16 Health Benefits of Lemons Make It An Amazing Alkaline Superfood

The health benefits of lemons are immense.  To begin they are acidic to the taste but are alkaline-forming in the body. In fact, they are one of the most alkaline-forming superfoods; this makes them great for balancing a highly acidic condition in the body. Also, they are full of many health benefits.

Lemons are a favourite all over the world and an essential food in kitchens around the world.

Learn how to use lemons to properly get all the health benefits in our Spring Cleanse.

16 Health Benefits of Lemons

1. Lemons are Alkalizing

Lemons have an alkalizing effect in the body: Lemons are acidic, to begin with, but they are alkaline-forming on body fluids helping to restore balance to the body’s pH.  Learn the 10 Tips for Creating Alkaline Balance

2. Lemons are Rich in Vitamin C

Not only Vitamin C, but also flavonoids that work against infections like colds and flues.  While lemons are not the highest in vitamin c compared to some other citrus fruits, they are still a good source. The juice of one lemon provides about 18.6 milligrams of vitamin C, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Trusted Source.  65 to 90 milligrams is the recommended daily amount for adults.

3. May Reduce Stroke Risk

The flavonoids in citrus fruits may help lower the risk of ischemic stroke in women, according to a 2012 study.

Over 14 years, data from nearly 70,000 women showed that those who ate the most citrus fruits had a 19% lower risk of ischemic stroke than women who consumed the least.

4. Has Anti-cancer Compounds

A lemon contains 22 anti-cancer compounds, including naturally occurring limonene; oil that slows or halts the growth of cancer tumors in animals, and flavonol glycosides which stop cell division in cancer cells.  The Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention published a study in 2011, which found that lemon extract applied to breast cancer cells induced cell death.

5. Lemons Treat Scurvy

Scurvy is treated by giving one to two ounces of lemon juice diluted with water every two to four hours. In 1747, a naval James Lind cured scurvy with fresh lemons. To this day, the British Navy requires ships to carry enough lemons so that every sailor can have one ounce of juice a day. This is where the English got their nickname Limeys. Pirates used to eat Lemons to save them from the dreaded scurvy!

6. Lemon Juice Dissolves Gallstones

The citric acid in lemon juice helps to dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits, and kidney stones, according to research.

7. Good for the Skin & Reducing Aging Symptoms

A high vitamin C intake was associated with a lower likelihood of developing wrinkles and less skin dryness, according to a study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

8. May Assist with Brain Disorders

The lemon peel contains the potent phytonutrient tangeretin, which has been proven to be effective for brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease.   According to a review published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, lemon could help stave off severe mental decline.

9. Antibacterial Properties

Lemons have powerful antibacterial properties; experiments have found the juice of lemons destroys the bacteria of malaria, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid, and other deadly diseases.  Fermented sweet lemon juice showed antibacterial activity against E. coli bacteria in a 2017 study by The Journal of Functional Foods.

10. Helps with Breathing

When there is insufficient oxygen and difficulty in breathing such as when mountain climbing lemons are very helpful. The first man, Edmund Hillary to reach the top of Mount Everest, said that his success on Mount Everest was greatly due to lemons.

11. Lemons Are an Ayurvedic Superfood

In India, Ayurveda medicine values the lemon as a fruit and for its health properties. It is sour, warm, promoter of gastric fire, light, good for vision, pungent, and astringent.

12. Strengthens Blood Vessels

Blood vessels are strengthened by the Vitamin P in lemon thus preventing internal hemorrhage. Also, making it useful in treating high blood pressure.

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavours and furniture polish is made from real lemons. ~ Alfred E. Newman

13. Improves Eye Health

The symptoms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy, have been shown in research to improve due to the Rutin, found in lemons.

14. Lemons Clean your Bowels

Lemons increase peristalsis in the bowels helping to create a bowel movement thus eliminating waste and bonus to help with being regular. Add the juice of one lemon to a glass of warm water and drink it after you Drink your two to three cups of Water First Thing in the Morning.

15. Lemons have a Negative Electrical Charge Providing Cellular Energy

According to The Reams Biological Ionization Theory (RBTI), the lemon is the ONLY food in the world that is Anionic (the lemon electron has a negative charge). All other foods are cationic (the lemon’s outer electron has a positive charge.) This makes it extremely useful to health as it is the interaction between anions and cations that ultimately provides all cell energy.

16. Helps Neutralize Free Radicals

Vitamin C in lemons helps to neutralize free radicals linked to aging and most types of disease.

So there you are, so many amazing health benefits of lemons.

Lemons contain vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, B-complex vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber. Lemons contain more potassium than apples or grapes, which is beneficial to the heart. Here is a graph with all the nutrient details. Looking at this you can see why there are so many Health Benefits of Lemons.

Lemon History, Trivia, and Interesting Facts

• The lemon is a small evergreen tree native to Asia.
• Fashionable ladies used lemon juice as a way to redden their lips during the European Renaissance.
• The lemon originated in the Indus Valley; a lemon-shaped earring from 2500 BC was discovered by archaeologists.
• They have been in cultivation around the Mediterranean from as early as the first century A.D.
• Lemon trees produce fruit all year round. The trees can produce between 500 and 600 pounds of lemons in a year.
• Once upon a time, lemons were presented as gifts to kings because they were so rare.
• California and Arizona produce 95% of the entire U.S. lemon crop.

