Lemon Health Benefit: Lemons are a citrus fruit known for their sour, bitter taste and bright yellow color. They are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants that support various aspects of health. For example, lemon water has gained a lot of popularity for reducing the risk of kidney stones, boosting vitamin C intake, and supporting healthy digestion.
Lemons are part of the Rutaceae family along with other citrus fruits.1 Read on to learn about the benefits and risks of lemons, and tips for incorporating it into your meals and snacks.
1. Helps prevent kidney stones
Kidney stones are also known as renal calculi or nephrolithiasis. They are hard deposits made of minerals that accumulate in your urinary tract and form in your kidneys. Kidney stones affect about 10% of people. Increasing the level of a weak acid called urinary citrate and making urine more alkaline may help prevent kidney stones.
Lemons contain a form of citrate called citric acid that helps increase citrate levels in the urine. Citric acid binds with urinary calcium to help prevent overly saturated urine. It also binds hard clumps of minerals called calcium oxalate crystals to prevent them from growing and forming painful kidney stones.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, drinking four ounces of lemon juice mixed with water daily may help prevent kidney stones.
2. Supports heart health
Lemons are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants that support heart health. Consuming enough vitamin C protects your cells from harmful free radicals — highly unstable particles that can damage cells if not inactivated. This may help prevent atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries), a condition that increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Phenolic compounds are a type of antioxidant found in lemons that support healthy blood pressure, endothelial function, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. Endothelial function refers to how easily blood moves through your body. High blood pressure (hypertension), high LDL cholesterol levels, and low endothelial function increase your risk of heart disease.
3. Enhances iron absorption
One lemon contains more than 30% of your Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C. Vitamin C is important for iron absorption as well as reducing the risk of heart disease. It also helps you better absorb nonheme iron, which is found in plants and iron-fortified foods like breads and cereals.
Combining food sources of iron with vitamin C helps you absorb iron more effectively. This may be especially beneficial if you're a vegetarian and consume primarily nonheme iron. This can prevent iron deficiency anemia, a condition when your body doesn't have enough iron to produce hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body.
4. Prevents cell damage
The antioxidants in lemons prevent cell damage associated with health conditions such as heart disease, chronic kidney disease, cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a group of chronic, progressive lung diseases that limit airflow to your lungs and cause breathing difficulties.
Several studies have shown that citrus fruits are rich in antioxidants.10 Antioxidants are present in the juice and pulp, but recent research suggests that citrus fruit peels contain even greater amounts of health-promoting antioxidants.
Lemon Nutrition
One lemon without the peel has the following nutritional profile:
Calories: 17
Fat: 0.2 grams (g)
Sodium: 1 milligram (mg)
Carbohydrates: 5 grams
Fiber: 1.6 grams, or 6% of the DV
Added sugars: 0 grams
Protein: 0.6 grams
Vitamin C: 31 mg, or 34% of the DV
Tips for consuming lemon
Incorporating a few lemons throughout your day and week can help you increase your vitamin C intake and antioxidant consumption to support health. Here are some tips for eating more lemons and extending their freshness:
Keep lemons in the crisper part of your refrigerator for maximum freshness
Freeze sliced or whole lemons that you are not going to use to prevent them from going waste
Add lemon juice or a slice of lemon to water or tea
Marinate meat, fish or tofu in lemon juice and garnish with lemon slices
Make a simple legume (for example, chickpea) salad with a lemon dressing to increase absorption of nonheme iron
Use lemon or lime peel to add flavor to soups, cereals or pastries
Summary
Lemons can add bright flavor and nutritional value to your meals and beverages. They are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants that promote heart health, help prevent kidney stones and cell damage, and increase iron absorption.
Try adding lemon to your water or tea. Some people have sensitivity to citrus fruits. The acidity of lemons can also erode tooth enamel and cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Pay attention to the potential negative side effects of lemon consumption and contact your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns.
