Health Benefits Of Lemons

Our thanks to Elite Coach Paul Barry from Australia for his insights on the benefits of lemons.  I was aware of a few of those he mentioned, but learned about several others.   Such good reasons to be adding more lemons to our diet!

Health Benefits Of Lemons

The general health benefits of lemons are extensive & have been utilised for a lengthy period. Some fruit have had in-depth studies & other none. Despite lemons having known health benefits they haven’t been extensively studied. However, we do know a lot about them due to information being passed down. Early sea explorers knew of their benefits in preventing scurvy. It was an horrendous illness for century ago which reflects lemons being a true super food. More recently lemons are commonly associated with their medicinal properties for sore throats, colds & the flu.

Physiologically, one of lemons numerous benefits is having a lemon drink 20 minutes prior to breakfast. This initiates a speed up in your metabolic rate. Higher metabolism results in breaking down food faster & more efficiently as less energy is required. This isn’t the peak in the relationship between lemons & metabolism. Heightened metabolic rates breakdown our fat lipid cells & converts them into energy. Our bodies use this fat as energy & stores the goodness from our meals into our cells.

Lemons have very high levels of Vitamin C as well as lower levels of Folate, Potassium, Vitamin A and Iron. They also have antioxidant properties from flavonoid compounds they contain which aids in the reduction of oxidative stress levels in our body. Lemons antibacterial properties are also widely known.

 Other Benefits from Lemons

 LOW CALORIC VALUE FOOD (Low Calorie Level)

Lemons have very low levels of Calories & Sugar making them a really good alternative to other juices or drinks. While they benefit all of us in many ways, they are highly beneficial for people who are diabetic or people looking to lose weight. Lemon drinks are an easy & simple way to rehydrate & energise the body.

AIDS IN WEIGHT LOSS                                                                                                                                   

Lemons have been used for a long period of time as a safe & effective weight loss strategy. Creating a habit of drinking water with lemon juice 20 – 30 minutes before breakfast can make an impact for people looking to lose extra weight. As mentioned previously lemon drinks can be hot or cold & this holds true for Weight Loss. But for maximum benefit a drink at room temperature gets the best results.

DETOXIFIES THE BODY

Lemons aid in detoxifying our body. They do this by cleansing & reducing the toxins in our blood. Lemons are a natural diuretic, so those nutrients promote the removal of waste materials and toxins.

ASSISTS IN BALANCING pH LEVELS IN THE BODY (Percentage of Hydrogen)

Lemons do assist in this area but not as much as many believe. Lemons are naturally Acidic but after metabolism in our body the By Products produced are Alkaline in nature thereby assisting our Urine pH. However, our blood pH is minimally impacted & good reason. Our bodies maintain a very delicate pH balance in fluids, tissues & systems. Our blood plasma & fluids around our cells are most sensitive to any acid-alkaline imbalance. Our blood has a large amount of Carbonic Acid & Bicarbonate. They assist in maintaining our Blood pH at 7.4

IMPROVES OUR DIGESTION

As a result of drinking lemon juice, we get an increase in production of both hydrochloric acid & bile. Both are important in the digestion process. It also reduces the level of acidity which greatly assists those who get digestive issues after eating. The most common being abdominal cramps, bloating & burning sensation. Lemon drinks on a consistent basis would reduce the acidic state & gives reasonably quick effective relief from these problems.

 BOOSTS OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Lemons contain essential vitamins & minerals which increase the energy levels in the body. Lemons are part of a group of citrus bioflavonoids that are rich in flavonoid content and possess various bioactivities. Other non-acidic citrus fruits in this group are oranges, mandarins & grapefruit. They are biologically part of the group of plant-derived compounds named Bioflavonoid’s. They are well known for their excellent antioxidant properties which are very important for the modern diet. Due to the fast paced & stressful lives most of us have we need Bioflavonoid’s to offset the free radicals this environment creates. This group is also believed to be very beneficial in creating capillary strength. How the health of our immune system is promoted or boosted hasn’t been fully proven to date it is believed to be an interaction between Bioflavonoids and Phytonutrients. One of the properties known to be involved is Vitamin C.

 LOWERS OUR STRESS LEVELS & BLOOD PRESSURE

Studies have conclusively shown that using lemons as part of your regular diet lowers your blood pressure. They also physiologically have a calming effect on the body in a physiological sense. This calming effect works across several platforms at the same time in providing relief from stress, anxiety & depression.

 PREVENTS KIDNEY STONES FROM FORMING

Lemons treat & prevent kidney stones. Regular Lemon juice drinks assist the body to retain high hydration levels in our cells. This function alone reduces any risk of kidney stone formation. Lemon juice also contains high levels of Citrate with studies proving that property as a cure of kidney stones.

 ANTI-CARCINOGENIC PROPERTIES?

Although not confirmed yet, lemons at some point may play a part in preventing cancer. To date research has shown lemons have anticancer potential effects due the compounds they contain being limonene & naringin. But, to date there is no quality evidence confirming they can fight cancer in humans yet. Other research shows positive signs of antitumor properties from lemons. The positive results have all been in laboratory conditions, not on humans & using very high doses of lemons & other citrus fruits juice.

Our Guest Blogger is Paul Barry from Brisbane, Australia. Paul works within the field of High-Performance Sports Coaching & Consulting. He is qualified & has vast experience in diverse fields within this industry. They include Swimming, Strength & Conditioning, Advanced Nutrition, Sports Supplementation, Anatomy & Physiology, The Psychology & Science of Winning and various Body Work modalities.

He has Coached & Consulted in Multiple Sports, but his major focus has been Swimming which he has a strong passion for. His experience range is Junior Competitive through to International Athletes from various Countries who were all members of their National Teams.

Paul is highly experienced in creating Annual Training Plans broken down to Macro, Meso & Micro Cycles. With his high-level athletes, he uses his knowledge to link together all elements of any Training Phase, so input from all training aspects relate directly & are in harmony to the current Phase Goal e.g. Training Phase, Nutrition, Gym, Dry-Land, Core Development etc.

For more information, you can reach Paul at pbelitecoach@gmail.com