Unexpected benefits of lemons

Lemons are nutritious foods that, when consumed regularly, can support the body’s natural immunity, reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, increase iron absorption and improve skin brightness. Here are the amazing health benefits of lemons.

A rich source of antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that play an important role in protecting cells from attacks by free radicals. When present in large quantities, free radicals can damage cells, thereby increasing the risk of chronic diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many dangerous cancers.

Meanwhile, lemons contain many compounds that act similarly to antioxidants, including flavonoids, limonoids, kaempferol, quercetin and ascorbic acid, which help protect cells.

Boost Immunity

Each lemon is packed with vitamin C, a nutrient that can boost your immune system. Recent studies have shown that vitamin C can boost the production of white blood cells that protect your body against infections and diseases.

In addition, some human studies have shown that regular vitamin C supplementation can shorten the duration and severity of the flu and other common illnesses.

Lemons are rich in vitamin C, helping to keep the body healthy and strengthen the immune system.

Improves Skin

Lemons have a number of properties that improve the health and brightness of the skin. This fruit is rich in vitamin C, which is necessary for the regeneration of collagen in the body.

Collagen plays a role in ensuring the firmness and health of the skin, so regular use of lemons in particular and vitamin C supplementation in general can increase collagen and improve brightness, while preventing skin aging. A study conducted on 4,000 women also showed that people who supplemented with enough vitamin C had fewer wrinkles and less dry skin than those who did not provide vitamin C to their bodies.

Reduces the risk of heart disease

According to the survey, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Studies have also shown that lemons can help reduce some risk factors for heart disease thanks to their high vitamin C content, which helps reduce blood pressure – the main cause of heart disease. In addition, vitamin C in lemons also protects the body against the risk of atherosclerosis, a risk factor for heart disease.

Prevent kidney stones

Kidney stones are mineral crystals of various sizes that, when accumulated in the kidneys, cause pain and affect general health and kidney function in particular. These crystals can form inside the kidneys when the quality of urine is too concentrated or the body has an excess of high levels of stone-forming minerals, typically calcium.

Adequate vitamin C supplementation helps prevent kidney stones

Meanwhile, citrus fruits such as lemons contain a lot of citric acid, which helps prevent kidney stones by increasing citrate levels, while removing stone-forming minerals in the urine. Research also shows that people who eat a lot of citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, etc. have a lower risk of kidney stones than those who rarely use them.

Increase iron absorption

Iron is an essential mineral involved in the process of creating red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body. Low iron levels in the blood can lead to anemia with symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath when exercising, pale skin, dry skin, hair loss, etc.

People who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet are at a very high risk of iron deficiency because plant products have a lower iron absorption content than iron from animals. At this time, adding lemons to the diet has the effect of increasing iron absorption from plant foods, minimizing the risk of anemia. You can drink about 250ml of lemon juice while eating or right after eating to help your body absorb iron more effectively.

Reduce the risk of cancer

Cancer is a dangerous disease and often comes from the abnormal development of some cells in the body. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, etc. have compounds that have been proven to reduce the risk of cancer, such as flavonoids – antioxidants that prevent the appearance of gene mutations that lead to cancer.

Some downsides to note when using lemons

In most cases, lemons are safe to use. There are very few or almost no cases of noticeable side effects when using lemons. However, people who are allergic to other citrus fruits should avoid using lemons because they can cause some food allergy symptoms such as swelling, hives or difficulty breathing.

In addition, people who often suffer from acid reflux due to eating lemons or drinking lemon juice should also consider when using this fruit. Symptoms of digestive disorders such as heartburn, bloating, indigestion, nausea, difficulty swallowing, etc. may appear, so you should absolutely avoid overusing lemon.

Use a straw when drinking lemon juice to reduce the risk of the acid in the lemon eroding tooth enamel.

In addition, using more lemon than recommended also increases the risk of tooth decay because the fruit acid in the teeth will erode tooth enamel. Therefore, you should rinse your mouth after eating or drinking lemon juice to minimize these side effects.

Hopefully the above sharing has helped you understand more about lemon – a fruit commonly used in food and beverage processing. Experts also recommend not eating or drinking lemon juice on an empty stomach because it can cause stomach pain, indigestion, and fatigue.