“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.” –Alfred E. Newman
Lemons are listed among records for thousands of years. It is hard to pinpoint exactly where use originated, but they have been a powerful part of medicine and cooking as far as we can humanly remember. Aside from the lemony delicious taste, they are a powerful ally in the fight for a healthy body. Here is why you absolutely must include them in your diet (and turmeric tummy tea!):
1. Balancing the Body’s pH – Lemons are highly alkalizing for the body, only when used raw. While they are technically an acid, the body responds to them as though they were alkaline, which helps restore a balance to the body’s pH.
2. Can you say Anti-Oxidant? – They are rich in bioflavinoids (antioxidants) and vitamin-C, which helps improve the immune system to fight off germs, bacteria, and viruses. (This is also why we use the lemon half and not just the juice; most of the benefits are in the rind and white pith.)
3. Natural liver cleanse – for your body as well as home. – They cleanse the liver and help make healthy blood.
4. Scurvy anyone? – One ounce of lemon juice per day (about one lemon) is all it takes to fight off scurvy.
5. Gentle Cleanser – It cleanses the bowels. Remember those Master Cleanses with high amounts of cayenne pepper that make your stomach bleed? Yeah, the real benefits were mostly from the lemon, not the maple syrup or the cayenne. It will help reduce water retention, inflammation, and constipation in the intestines.
6. Helps fight nasty stones – Lemon juice helps fight gall stones, kidney stones, and excess calcium deposits. (And it may help fight fluoride deposits too.)
7. Anti-aging – The ingredients in real, raw lemons and juice help fight the signs of aging caused by free radicals and radiation.
8. Skin and Metabolism Boosting – Lemons are a powerful part of Ayurvedic medicine and is used to improve vision, clear skin, improve digestion, and improve metabolism.
9. Tangeretin – a Brain-Boosting compound – The tangeretin found in the peels helps fight common brain disorders and diseases like memory loss, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and more.
10. Improves circulation effectiveness – Lemon juice helps oxygenate the blood and pull out metabolites and chemicals, effectively improving oxygen retention of red blood cells and removal of metabolic wastes.
Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds, including naturally occurring limonene; oil which slows or halts the growth of cancer tumors in animals and flavonol glycosides which stop cell division in cancer cells. Read many more HERE on Care2.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, and none of this is meant to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure any disease. Lemons are still good for you, though!
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