Lemons are a sour citrus fruit commonly used as a garnish or squeezed for their juice. The skin on a lemon, called a rind, is also sometimes used in cooking as a spice. Like other citrus fruits, lemons can provide some important nutrients. They are also low in calories; one medium sized lemon contains only 15 calories.
Calcium
One lemon provides about 15 g, or 2 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium. Calcium is important for maintaining bone health. Calcium is also important in regulating the contraction of muscles. The absorption of dietary calcium is greatly increased when combined with a food or supplement that contains vitamin D.
Potassium
Potassium is an electrolytic mineral crucial for regulating the activity of virtually all cells in your body. It also helps to maintain the proper balance of fluid in tissues and cells. One medium sized lemon contains 75 mg or 2 percent of the daily requirement for potassium.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A contributes to the health of the visual system as well as the health of the immune system. Vitamin A is also an important regulator of cellular reproduction and protein synthesis. One medium sized lemon provides only trace amounts of vitamin A, so it is not considered a good source of this nutrient.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and enzymatic co-factor used in the synthesis of collagen protein and the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine. Vitamin C also serves to support the body's stress response. A medium sized lemon provides 30.7 mg or 40 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
B Vitamins
The B vitamins are a group of water soluble vitamins that support the activity of many of the proteins and enzymes at work in your body. Lemons contain thiamine, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and vitamin B-6.
Copper
A medium sized lemon has about 8 percent of the recommended daily allowance of copper. Copper is found in many of the enzymes that lead to the formation of important proteins in your body. These include hemoglobin in the blood and collagen connective protein. Hemoglobin protein allows red blood cells to carry oxygen while collagen helps to hold cells and tissues together.
References
- Sunkist Health and Nutrition Facts: Lemon
- "Understanding Nutrition, 11th Edition"; Ellie Whitney and Shoron Rody Rolfes; 2007
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Lemon
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