If you have a lemon, make lemonade.
– Dale Carnegie
Whether you need to lower your blood pressure or keep your gums healthy, lemons can do it all. Lemons contain a high level of acid that creates an unfriendly environment for bacteria. Keep on reading to find out what more you can use lemon for –
1. Keeps Wrinkles At Bay
It’s all that vitamin C, which is also known as ascorbic acid. Your body can’t create it, so you have to get it from food. It helps make collagen, which keeps your skin springy and full. Without enough, it’ll start to wrinkle. Sure, that’s also a natural part of aging, but you can slow it down with the right vitamins and nutrition.
2. Rev You Up
Thiamin and riboflavin, part of a group of vitamins called B complex, turn your food into the energy you need. They also help the cells in your body to grow and do their jobs. Just one medium sized lemon or lime gives you a small portion of what you need every day.
3. Serve Up Antioxidants
Vitamin C, flavonoids, phenolic acids, essential oils, and coumarins are all plentiful in lemons and limes. They’re part of a team of superhero substances called antioxidants. They band together to fight the bad guys — free radicals — which damage your cells and lead to diseases and other health problems.
4. Kill Nasty Bugs
Their high acid content adds the perfect sour bite to your salad greens. It also helps kill salmonella bacteria that might be on your food, your cutting board, or your kitchen counter. That might be the difference between a pleasant evening and a long, long night. Don’t plan on scrubbing the bathroom with it, but if you want to make sure your greens are clean, a half vinegar, half lemon juice mix should zap most of the bacteria in about 15 minutes.
5. Lower Blood Pressure
Both the juice and the peel of lemons or limes can do the trick. Squeeze some in your water before and after you go for a walk. You may get more benefit from each. Talk to your doctor if you take blood pressure drugs or other meds. Citrus can interfere with them. Never adjust medication unless the doctor tells you to.
6. Boost Your Brain
Lemons and limes have special chemicals that may keep brain cells safe from toxic substances in your body. And because they also protect against general cell breakdown and inflammation, they may help reduce some of the risk of brain diseases like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.
7. Keep Gums Healthy
Swollen, bleeding gums and loose teeth are signs of scurvy. It was common long ago when people didn’t have easy access to foods with vitamin C. But you could get it now if you’re older, a smoker, have a low income, or are addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Before you chow down on citrus to prevent it, know this: Citric acid is good for what ails you but bad for tooth enamel. Wait at least 30 minutes after you eat or drink something with acid before you brush your teeth.
8. Get You Over That Cold
It’s a myth that the vitamin C in lemons and limes will prevent a cold. But you do need it to keep your immune system running at peak levels. Taking it at the first sign of the sniffles may help you feel better faster.
9. Improve Your Cholesterol
A daily mixture of garlic and lemon juice could be good news for people with high cholesterol. Unhealthy levels are linked to hardening of the arteries (your doctor will call it atherosclerosis), which can cause heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
10. Prevent Kidney Stones
If you’ve ever had one of these painful little rocks block the tubes you use to pee, chances are you’re already halfway to the local lemonade stand. The stones form when minerals in your body clump together. Substances called citrates in lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits can help stop this buildup.
One of the great things about lemons is that regardless of the time of year, you’ll typically be able to find fresh lemons available. They also have a fairly long shelf life. Lemons can be kept at room temperature, out of the sunlight for about a week; and in the refrigerator for up to a month. When selecting your lemons, make sure to look for those with thinner peels, because thicker peeled lemons tend to be less juicy.