How lemon affects the body. Lemon - benefits, harm and contraindications. Benefits of lemon in everyday life

Lemon is used in preparing poultry, fish and vegetable dishes. The fruits are used in skin care and first aid.

How many lemons can you pick from one tree?

Young lemon trees bear fruit in the third year after planting. The average tree yield is 1,500 lemons per year.

You can do it at home too. It requires almost no maintenance.

Composition and calorie content of lemon

Composition 100 gr. lemons as a percentage of the daily value is presented below.

Vitamins:

• C – 128%;
• B6 – 5%;
• B1 – 3%;
• B2 – 5%;
• B3 – 5%.

Minerals:

The calorie content of lemon is 20 kcal per 100 g.

Lemon can be added to freshly squeezed juices and salad dressings.

For joints

Lemon relieves inflammation in arthritis.

For vessels

Lemon lowers blood pressure and improves blood circulation, strengthens capillaries and helps with varicose veins.

For the nerves

The fetus inhibits the development of degenerative diseases, in particular of the brain.

Lemon essential oil has anti-stress properties. It is used to improve mood. Lemon prevents emotional outbursts and violent behavior.

For the respiratory system

Lemons were used by the ancient Indians:

• from infectious diseases;
• to relieve pain in the throat, mouth;
• for the treatment of tonsillitis;
• for breathing problems and asthma.

The fruit is used to combat bronchitis, cough and sore throat. For this reason, many sore throat medications contain lemon.

For the gastrointestinal tract

Aromatherapy massage with lemon oil helps relieve constipation in older people.

Patients with alcohol addiction were given lemon in their diet to stop liver enlargement.

Lemon helps in the treatment of hepatitis C.

For kidneys and bladder

Lemon reduces uric acid levels. This prevents gout, kidney stones, hypertension and kidney failure.

For skin

Lemon juice relieves irritation from insect bites and rashes when coming into contact with poisonous plants. It treats calluses and warts.

For immunity

Lemon supports the immune system by stimulating the production of white blood cells. It cleanses the skin and body of toxins and also reduces inflammation.

Lemon kills metastases in skin, kidney, lung and breast cancer.

Recipes with lemon

Harm and contraindications of lemon

Lemon is a strong allergen, so you should eat it with caution.

People with ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract should not overuse the fruit.

Due to the high allergenicity, pregnant and lactating women should consult a doctor before including lemon in their diet.

Lemon oil increases the photosensitivity of the skin and lead to uneven darkening and blisters.

Lemon during pregnancy

A 2014 study found that pregnant women who inhaled lemon oil experienced less nausea and vomiting.

Uses of lemon for beauty

• For lightening: Mix lemon juice with almond juice and apply it to your hair before going out in the sun. You will get a natural hair lightener.
• For age spots and freckles: Apply lemon juice on spots and freckles to fade them.
• For hydration: Moisturizer with a few drops of lemon juice will hydrate and brighten your skin.
• To strengthen nails: Soak your nails in a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil.
• Anti-dandruff: Massage your scalp with lemon juice. It helps fight acne and is used as an exfoliating scrub for the face and body.

How to choose a lemon

When choosing a lemon, study its appearance. Full-sized fruits are about 50 mm in diameter. The fruits should be bright yellow. But if the fruit is hard, then most likely it is not ripe.

A ripe lemon is yellow, elastic, but soft. Do not buy fruit with damaged skin or dark spots, as this may be the result of treatment with antibiotics or freezing.

It is believed that lemon originated in India and then came to Mesopotamia. Its healing properties have been used by people since ancient times, because it contains not only proteins, fats and saccharides, but also organic acids, fiber, and essential oil. This citrus fruit occupies a leading position in terms of vitamin C content. It also contains vitamins B, P, E, beta-carotene, sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus.

Lemon juice

What are the benefits of lemon? The secret of the healing properties of this unusual fruit is its vitamin-rich juice. The sour drink is an excellent helper for various diseases. So, it is actively used at elevated temperatures, during colds and flu. Moreover, there is much more vitamin C in the zest than in the fruit itself. By the way, when you have a severe headache, apply lemon juice to your temples, and after a while the pain will subside. Also, the yellow fruit is an excellent antiseptic and an excellent flavoring agent. When a person experiences problems with the digestive system, you can try treatment with lemons. Citrus juice is an appetite stimulant; it helps remove waste and toxins from the body, which promotes gradual weight loss.

