26 Health and Beauty Benefits of Lemon

The lemon (Citrus × limon) is a species of small evergreen tree native to Asia.The tree’s ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, which has both culinary and cleaning uses.[1] The pulp and rind (zest) are also used in cooking and baking.
The juice of the lemon is about 5% to 6% citric acid, which gives a sour taste. The distinctive sour taste of lemon juice makes it a key ingredient in drinks and foods such as lemonade and lemon meringue pie

The health benefits of lemons are due to its many nourishing elements like vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, niacin thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus and protein. Lemon is a fruit that contains flavonoids, which are composites that contain antioxidant and cancer fighting properties. It helps to prevent diabetes, constipation, high blood pressure, fever, indigestion and many other problems, as well as improving the skin, hair, and teeth. Studies conducted at the American Urological Association highlight the fact that lemonade or lemon juice can eliminate the occurrence of kidney stones by forming urinary citrate, which prevents the formation of crystals.

People use lemons to make lemonade by mixing lemon juice and water. Many people also use lemon as a washing agent, because of its ability to remove stains. The scent of lemon can also repel mosquitoes, while drinking lemon juice with olive oil helps to get rid of gall stones. Lemon is well known for its medicinal power and is used in many different ways. As per the results reported in a study by the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, lemon provides protection against inflammatory polyarthritis and arthritis

Health Benefits of Lemon

Various health benefits of lemon are explained below:

1. Indigestion and Constipation: Lemon juice helps to cure problems related to indigestion and constipation. Add a few drops of lemon on your dish (take care, it does not go well with milk), and it will aid in digestion. It acts as a blood purifier and a cleansing agent, so a good drink after lunch or dinner is fresh lemon soda, which is also called fresh lime soda in many places. The recipe is lemon juice, cold water, soda, salts (common salt or rock salt) and sugar/honey for sweetness. You can also add some mint leaves or crushed fennel seeds for added flavor. Drink this whenever you have a heavy lunch or dinner.
2. Fever: Lemon juice can treat a person who is suffering from a cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fevers by increasing perspiration.
3. Dental Care: It is also frequently used in dental care. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the area of a toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. Massaging the juice on the gums can stop gum bleeding, while eliminating the bad odors that can come from various gum diseases and conditions.
4. Hair Care: Lemon juice has proven itself in the treatment of hair care on a wide scale. The juice applied to the scalp can treat problems like dandruff, hair loss and other problems related to the hair and scalp. If you apply lemon juice directly on the hair, it can give your hair a natural shine.
5. Skin Care: Lemon juice, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can also cure problems related to the skin. The juice can be applied to reduce the pain of sun burn, and it helps to ease the pain from bee stings as well. It is also good for acne and eczema. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Drinking lemon juice mixed with water and honey brings a healthy glow to the skin, and if you thoroughly search the cosmetic market, you will find some soaps containing lemon juice, but they aren’t too easy to find!
6. Burns: Use lemon juice on the site of old burns can help fade the scars, and since lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin when you currently have an irritating burn.
7. Internal Bleeding: It has antiseptic and coagulant properties, so it can stop internal bleeding. You can apply lemon juice to a small cotton ball and place it inside your nose to stop nose bleeds.
8. Weight Loss: If a person drinks lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can help reduce body weight.
9. Respiratory Disorders: Lemon juice assists in relieving respiratory problems and breathing problems, such as its ability to soothe a person suffering from an asthma attack. Being a rich source of vitamin C, it helps in dealing with more long-term respiratory disorders.
10. Cholera: Diseases like cholera and malaria can be treated with lemon juice, because it acts as a blood purifier.
11. Foot Relaxation: Lemon is an aromatic and antiseptic agent and is useful in foot relaxation. Add some lemon juice to warm water and dip your feet in the mixture for instant relief and muscle relaxation.
12. Rheumatism: It is also a diuretic and can treat rheumatism and arthritis. It helps to flush out bacteria and toxins from the body.
13. Corns: Lemon juice can dissolve lumps on the skin, so it can be applied at the places where the skin has hardened up, like the soles of feet and the palms of your hands. Drinking lemon juice with water can help patients reduce gall stones for the same reasons.
14. Throat Infections: Lemon is an excellent fruit that fights against problems related to throat infections, due to its well-known antibacterial properties.
15. High Blood Pressure: Drinking lemon juice is helpful for people suffering from heart problems, because it contains potassium. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, and nausea, because it provides a calming sensation to both the mind and body. It is commonly employed to reduce mental stress and depression.

Beauty Benefits:

You might love lemonade and lemon chicken, but your skin and hair love lemons even more—they have an amazing range of beauty benefits. Here are some great uses for the sunny yellow fruit:

1. Clarifying moisturizer: Mix a few drops of coconut water with a few drops of lemon juice. The coconut will hydrate your skin, and lemon will clear and brighten it.
2. Elbow and knee bleacher: “If your elbows and knees appear dark, simply rub them with half of a lemon,” says Patrice Coleman, owner of DaBlot Beauty. “It’s like magic!”
3. Blackhead treatment: It may sound too good to be true, but because lemons are antibacterial, they can help treat acne. Just slice a lemon, and squeeze the juice on your face. Your blackheads will start to fade before you know it.
4. Cleansing wipes: “I like to mix a couple drops of lemon and tea tree essential oil in about 6 ounces of distilled water. I recommend it as a toner or for use with cotton pads as a cleansing wipe for problematic skin,” says Becky Sturm, founder of StormSister Spatique.
5. Teeth whitener: Mix baking soda and lemon juice, and apply it to your teeth with a clean Q-tip. Then, use your toothbrush to scrub your teeth and rinse. It’s way cheaper than going to your dentist’s office.
6. Canker sore treatment: Sturn also uses a few drops of the lemon essential oil on her canker sores to help them heal faster.
7. Skin brightener: Lemons are rich in vitamin C and citric acid, so they can help brighten and lighten your skin when used over time. Vitamin C is a great antioxidant for neutralizing free radicals and boosting collagen production, says Marina Peredo, M.D., a dermatologist. That means it can help lighten age spots, dark spots, or a fake tan gone wrong. Remember to wear SPF when using lemon juice on your skin, though, since the citrus fruit can make your skin more sensitive to UV rays.
8. Shine eliminator: Lemon is great for reducing excess oil.
9. Lip exfoliator: Put a little lemon juice on your lips before bedtime, and wash it off in the morning to help remove dead skin cells and dried skin. One caveat: “Obviously, if you already have severely chapped lips that have any cuts, do not try this,” says Gary Goldfaden, M.D., a dermatologist.
10. Nail strengthener: Have you been getting too many gel manicures? Make a mixture of your favorite cooking oil (try olive oil) with lemon juice, and soak your nails. This is a good practice if your nails are dry and brittle, but it’s also a great way to help fix nails that have yellowed.
11. Hair Lightener: Score dye-free DIY highlights with lemon juice. Apply it before you expose your hair to sunlight to score a sun-kissed color. The lemon juice can also help treat a dry scalp and dandruff, so apply it liberally.