How to Pick a Good Lemon to Get the Health Benefits

• 

  Heavier lemons will have the most mineral content and sugar thus thick-skinned lemons will be lighter than thin-skinned lemons and will have less sweetness and minerals.

• The ones with the most juice will have finely-grained texture peels.
• Lemons should be fully yellow the ones with green tinges have not fully ripened and will be very acidic.
• An overripe lemon will have a wrinkling look, have soft or hard patches, and not be a colourful yellow.
• They stay fresh kept at room temperature (not in sunlight) for about 7 to 10 days. Or store them in the refrigerator crisper for about four to five weeks.

“When life gives you a lemon… squeeze it, mix it with six ounces of distilled water and drink twice daily.”~ Jethro Kloss in his book Back to Eden

How to Use Lemons to Get the Health Benefits

• A bowl of fresh lemons will add fragrance and colour to a room for days.
• Alkalize your body with Lemon Water Beverage (AKA Sugar-free Lemon Aid) Is Good For You.
• To reduce your sodium intake, squeeze fresh lemon on salads, steamed vegetables, soups, and stews.
• Roll a lemon on the counter a few times before squeezing it to maximize the amount of juice.
• Lemon juice can be stored for later use by putting freshly squeezed lemon juice in ice cube trays until frozen, then store them in containers in the freezer.
• Dried lemon zest should be stored in a cool and dry place in an airtight glass container.
• The zest of fresh lemon is a wonderful addition to recipes in cakes, cookies, and vegetables.

Try a Dr. Oz Lemon Facial Cleanser –  You probably have the ingredients for this natural anti-aging cleanser in your fridge right now. Try this lemon facial cleanser.

When life gives you lemons, make orange juice and let the world wonder how you did it!! ~ Author Unknown

Get the Health Benefits of Lemons Into You with Delicious Recipes

 Lemon Water – AKA Sugar-Free Lemon-Aid – Drinking lemon water is great for the whole body. Did you know that the most alkaline-forming food you can eat is a lemon? Here is a simple way to get some quick alkalizing going into your body with this refreshing drink.

 Make Your Own Olive Oil Lemon Juice Salad Dressing – This is a simple salad dressing base recipe that you can make up different each time with a variety of herbs or types of salty flavors.

 Light Herb Lemon Olive Oil Salad Dressing:  It’s easier to make than to say it.  Sugar-free and low calories. This light lemon olive oil salad dressing is a base recipe. What makes this light is the addition of water which also makes it more alkalizing. Also, get the health benefits of lemons too.

Avocado Tomato Salad Dressing – This ‘Avocado Tomato Salad Dressing’ is an easy way to jazz up any salad! This is a base recipe that you can alter with your choice of herbs or salty flavours. This is enough for three large salads.

Delicious Raspberry Dressing – Usually, this raspberry salad dressing is called a `vinaigrette’ but it does not have any vinegar in it. Vinegar is not an ingredient I use as it is so acidic and can be hard on the stomach. I use lemon juice which is healthier, alkaline-forming and is a nutrient-rich superfood. So I call it ‘Raspberry Salad Dressing’.

 Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Salad Dressing – This salad dressing is full of 3 of the 12 Top Anti-Inflammatory Foods.  Inflammation has been linked to major diseases such as Alzheimer’s,  arthritis,  cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and signs of aging.

 Delicious Tomato Salad Dressing – This tomato salad dressing is a very light dressing recipe and is excellent for those wanting a low-fat dressing. It is always good to make your own salad dressing so you can use a nutritious oil, not too much salt, and no sugar. I have been making my own salad dressing for decades.

 Asparagus with Lemon Juice:  Two tasty superfoods together.  If you like asparagus then you will enjoy this asparagus with lemon juice recipe.  You will love how easy it is to make this healthy recipe that is a delicious addition to any meal.

 Avocado Vegetable Dip – What I like about this raw avocado dip is that it is full of vegetables; adding the celery makes it crunchy and not so rich as well as healthier.  It is low in sodium, monounsaturated fat and a good source of lutein, an antioxidant that may protect vision. Best of all it is fresh and tasty. I enjoy this mixture is on mixed green salads.

Start Using Lemons in Your Life Properly To Get The Health Benefits!

Lemon is one of the essential foods in the Alkalize Your Body BootCamp Also, learn how to use lemons properly in our Spring Cleanse.

I wrote a book that helps you understand the importance of an alkaline body and how to easily understand and implement these principles into your life.

Alkaline Diet Principles E-book – Acid / Alkaline Balance

Learn how an alkaline diet can easily and permanently create a fundamental chemical balance in your body that supports energy, weight management, healing, and total fitness.

This book contains the full description of the acid/alkaline balance and understanding it.

To follow, here is a course to help with good digestion:

Healthy Lean Boot Camp: Food Combining & Alkaline Balance for Regeneration & Healthy Slimness

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