Lemon - folk healer

This fruit cleanses the blood, so people suffering from rheumatism and experiencing problems with the cardiovascular system are recommended to use lemon for treatment: as a result, blood pressure is normalized, memory is significantly improved, and the body as a whole becomes healthier.

Additional benefits of lemon

You can also wipe the skin with citrus fruit juice to get rid of a number of problems: acne, blackheads, enlarged pores. The skin begins to look healthier. This is how lemon is useful if you take it not only internally. After a long day of work, a foot massage with the juice of this citrus fruit will not only relieve fatigue, but also soften calluses and rough skin. Lemon can be used as a remedy for dandruff and hair loss. To get rid of itching after insect bites, you can wipe the bite area with a fruit crust.

So, let’s list the benefits of lemon:

• rejuvenates the body;
• strengthens the nervous system;
• increases immunity;
• removes waste and toxins;
• reduces pain;
• stimulates the functioning of the digestive system.

Health Recipes

1. Lemon oil for flu prevention: the whole fruit must be dipped in boiling water, then crushed through a meat grinder, add butter (100 g) and a little honey. Eat as usual butter with bread 6-8 times a day.

2. If you have a severe sore throat at the very beginning of a sore throat, it is recommended to eat half a lemon along with the peel. A few hours later, eat the second one without drinking or eating.

Now you know about the benefits of lemon for the body. It needs to be added to the diet more often to make the most of its healing properties.

Today it is difficult to accurately determine how many thousands of years people have known about the healing properties of lemon. However, it is known from historical sources that long before the advent of the new era, its fruits were used as a preventive and therapeutic agent for many diseases.

Recipes of ancient healers, which included lemon, were used to strengthen the immune system, preserve energy and vitality, and maintain good spirits and body. It was used for poisoning, snake bites and to prevent scurvy. This remedy was used by many peoples in Asia and Africa.

The homeland of this citrus tree is considered to be China, India and the tropical Pacific islands. Currently, up to 14 million tons of lemon tree fruits are harvested annually in the world. The leaders in lemon cultivation are Mexico and India. Each of these countries accounts for approximately 16% of the world's harvest.

Speaking about lemon, one cannot fail to mention its composition and calorie content, medicinal properties, the benefits and harms of lemon for the human body and its use in folk medicine, recipes for remedies and drinks.

How to choose the right lemon?

What are the benefits and harms of lemon?

You can often see lemons on supermarket shelves that look different. If you try them, you will find that these fruits also differ from each other in taste. Some are small, with a thin crust and juicy, dense pulp, a little heavy for their size. Others are large, thick-skinned, with loose and less juicy flesh, and light in weight. There are often recommendations that you need to choose thin-skinned fruits because they are better. Let's try to figure out why.

The fact is that lemons have a very interesting feature: ripe fruits rarely fall from the branches on their own. If the yellow fruits are not removed from the tree in the fall, then with the onset of winter they will remain hanging on the branches. But even more amazing is that in the spring they will turn green again!

The fruits will continue to grow, increasing in volume, and over the spring-summer period they will acquire a fairly thick skin. Therefore, thick-skinned lemons are those same “repeaters.” In the fall they will turn yellow again, but will become quite rough, will lose almost all the vitamins they have, and will be much inferior in taste to the “first-year” ones.

Composition and calorie content of lemon

Lemon is known primarily as a rich source of vitamin C, which is found not only in the fruits of the lemon tree, but also in its leaves. Essential lemon oil is present in various parts of the plant - it is this that gives lemon such a characteristic aroma.

For those who are watching their figure or want to get rid of excess weight, the question is relevant: how many calories are in a lemon? The energy value of the fruit is low, it is only 33 kcal per 100 grams of product, which makes it possible to use it while following a diet and preparing drinks designed to combat excess weight.

Lemons contain a large number of useful substances, including organic acids (citric and malic), phytoncides, carotene, pectin substances, bioflavonoids, fiber, vitamins A, B, P, C, as well as microelements: potassium, copper, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium. But there is no cholesterol and saturated fat in these fruits. It is the rich composition of the fruit that determines the beneficial properties of lemon.

