Lemon juice: the proven benefits for your health

That drinking lemon juice is healthy has been known from experience for centuries. Now it has also been proven that lemon juice has numerous health benefits. Discover them here and learn how you can benefit from them!

The health benefits of lemon juice

Among all the exotic superfruits, the good old lemon(citrus limon) hardly stands out anymore. You would almost forget that this yellow citrus fruit is also full of healthy nutrients. In itself, this is indeed nothing new: as early as the 18th century, naval surgeon James Lind wrote about the health benefits of lemon juice. He advocated citrus fruits as an important aid for sailors to get enough vitamin C during their long sea voyages. Since then, lemons, oranges and other vitamin C-rich fruits were increasingly taken on board.

Lemons are still best known for their high vitamin C content, and rightly so. With the juice of 1 lemon you can already get almost half of your daily dose of vitamin C. This vitamin does a lot of good for your health. But did you know that lemon juice contains many more healthy nutrients? You can read more about them in this article! Among other things, we cover:

• the overall health benefits of lemon juice
• vitamin C in lemon juice and its health benefits
• vitamin C supplements versus lemon juice
• other substances in lemon juice
• health benefits of lemon peel
• what you also need to think about when drinking lemon juice

What does lemon juice do for your health?

Lemon juice is a natural source of the antioxidant vitamin C. Thanks to scientific research on the health benefits of lemon juice, we now know that the juice of this fresh-sour tasting citrus fruit, among other things, supports your:

• blood vessels
• skin
• teeth and gums
• energy metabolism
• bones
• nervous system
• concentration
• immune system
• energy levels

Meanwhile, it has also been scientifically proven that the antioxidant vitamin C from lemon juice can help fight free radicals in your body. These can cause damage to your cells and tissues. Reason enough, therefore, to make lemon juice part of your diet! Below is a comprehensive overview of the many proven benefits for your health.

Vitamin C in lemon juice

A splash of lemon juice instantly gives your meals or drinks an invigorating and sparkling taste. With the juice of a lemon, you also get an impressive amount of healthy nutrients. For example, 1 medium-sized lemon (weighing about 60 grams) contains as much as 24 mg of vitamin C. Today, we know more and more about the importance of vitamin C for your health. Among other things, this vitamin contributes to the maintenance of:

• good resistance (supports your immune system)
• healthy iron balance (promotes absorption of iron from food)
• healthy skin (important for collagen production)
• supple blood vessels (collagen is also needed for this)
• strong bones (collagen is also important for this)
• healthy blood iron levels (promotes absorption of iron from food)
• energy levels (promotes energy metabolism)
• a clear mind (good for concentration and memory function)

In addition, vitamin C has a function as an antioxidant, helping your body fight free radicals. These are aggressive molecules that can cause damage to your cells and tissues.

Vitamin C supplements versus lemon juice

Because vitamin C is involved in so many important processes in our bodies, many people have a jar of vitamin C tablets in the cupboard at home. Some vitamin C supplements offer very high doses of vitamin C, in the form of synthetic ascorbic acid, sometimes 1000mg or more. In practice, it is not recommended to take more than 2000mg of vitamin C per day. You may even get intestinal problems from it. Moreover, many supplements contain all kinds of substances, such as binders, anti-caking agents, coatings and preservatives. These have to be broken down by your liver, among other things. In addition, some people may react hypersensitively to them and actually develop symptoms, such as skin rashes, fatigue symptoms or digestive problems. By now you know that by drinking lemon juice you already get a lot of vitamin C as well. Want to drink fresh lemon juice daily? Then be sure to read our tips at the end of this article.

Other substances in lemon juice

The lemon and other citrus fruits such as the orange and grapefruit contain many flavonoids. These usually play a role in determining the color of the fruit. There are at least 4,000 different flavonoids and the lemon also contains a considerable number, including narengenin, hesperidin, eriocitrin, limonene and diosmin (including in the peel).

Is the peel of the lemon also healthy?

The peel of the lemon, like the flesh and juice of the lemon, contains various amounts of the antioxidant vitamin C. In fact, the peel contains more than 2 times as much vitamin C as the flesh of the lemon. In addition, lemon peel is an incredibly good source of the mineral calcium and contains a lot of fiber(1). So basically, it’s a waste to throw away the peel of the lemon. If you have a slow juicer, then it is quite possible to squeeze the lemon peel with it. We do this ourselves for many of our juices. We always use organic lemons and recommend you do the same. Otherwise you may ingest pesticides.

Want to start drinking lemon juice, too? Note this:

As you have read, drinking lemon juice has many benefits for your health. But are there any disadvantages or other things you should know before you make a habit of it? Yes there are, namely:

• Pure lemon juice is extremely acidic and therefore affects your tooth enamel. This can lead to duller-looking and more sensitive teeth. It is always a good idea to dilute lemon juice with water, for example, or to mix it with less acidic juices, such as vegetable juices. Drinking diluted lemon juice with a (biodegradable) straw can also help protect your teeth.
• Some people are allergic to citrus fruits and, when drinking the juice of these fruits, experience symptoms such as itching, burning or swelling in the mouth and throat. Headaches and digestive problems can also be allergic reactions.
• Lemon juice contains a lot of tyramine, which is a substance that leads to migraine attacks in some people. In principle, lemon juice is very healthy and there are few known adverse side effects from it. But every body is different and there are always exceptions. So pay close attention to how your body reacts to drinking lemon juice.