Filled with vitamin C and many other nutrients, lemon is one of the most popular foods to enhance the flavour of your food and keep it fresh. Lemons are frequently used as a dessert garnish and as a cleaning agent, but that’s not where the lemon uses end. Read on to find out the full extent of lemon health benefits and some amazing lemon nutrition facts.
Introduction:
Hailing from the Rutaceae family of flowering plants, lemon is a spherical fruit. It comes from North-Eastern India and goes by the scientific name Citrus limon. Due to the abundance of citric acid in this vivid yellow citrus fruit, it has a distinctly sour flavour.
Lemons are a common addition to meals, desserts, and beverages because of their distinctive flavour. Practically every component of a lemon can be used in cooking and cleaning. Let’s find out some of the most common lemon benefits, lemon uses, and nutrients that contribute to them.
Lemon Nutrition Facts
Lemons are among the healthiest fruits available and offer a number of positive health effects due to the lemon nutrients. They are frequently used in the food sector and are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Lemons can be utilised in a plethora of different culinary preparations, such as juices and elaborate desserts.
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Carbohydrates
17 calories and a little over 5 grams of carbohydrates are found in one whole lemon. -
Fats
An average size lemon contains less than 1 gram of fat. Hence, you can consider consuming lemon for weight loss if you’re trying to get in shape. -
Protein
With less than 1 gram of protein per fruit, lemons are not a good source of protein. -
Vitamins
Vitamin C is one of the main lemon nutrients, offering more than half (30.7mg) of the daily adult requirement. Lemon also contains trace levels of thiamin, vitamin B6, and folate.
Lemons Uses
As Air Freshener:
Cooked broccoli or fish, paint fumes, fireplace ashes, and litter boxes typically leave a distinct smell. You can use lemons to make some home made natural air freshener. All you need to do is take some slices of lemon and add them to a saucepan full of water. Heat it for about an hour at sim heat and your air freshener is ready.
As Tangy Desserts:
Thanks to the high volume of citrus present in it, lemon is regarded as one of the most popular agents to introduce tanginess to food. From tangy lemon rice to appetising feta and lemon dip, you can make all of it at home.
To Make Natural Cosmetics:
Tired of trying chemical filled cosmetics to get rid of those pesky acnes? Fortunately, the remedy is possibly already sitting in your refrigerator. One of the primary benefits of eating lemons is that they are excellent for removing pustules, blackheads, and scars.
For Zestful Salads:
Lemons are an essential source of vitamin C. As per the national institute of nutrition, 40 mg of vitamin C is required for the human body every day. A zestful salad topped with the goodness of lemon can help fulfil this requirement. To start, you can try making this feta kale lemony salad at home.
As Hair Tonic:
Want to have thick and glossy hair like film stars? You can now—without going to the hair salon. If your hair is on the lighter side, you can thicken it by applying lemon juice to your locks twice a week. This is considered one of the most prominent lemon medicinal uses. Here’s a pro tip: for twice as much juice, microwave the uncut fruit for 15 seconds.
For Soured Pickles:
Lemon is also commonly used in making many soured pickles, such as nimbu khajoor pickle or lime coconut pickle. The addition of lemon also keeps these pickles fresh for a long time.
Excellent Body Wax:
To make homemade body wax, squeeze the juice of one whole lemon and add it to a half cup of sugar. Pop the blend in the microwave until it turns brown; keep stirring until it's sticky. Before you spread it on, let the wax cool down a bit. Now all you need is a few cloth strips, and you'll be on your way to silky, smooth skin
Lemon Health Benefits
Prevents Vitamin C Deficiency
Lemons have long been used to treat vitamin C deficiencies. The British Navy found in the late 1700s that eating lemons and oranges might treat scurvy, a condition brought on by a lack of vitamin C. Given that it can be avoided with as little as 10 mg of vitamin C, scurvy is now a rare disease in affluent nations.
Improves Heart Health
A higher vitamin C intake is linked directly to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease and stroke, according to studies. Lemon's antioxidant concentration likely contributes to the benefit by assisting in the prevention of oxidative damage, which can result in cardiovascular disease.
Improves Eye Health
The primary causes of vision loss in older people, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and cataracts, are being studied to see if a larger intake of vitamin C can help treat or prevent them. Although research is still being done, current outcomes suggest that improved eye health is one of the lemon benefits.
Supports Immune Function
It has been demonstrated that vitamin C is crucial for immune system health. Studies advocate the fact that regular ingestion of lemon juice or its supplements can improve your immunity against many ailments.
Conclusion
So these were a few major advantages of lemon. If you find it challenging to eat lemons due to their strong sour flavour, try incorporating them into recipes that you love. How? You ask! Lemon juice may be used to make salad dressing, which is a healthy way to consume fewer calories and sodium. A lemony sauce can also spice up your vegetables or your fish. Its juice can be added to fruit salads to keep them from browning, or lemon wedges or slices can be used to flavour water or tenderise meat. Hence, lemons and lemon juice can be key components to develop a healthy diet.