Unmistakable fragrance—clean, fresh, and exhilarating. Unmistakable flavor—sour but inviting, a tease to the taste buds. Unmistakable look—shades of yellow that vary from pale to vibrant, and its textured yet almost smooth surface reveal that it’s of the citrus variety. Not round or oval, its shape is also its moniker, this zesty citrus is “lemon.”
I just purchased a fruit bearing lemon-tree and am giddy to have fresh lemons just steps from my back door. It brightens my day to see a tree overflowing with these little pops of sunshine. Or shall I call them little gifts of health? When thinking of healthy fruits, most people would not think of lemons, but they have an abundance of health benefits.
Lemons are good for your heart. Though we usually don’t consume them as a whole fruit, just one lemon can provide half of your daily recommended intake for Vitamin C. They also are a good source of soluble fiber, hesperidin, and diosmin, all of which are shown to lower cholesterol.
Lemons may help protect you from anemia. Though lemons contain some iron, it is not the iron content that helps prevent anemia. The vitamin C and citric acid in lemons help your body to absorb iron from plant foods which your body does not easily absorb on its own.
Lemons might help reduce cancer risk. In test tube studies, many compounds from lemons have killed cancer cells. In animal studies, compounds in lemons have shown some anticancer properties and may even have prevented malignant tumors from developing. Some observational human studies have also shown that people who eat a large quantity of citrus fruits may have a lower risk for cancer. With these promising ideas, however, it is important to note that it is unclear if human consumption of lemons leads to these same anticancer properties.
Lemons help digestion. Lemons contain about 10% carbs, mostly in the form of soluble fiber and simple sugars such as glucose, sucrose, and fructose. The primary soluble fiber of a lemon is pectin, which is shown to improve bowel function and is “…recognized as a prebiotic that is not degraded by either human saliva or gastric acid,” according to The Dietary Fiber Pectin: Health Benefits and Potential for the Treatment of Allergies by Modulation of Gut Microbiota, a 2021 review published in Current Allergy and Asthma Reports.
Though I am a huge fan of lemons, I need to be careful when using them as an ingredient, as I have sensitive skin and direct contact can cause skin irritation. So, after feasting on shellfish, no lemon wash for me, just soap and water. One other caution: acidic foods in substantial amounts can be detrimental to your dental health. Remember that everything you ever needed to know, you learned in kindergarten, and brush after every meal.
When life gives me lemons, I make lemonade, lemon caper chicken, lemon bars, lemon sorbet and so much more. If you don’t have your own tree, friends with mature trees will likely be glad to share their bounty. Each week, students in my group fitness classes bring lemons to share. Pucker up, pals!
Contributing writer Denise Lum is a Health and Fitness Coach raising her family in Alameda. Contact her via [email protected] or FitnessByDsign.com. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Denise-Lum.
