Nutrition
Benefits of Lemon
Photography, © Foodivine studio
Nutrition
Benefits of Lemon
Originating in Southeast Asia, lemons were the first citrus fruits to arrive in the Mediterranean around the first century BC. Considered valuable for their healing qualities, pleasant aroma and rarity, they were status symbols for the ancient Roman ruling elite. Now a grocery store staple, lemons offer an excellent way to add flavour to meals without increasing calories or salt. Not only that, they can also help your body absorb nutrients like iron and carotenoids from other food sources.
THE BENEFITS
Sniff Test
Lemon’s scent can have a beneficial effect on your mind by enhancing positive moods and boosting confidence…but that’s not all. A prominent symptom of COVID-19 is smell loss, which has left many with long-term deficiency or distortions. “Smell training,” involves sniffing at least four different odours (including lemon) twice daily for several months and has emerged as an effective way to recover smell performance after infection. As a diagnostic tool, the inability to identify different scents, including lemon, lilac or leather, is a strong predictor of Alzheimer’s disease. The nerve pathways involved in perceiving and recognizing odours are affected at a very early stage in the disease, and early diagnosis can help patients and families better plan their lives.
Bacterial Ban
Lemon and its components offer up antimicrobial properties, so it’s no wonder that it’s a classic cleaning solution fragrance. Research on common pathogens like noroviruses that cause gastrointestinal infections shows that lemon juice could potentially be a safe and practical disinfectant. Solvents made with lemon peel have also been shown to be effective against salmonella, staphylococcus and other pathogenic bacteria. Pharmaceutical and food industries are likewise exploring lemon as a natural antimicrobial agent for food and drugs.
Pee Happy
Lemon’s high antimicrobial activity may also be useful against common bacterial strains that cause urinary tract infections—especially in light of the high recurrence rates and anti-biotic resistance of such infections. Lemons have the most citric acid of any fruit, which may benefit those suffering from kidney stones. Some studies show that citric acid can help prevent new kidney stones from forming and break up existing stones. The more citric acid in your urine, the better protected you may be from forming new stones. Plus, a slice of lemon in your water is perfect for adding flavour and staying hydrated!
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