It is known that the peel of this fruit contains several times more vitamins and other valuable substances than the pulp. Therefore, you can often find recommendations that the lemon must be eaten with the peel.

This is true, but we should not forget that on plantations the fruits are treated against pests and diseases. You can eat the peel if the lemons were grown in environmentally friendly conditions and were not treated with chemicals during the growing process or before transportation to avoid spoilage. If you are not sure about this, it is better to peel the fruit before eating.

Properties, benefits and harms of lemon

Lemon has bactericidal and antiseptic properties. At elevated temperatures and colds, it acts as an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic agent. The fruits are recommended for use in diseases of the upper respiratory tract and infectious diseases, scurvy and metabolic disorders, as well as for the prevention of hypovitaminosis and vitamin deficiency.

Eating lemons helps strengthen the immune system, increases the body's resistance to viral infections, normalizes metabolic processes, tones, gives vigor and well-being, helps remove toxins from the body, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and circulatory system.

Lemons contain pectin substances, which are called the body’s “natural orderlies” for their ability to bind heavy metal ions and remove toxins and other harmful substances from tissues. Pectin helps improve metabolism and peripheral blood circulation, restores intestinal motility, and reduces cholesterol levels in the blood. Due to the presence of pectin and fiber in lemons, they are effective in relieving constipation.

To strengthen the cardiovascular system and increase the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels, take a drink of lemon and honey on an empty stomach. To prepare it, take boiled water, cooled to room temperature, add honey and lemon juice to it to taste, and stir thoroughly until the honey is completely dissolved.

Lemon is often used in cosmetics for the care of various types of skin due to its ability to have a whitening effect. Lemon juice is added to creams, masks, and lotions to get rid of age spots and freckles.

Lemon juice strengthens the nail plates, so it is often added to sea salt baths, which are made to improve the condition of brittle and brittle nails. You can also apply a mixture of sea salt and lemon juice to your nails for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Such sessions are held once a week.

You should not get too carried away with procedures with lemon juice, as this can lead to splitting of the nails and the appearance of cracks.

About harm and precautions

Lemons are fruits with a high acid content and are classified as allergens. Therefore, these fruits should not be consumed by people with allergies to citrus fruits or individual intolerance, people with kidney disease, pregnant women and nursing mothers, and should not be given to children under three years of age.

Since lemons irritate the mucous membranes of the intestines and stomach, they are contraindicated for people with diseases of these organs. Excessive passion for fruits can also provoke an exacerbation of certain diseases:

• gastritis and stomach diseases accompanied by high acidity;
• disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas;
• peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
• enteritis, colitis and acute gastroenterocolitis.

Thus, despite all the rich composition and undeniable beneficial properties, lemons should be consumed with caution and in moderation. And then the body will be able to fully experience the benefits and healing power of these fruits.

Ginger with lemon and honey: health recipes

Lemon combined with honey and ginger makes an incredibly healthy vitamin complex. This health elixir helps strengthen the immune system, helps the body cope with colds, has a tonic effect on the body and burns extra pounds.

For colds and to prevent respiratory diseases, drink warm tea with lemon, honey and ginger. It relieves fatigue, eases headaches, improves body tone, and in case of illness, promotes rapid recovery.

These three healing components are also used to make a vitamin mixture. To prepare it, you will need ginger root weighing approximately 100 grams, 4 small lemons with thin peel and 100-150 grams of natural honey. The ginger root must be peeled and grated on a fine grater, and the lemons must be passed through a meat grinder. The lemon mass should be mixed well with grated ginger and honey, transferred to a glass jar and allowed to brew in the refrigerator for a week.

This tonic should be taken daily, one tablespoon, half an hour before breakfast, with a glass of water. This miraculous mixture increases the body's defenses, strengthens the immune system, improves metabolism, helps cope with fatigue, and helps cleanse blood vessels. As an additional remedy in the fight against colds, this mixture can be added in small quantities to tea.

These three medicinal products are successfully used by those who want to lose excess weight. There are many recipe options for a weight loss drink based on ginger with lemon and honey. Let's give one of them. To prepare it you will need:

• 2 liters of cold water (filtered, spring or boiled);
• 2 tablespoons honey;
• small ginger root;
• 2 lemons (approximately 160-180 grams each).

