After working with food for 30 years, the value of what nature provides never ceases to amaze me. Lemons are inexpensive, easy to find and packed with vitamin C, plus flavonoid antioxidants, a little potassium and soluble fibre in the pith. Here’s a closer look at what’s just under our nose.
For health
I love a glass of warm water with lemon first thing every morning. Here’s what it can, and can’t, do:
Hydration. If the lemon makes you drink more water, that alone helps digestion, energy and regularity.
Vitamin C. The juice of half a lemon gives you a useful dose of vitamin C, which supports immunity, collagen production and iron absorption.
Kidney stones. The citrate in lemon juice may help prevent some types of kidney stones.
Sore throats. Warm water with lemon and a teaspoon of honey is a soothing, time-honoured drink for a scratchy throat (no honey for babies under 12 months).
Weight management. Swapping soft drinks and sugary juices for lemon water is an easy way to cut kilojoules.
Digestion. Lemon adds flavour that can help you enjoy meals with less salt. For some people, though, acidic drinks make heartburn and reflux worse, so stop if you notice that.
The alkaline myth. Lemon water won’t make your body more alkaline. Your blood pH is tightly controlled by your lungs and kidneys, whatever you eat or drink. See my post on the alkaline diet for what the science says.
Look after your teeth. Lemon juice is acidic and can wear away tooth enamel. Drink lemon water through a straw, rinse your mouth with plain water afterwards, and wait 30 minutes before brushing. Bleeding gums and toothache are signs to see your dentist, not to treat with lemon.
For beauty
Skin from the inside. Vitamin C helps your body make the collagen that keeps skin firm, and staying hydrated helps it look its best.
Use lemon on skin with care. Lemon juice on the skin can cause irritation, and if skin with lemon juice on it is exposed to the sun it can burn and blister badly (a reaction called phytophotodermatitis). For that reason:
- Don’t put lemon juice on your face, on blackheads, on age spots or on your hair and then go out in the sun.
- Never put lemon on burns, broken skin or sunburn. Cool a burn under running water for 20 minutes and see a doctor if it blisters or is large.
- For a gentle scrub, try fine sugar with olive oil, and rinse well. Skincare products with tested vitamin C or citrus extracts are a safer way to brighten skin.
For cooking
- Peel strips of zest with a vegetable peeler, blanch, then store in a clean jar covered with rice bran oil in the fridge. Use within a week for chopping into dishes or adding to herbal teas. Never store homemade flavoured oils at room temperature, as they can grow the bacteria that cause botulism.
- Freeze freshly squeezed juice in ice cube trays so you always have some on hand.
- Lemons are great for salad dressings; mix the juice with your favourite herbs and good oils, and get creative.
- Squeeze a little over a freshly cooked steak with grain mustard, salt and freshly cracked pepper. Yum!
- Preserve lemons in salt and lemon juice and add them to casseroles, or to chicken noodle soup with fresh parsley for extra flavour.
- Pop a lemon inside a chicken with hard herbs such as rosemary, sage and thyme before roasting for extra flavour.
Lemons are inexpensive and easy to find. Can you see any reason not to use more lemons in your life today?
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This article is general information about food and wellbeing, not medical advice. Please talk to your GP or a qualified health professional about any health condition, medication or major change to your diet.
