LEMONS afford a wide range of health benefits.
I’d like to reach out to members of our community and enlighten you on how consuming lemons can improve your health.
Lemons improve gut health.
They contain a soluble fiber called pectin which slows the digestion of carbohydrates and reduces blood sugar levels.
However, to get the benefits of fibre from lemons you need to eat the pulp of the lemon rather than just drink the juice.
Regularly drinking lemon water can support weight loss.
It is significantly lower in calories than other fruit juices and sodas.
The juice of half a medium lemon squeezed into a glass of water contains approximately eight calories whereas a glass of orange juice has about 113 and a can of soda contains around 160.
Lemon water decreases hunger and makes you feel full.
It also boosts your metabolism by up to 30 per cent for 40 minutes after ingestion.
Lemons also contain polyphenols that suppress weight gain and fat accumulation.
Therefore, swapping a can of soda or glass of fruit juice for lemon water every day for a year can lead to an average of 10 to 16 pounds of weight loss.
Lemons are high in antioxidants which prevent free radicals from damaging cells and have been shown to protect against certain types of cancer.
Hesperidin, found in the peel, pith and membrane of lemons, has been shown to suppress the growth of breast cancer and prostate cancer cells.
Lemons are high in vitamin C which can prevent anemia by increasing the absorption of iron in the gut.
The high levels of vitamin C and flavonoids found in lemons can also lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke by up to 19 per cent.
Additionally, the hespiridin found in lemons has been shown to strengthen blood vessels, lower blood pressure and reduce the levels of bad cholesterol which prevents the build-up of fat in arteries that causes heart disease.
Lemons also contain diosmin which is an antioxidant that improves muscle tone and reduces inflammation in blood vessels.
Lemons are a rich source of potassium which lowers blood pressure and has positive effects on heart health.
They are very high in citric acid which can help to prevent kidney stones forming.
Lemon peel contains d-limonene which can relieve acid indigestion, heartburn and reflux.
They also contain small amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, copper and manganese which are all important in releasing energy from food and maintaining a healthy bone marrow, skeleton and nervous system.
Overall, lemons are cheap and affordable and confer enormous health benefits.
However, patients with dermatitis or eczema may find that lemons can make their skin condition worse and too many lemons can erode tooth enamel.
Consuming lemons in moderation is key to yielding these health benefits.
Our columnist Dr Jason Seewoodhary is a former Worcester GP.
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