When life gives you lemons, make lemonade because it’s healthy. And you got to be healthy because it’s fashionable. Lemons are amazing; they’re juicy, acidic and healthy. One of the most widely used citrus fruits; this tiny plumps yellow thing can do wonders and help you in being healthy.
Citrus fruits are considered to be of great value not only because of their nutritious and anti-oxidant properties, but also because they contain high levels of vitamins and minerals and it is a proven scientific fact that they are efficient of making your health better. Lemon belongs to the family of citrus fruits - Rutaceae. Scientific name of lemon is Citrus lemon. Citrus fruits are usually larger in size. Lemon is the smallest of all the citrus fruits. But the list of nutrients that it holds are much larger than other fruits of the citrus family like the pomelo, orange or yuzu.
Lemons are believed to have their origin at the foot of the Himalayas in the North Eastern part of India. It then spread to other parts of the world like Africa, America, Europe and Middle East.
There are multiple health benefits of lemons that you might be unaware of. Read a few here-
- Lemons help you reduce weight. The fruit has very less calories, say, just 29 calories per 100g, to be precise. It contains zero saturated fats or cholesterol.
- Lemon is acidic in nature owing to the presence of citric acid in it which is a natural preservative and helps in smoothing digestion.
- Lemons contain Vitamin C in abundance like all other citrus fruits. Ascorbic acid or Vitamin C as we know it, provide 88% of recommended daily intake. This vitamin is also helpful in the prevention of scurvy.
- Besides being a great source of Vitamin C, A and B, lemons carry a huge amount of minerals, such as potassium, iron, copper and calcium, that are essential for our body to work efficiently and stay healthy.
- Phytochemical varieties are present in lemons. In lemon, we find naringenin, hesperetin and naringin, which are flavanoid glycosides that are usually found in citrus fruits. Naringenin is a good antioxidant, a good modulator of the immune system, anti inflammatory and more. Naringenin plays a major role in decreasing oxidant injury caused to the cellular DNA.
- Lemon is a very good source of vitamins of B complex like Folates, pantothenic acid as well as pyridoxine.
- Lemon has a good supply of minerals such as calcium, copper, iron and potassium.
Various phyto-chemical anti oxidants and non-nutrient compounds, soluble and insoluble are there in the citric fruits which help in eliminating the risks of heart diseases. Besides being healthy there are many bad effects of these citric fruits and since, anything in excess is bad one needs to be careful while consuming them.
Lemons are available for you throughout the year. You can go anytime and grab some big and plumpy lemons. But the peak season is April through August. Just like happiness, lemons too come in all sizes and shapes, choose vibrant and big yellow lemons if you feel like adding a pinch of tanginess in your regular meal. Store them in a plastic pouch and place them in the refrigerator that will keep the lemons fresh for later use.
Wondering what else you can make from those lovely yellow pludgy lemons, you freshly bought from the market, apart from lemonade? You can add lemons to various dishes that will make it super tasty and super healthy too. Here is the list-
- Adding a pinch of lime juice in your fruit/vegetable salad or garnishing it with lemon slices will enhance the taste and the benefits of your boring snack.
- Who doesn’t like lime pickles as a side dish? Well, Persians and middle-east people do. So do Indians.
- Iced lemon tea is one of very few drinks, which are healthy yet tasty.
Lemon owing to its acidic nature can elicit burning sensation if comes in contact with the mouth or lip blisters or even eyes.
So now, you have a complete guide on usages and benefits of our favorite lemons. Stay healthy and live healthy by eating healthy.