To prepare a fat-burning drink, you need to grate the ginger root on a fine grater, take 35-40 grams of the resulting gruel and add water to it. Add honey and juice with pulp, squeezed from two lemons, to this mixture. All ingredients should be thoroughly mixed until the honey is completely dissolved. The weight loss drink must be stored in the refrigerator.

You need to take it 3-4 times a day, one glass, after stirring, before each meal (15-20 minutes), and also before bed. People who regularly drink this drink note that it dulls the feeling of hunger, fills the body with vigor and energy, and when combined with exercise and proper nutrition, it is a very effective means of weight loss.

You'll get a great summer drink!

Lemons are eaten fresh, used in cooking, added to confectionery, and made into alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Perhaps the most popular of them is refreshing lemonade. You can easily prepare it from lemons at home.

To do this, you need to squeeze the juice from two fruits, dilute it with cold water with a volume of approximately 700-750 ml, add sugar to taste and mix thoroughly until it is completely dissolved. The resulting drink should be filtered and served with ice cubes. You can add a few mint leaves for flavor.

A drink called “Turkish lemonade” is also very healthy and rich in vitamin C. Its difference is that not only the juice is used for preparation, as in the previous recipe, but the entire lemon. To prepare this drink, you need to take 5 liters of water, 500 grams of sugar (you can add more or less, to taste), 7 lemons and several sprigs of mint. The fruits should be thoroughly washed and cut into pieces, then grind the lemon, sugar and mint in a blender. The crushed mixture must be transferred to the container where the lemonade will be prepared and filled with water.

Take cold water for the drink. If you pour hot water over crushed fruits, the lemonade will taste bitter. After this, the container must be placed in the refrigerator for several hours (overnight is possible) so that the drink infuses. If you infuse it at room temperature, it will also contain bitterness. Then the resulting infusion should be filtered, and the refreshing vitamin drink is ready!

These are not the only lemonade recipes. There are several dozen more ways to prepare this healthy soft drink, which perfectly quenches thirst and refreshes in the summer heat.

Clean blood vessels, lower blood pressure, tone. If treated incorrectly, it is harmful to health.

Compound

The calorie content of one fruit is 34 kcal, represented mainly by .

The benefit of lemon is its high content of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which is involved in tissue nutrition.

100g of edible portion contains 45% of the daily value of vitamin C.

Contains other vitamins:

• B1 (thiamine) is involved in energy production, slows down aging, tones the heart muscle (myocardium), and normalizes, which is important for overweight.
• B2 (riboflavin) is involved in metabolic reactions, converting fats and carbohydrates into energy. Deficiency is the cause of insomnia, “”, peeling of the skin.
• B3 (nicotinic acid) promotes growth processes, normalizes fat metabolism, stimulates the production of gastric juice, the functioning of the liver and pancreas, the synthesis of the hormones estrogen, testosterone, insulin, thyroxine.
• B5 (pantothenic acid) is useful for the metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty acids, histamine,.
• B6 (pyridoxine) promotes the absorption of fatty acids and has a diuretic effect.
• B9 () prevents DNA cell mutations and reduces the risk of tumor development.
• (tocopherol) neutralizes free radicals, is useful for the heart muscle and gonads.

The benefits of lemon are its rich mineral composition:

• Copper increases the activity of enzymes, is useful for the production of female sex hormones, thyroid hormone, hemoglobin synthesis - 100 g of lemons cover 24% of the body's daily requirement for copper.
• regulates water-salt balance, interacts with sodium, improves conductivity in the heart muscle, and prevents erosion of the mucous membranes.
• useful for muscle and bone tissue, the nervous system.
• regulates the activity of the cardiovascular system, affects the activity of enzymes.
• Phosphorus is involved in metabolic processes, energy accumulation, and is useful for the brain.
• has an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect, is useful for reproductive function and insulin synthesis.

Contains: citric acid, water, dietary fiber.

Lemon is useful to include in the daily diet and used to treat diseases.

What are the benefits of lemon?

The benefits of lemon are its diuretic and calming effect. It cleans blood vessels, treats diseases of the stomach, heart, joints, and inflammation of the mucous membrane.

Citric acid stimulates the secretion of bile. Dissolves protrusions that hold stones in the bile ducts.

Lemon oil treats arthritis, throat diseases, inflammation,...

