The humble lemon is amongst a list of powerful healing foods used in preventative medicine for a variety of health promoting purposes. Lemons are nutritional powerhouses; they are very low in calories, sugar and carbohydrates and high in vitamin C, phytonutrients and flavonoids (a compound with potent antioxidant properties). They also contain vitamin A, the B-complex vitamins, magnesium, copper, choline and potassium.
Lemon as an Illness Preventative
Many of the healing properties associated with lemons stem from the measurable amount of vitamin C found within them. Vitamin C is not only one of the most important antioxidants in nature; it is also the primary water-soluble antioxidant found in the human body. The antioxidants in lemons scavenge free radicals and in so doing, they prevent free radicals from causing damage and death to your cells and DNA. Vitamin C is well known to help to boost the immune system as well.
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Lemons are not amongst the top healing foods merely because of their vitamin C content—their health benefits extend much further. They are an excellent source of the mineral potassium, which is essential for smooth electrical transmission in the nervous system and brain. A deficiency in potassium has been linked to anxiety, depression and memory problems; as such, the regular consumption of lemons may help to prevent these disorders. Potassium is also essential for cardiovascular health.
The Ultimate Healing Food?
According to Elson, Haas, MD, in his book “Staying Healthy with Nutrition,” lemons are also excellent cleansers, detoxifiers and rejuvenators. In fact, drinking a warm glass of lemon water on an empty stomach daily upon rising is an excellent and easy way to cleanse and to prevent toxins from causing damage to your body. Lemon juice is such a great cleansing agent because it helps to promote both digestion and elimination and in so doing, it reduces circulating toxins.
Not only are they fragrant and affordable, but with the variety of fantastic uses for this functional food, isn’t it time you stocked up next time you are at your local supermarket?
Related Reading: 10 Health benefits of drinking lime juice
