Some Lemony Facts
The goodness of lemons
The lemon, that sour yellow citrus fruit that can be commonly found in supermarkets and markets, and has managed to find its way into many kitchens, has many health benefits. Lemons are thought to have originated in the wild in both China and India, and have been around for at least 4,000 years. Sometime between 400-600 BC lemons were taken to the Middle East and made their way to the Mediterranean, where food historians state that they have been in cultivations as early as the first century AD.
Uses
Lemons are a good source of foliate and potassium, an excellent source of vitamin C, and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Lemon juice is good for people with urinary tract infections and high uric acid problems because it helps in cleansing impurities from our bodies and its vitamin C content can help prevent diseases.
In the areas of natural remedies, believers are in favor of using lemon juice to treat conditions like asthma, coughs, colds, fevers, heart burn, liver complaints, and rheumatism.
When mixed with hot water, lemon juice is effective in curing digestion problems such as nausea, biliousness, and disorders of the lower intestines like constipation. It is also known to relieve hiccups, and when taken regularly in the morning, it helps to stimulate the liver to produce bile; making it ready to digest the day's food.
Also, by adding the juice of one lemon to an equal amount of hot water is an effective anti-bacterial gargle for sore throats.
In highly concentrated forms, lemons are also used as balms; some may know them as "cure-alls". Lemon balms are known for their ability to break fevers as they encourage patients to perspire. Dizziness, headaches, high blood pressure and menstrual cramps are also relieved by lemon balms.
Did you know?
- Boiled Coke with Ginger and Lemon is a Chinese remedy used to cure the cold / flu that originated from Hong Kong? But even if you do not have the cold / flu, you still can enjoy this unique concoction if you are up to it. As the boiling gets rid of the Coke's coldness and fizziness. you are left with a sweet, spicy, concoction with a tinge of tarty and somewhat medicinal flavor; something that would sooth your sore throat or clear up that clogged nose.
- Lemons were also used during the Renaissance in Europe by fashionable ladies; they were said to have used lemon juice to redden their lips.
- Being high in Vitamin C, lemon juice was also used by sailors in the past to treat scurvy.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