Cleaning with lemons

Deposits on the walls of blood vessels impair blood circulation. Restoring their lumen and elasticity after cleaning improves hearing and eliminates headaches. The procedure is periodically used to prevent atherosclerosis, heart attack, and slow down the aging process.

Cleansing the heart according to A. Ryzhov

Blood enters the heart muscle through the venous (coronary) arteries. The narrowing of their lumen disrupts the nutrition of the heart. Lemon and milk are used to cleanse blood vessels.

1. Drink 300 ml of milk on an empty stomach.
2. After some time, take the juice of one fruit.

1. Drink 300 ml of milk.

At night, before bed:

1. Drink 300 ml of milk.
2. After some time - juice of one fruit.

Clean the blood vessels of the heart for 14 days. During treatment, it is advisable to eat vegetarian dishes. Perform the procedure once or twice a year.

Cleaning blood vessels with garlic and lemon

Recipe 1. Cleaning blood vessels with lemon:

• Wash four fruits and pass through a meat grinder with the peel.
• Peel four heads, chop, mix with lemon pulp.
• Place the mixture in a three-liter jar, add warm boiled water to the top.
• Leave for three days, stir occasionally, strain.

Take 1/2 cup three times a day. Drink a total of four three-liter cans. Keep refrigerated.

Recipe 2. Increasing immunity, cleansing blood vessels, eliminating vitamin deficiency:

• Wash and grate the lemon and peel on a fine grater.
• Peel and chop the head of garlic, mix everything.
• Place in a glass container, pour 600 ml of warm boiled water.
• Leave for three days, strain.

Take 50 ml on an empty stomach.

Lemon for weight loss

Recipe 1. Composition for weight loss, slowing down the aging process, facial rejuvenation:

• Add 200g of grated fresh garlic, 0.5l of lemon juice to 0.5kg of honey, mix thoroughly.
• Place in a glass jar, tie with gauze, and store in a dark place.

Dilute 10 ml of the composition in 1/2 cup of warm water. Take 2-3 times a day for one and a half months. Break - three weeks, then repeat the course.

Recipe 2. Lemon zest for weight loss:

• Brew the zest of one fruit and 50g of finely chopped watermelon rinds with a glass of boiling water.
• Cover warmly, leave for 2 hours, strain.

Take 50 ml 15 minutes after meals.

Recipe 3. Losing weight with lemon juice:

• Mix equal parts apricot and lemon juices.

Take a glass three times a day half an hour before meals.

Lemon oil

The product tones the nervous system, has an antiseptic effect, and strengthens the immune system.

The oil is used externally in the treatment of gum diseases, rashes, and boils.

Recipe 1. How to make lemon oil:

• Scrape freshly washed crusts from the white skin and chop finely.
• Place in a dark glass container.
• Pour in vegetable oil to cover the crusts.
• Leave for three days.
• Simmer briefly in a water bath.
• Pour into a glass bottle.

Store in a dark place. You should not prepare a lot of lemon oil - it does not store well.

• Wash the fruit and cut it with the peel.
• Pass through a meat grinder.
• Add 100g butter, 2 tbsp. honey, mix thoroughly.

Spread on bread, toast or eat 0.5 tsp. 3-5 times a day. Keep refrigerated.

Benefits of ginger and lemon

Increased appetite:

• Stir 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. juice, 1g stone.
• Place the mixture in sunlight for three days.

Use 1 tsp. before meals.

Improving digestion, getting rid of harmful substances:

1. Brew a glass of boiling water 1 tbsp. fresh ginger juice, leave for 10 minutes.
2. Add 1 tsp. honey, lemon juice to taste.

Take 1/2 cup on an empty stomach half an hour before breakfast. Drink the remaining half glass in small portions between meals.

Lemon and zucchini jam

1. Wash the zucchini, peel, cut into cubes (1 kg).
2. Peel the zest from 2 lemons and squeeze out the juice.
3. Boil syrup (1/2 cup water, 1 kg granulated sugar).
4. Add zucchini, cook for 45 minutes.
5. 10 minutes before the end, add the zest and lemon juice.

While hot, place the lemon and zucchini jam into jars and roll without pasteurization.

Harm and contraindications

Eating lemon in large quantities causes salt deposits.

Harm of lemon - for gastritis with high acidity (hyperacid), citric acid stimulates the secretion of gastric juice.