Benefits of lemon juice in diet

Benefits of lemon juice in diet

by Sanjay B

Lemon, botanically called ‘Citrus Medico”,  is a small tree or spreading bush of the rue family (Rutaceae). The lemon forms a spreading bush or a small tree 10 to 20 feet high if not trained or pruned. Its young leaves have a decidedly reddish tint, later they trun green. In some varieties, the young leaves of the lemon are angular, some have sharp thorns at the axilae of the leaves. The flowers having a sweet odour, are rather large, solitary or in small clusters in the axilae of the leaves. Reddish tinted in the bud, the petals are white above and reddish purple below.

The humble lemon contains most of the vitamins and minerals. It has magical and wonderful healing powers. It is the chief source of a citrus acid. All citrus fruits are very rich source of vitamins A, B, and C. They also contain appreciable amounts of iron and calcium. It is chiefly the vitamin C which makes lemon such a wonderful fruit capable of scoring scores of the physical and medical troubles single handedly. Vitamin C in the diet helps the body to grow and maintain collagen. The researches reveal that collagen is a gelatin like gristle that holds billions of cells together in the body. It is found in ligaments, joints, bones, gum tissues and in the walls of all the blood vessels. It also gives elasticity and strength to the connective tissue. Again vitamin C is necessary to the normal healing rate of wounds to prevent bruises from discolouring the skin for too long time. Its function is also to strengthen the body’s resistance to infectious and maintain tissue integrity of teeth, bones and gums. Since vitamin C is the most vital requirement for all the person, given below is the chart giving its optimum requirement of all age of people every day.

Men 75 mg, women 70 mg, lactating women 150 mg, pregnant women 100 mg, infants 30 mg, children (1 to 3 yrs.) 35 mg, (4 to 6 yrs.) 50mg, and 7 to 9 yrs 60 mg, boys 75 mg, (10 to 12 yrs.) 80 mg, (13 to 15 yrs.) 100 mg, (16 to 20 yrs.), girls (10 to 12 yrs.) 75 mg, (13 to 15 yrs.) 80 mg, (16 to 20 yrs.) 80 mg.

Amount of vitamin C in the following fruits :

Whole orange 75 mg
4 oz. orange juice 50 mg
Large grape fruit 150 mg
Lemon Juice (1 tbl.) 7mg
Lime (Mansambi) 75 mg

Vitamin C is needed by the body for the following reasons:

  • As an antidote to the damages caused by smoking and alcoholic beverages.
  • To counteract the stress and strain and fatigue caused by busy life.
  • To do quick repair to the wear and tear caused by injury and diseases.
  • To counteract the process of aging.

Lemon juice cures menorrhagia, nose-bleeding, hepatitis, gastric ulcer if taken several times daily. Of all foods which have also been used as medicines, lemon is the most commonly known. The custom of using a slice of lemon when eating a fish dinner was originally intended for remedial purpose rather than for flavouring. It was believed that if a fish bone were to be accidentally swallowed during the meal, the juice of lemon could dissolve it. Lemons have been used as a household remedy for colds, rheumatism, sore throat, gastric and liver troubles, headache, heart burn, biliousness etc. Lemon juice mixed with glycerine is used for chapped lips or chilbrains. For constipation, the juice of a lemon is taken in a glass of hot water one-half hour before breakfast. Local application of lemon juice is also used for various types of skin cares.

Use of lemon juice in various diseases

(i) Rheumatic and Bone-Related Diseases: A few drinks of lemon juice is the surest remedy for rheumatic fever, painful joints, lumbago and sciatica. This would involve no cardiac complication. Those with incipient arthrities were given ascorbic acid therapy (lemon juice therapy essentially) and positive results were achieved,

(ii) Cough and Cold: Roasted lemon when properly prepared is one of the most effective remedies for cough and cold.

(iii) Corns : Apply lemon juice few times a day and see the miraculous results. Bind the corn and leave it overnight and get rid of the trouble soon.

(iv) Common cold: Lemon juice taken three or four times a day along with garlic or ginger juice cures such troubles speedily. (Read more about Ginger health benefits)

(v) Oedema: Oedema of the muscular region produced by vascular demcompensation often responds more rapidly when 10 to 33 ounces of orange or grape-fruit juice is given in addition to 500 mg. of vitamin C for three to four days.

(vi) Prickly heat: An age old remedy, taking lime juice diluted with water a few times in a day, ensures relief from it.

(vii) Cardiovascular diseases and hypertension : Person suffering from these problems must have lemon juice at least a couple of times in a day. In case they can, they should also have a few drops of garlic and honey added to this potion. Taking a glassful of hike-warm water with a few lemon juice drops squeezed in it ensures quicker relief from such disorders.

(viii) Menorrhagia And Haemorrhage : Have a few drinks of lemon juice or narangi (orange) juice will surely give some relief in acute menorrhagia.

(ix) Asthma: Having half-teaspoonful of lemon juice, washing it down with luke-warm water before each meal provides quick relief to Asthma. Repeating it as the last dose of the day and starting the day with it also gives very positive results.

(x) Headaches : Lemon tea relieves headache (It is prepared by replacing milk with a few drops of lemon juice).

(xi) Nausea, vomiting and Travel sickness : Having a glassful of lemon juice diluted a bit with water ensure your not suffering from any sort of the above mentioned sickness.

(xii) Sun-stroke or heat-stroke : Lemon or lime (musambi) juice prevents sun stroke or heat stroke. Before going out in the harsh sun have a glassful of cool Shikanjavi to avoid all disorders by heat.

(xiii) Whooping Cough: Lemon or Musambi (lime) is an age-old house hole remedy for this trouble.

(xiv) Low Vitality : People suffering from this problem should have lemon-honey mixed water for immediate cure. Replace honey with sugar candy (misri) if honey be not available.

(xv) Lemon juice as beautifier : Lemon has been an old remedy to cure skin blemishes and a beautifying agent. Rubbing your face with the peel of lemon after 10 mts. of your having applied a little of fresh cream is an ideal astringent to bring back your youthful looks. It removes all the blemishes and wrinkles. While applying either fresh cream or rubbing it off with the lemon peel make sure that your strokes are far away from the nose. In short, they should be in the opposite direction you feel your wrinkles are forming in. Adding a few drops of lemon juice to the water you take bath which keeps your skin glowing.

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