Health Benefits in Lemons

Yellow in color, sour in taste, lemons provide more health benefits than just a refreshing zing to dishes. Lemons are high in vitamins and antioxidants. They help prevent scurvy and treat a wide variety of conditions.

Calories

• One medium lemon contains just 15 calories.

Juice

• Lemon juice has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. It can be added to water for a refreshing drink. Hot lemon juice is used as a treatment for respiratory ailments. It can also be used for gingivitis, mouth ulcers, throat infections and inflammation of the tongue.

Diuretic and laxative

• Lemons are diuretics and increase urinary output. They are used to help in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Lemons are also used as laxatives.

Antiscorbutic

• One lemon provides 40 percent of the FDA recommended dose of vitamin C. This makes lemons effective at stopping scurvy.

Febrifuge

• Lemons are used to reduce fever. In Chile, the seeds of the lemon are available as a fever reducer. Lemon balm is also used as a fever reducer.

Hiccups

• Sucking on a slice of lemon may stop hiccups.

Tea

• Lemon juice enables green tea's antioxidants to work more effectively in the body.