The sunny, dimpled skin of lemons appeals to both visual and tactile senses. Lemons saved lives hundreds of years ago when doctors realized that the vitamin C in lemons and other citrus fruits prevented the terrible disease of scurvy. Lemons are a versatile, low-calorie food, which can be beneficial to your health because of the nutrients in the fruit.
Vitamin C
A whole lemon contains 30.7 mg of vitamin C, or about 25 to 30 percent of your recommended intake. Males and females who smoke need 125 and 110 mg per day, respectively, while nonsmoking males and females need 90 and 75 mg, respectively. Vitamin C is an important, water-soluble vitamin that assists in forming collagen in your cartilage, bone and blood vessels. Additionally, vitamin C, because it is an antioxidant, gives your body protection from free radicals, which damage your body and contribute to diseases. Vitamin C also helps strengthen your immune system.
Other Vitamins
Lemons are a small source of certain B vitamins such as vitamin B-6, niacin, pantothenic acid and thiamin. The B vitamins assist your body with a variety of functions, from helping your central nervous system to supporting your immune system. A medium-sized lemon contains 3 mg of choline, 13 IU of vitamin A and 6 mcg of folate. Choline, vitamin A and folate assist your body with inflammation, eye health and the formation and maintenance of new cells. The dietary recommended intakes for the three vitamins are 2310 to 3000 IU for vitamin A for women and men, respectively; 400 mg for folate; and 425 to 550 mg for choline for men and women, respectively. Women need additional folate during childbearing years.
Minerals
Lemons contain 15 mg of calcium, 80 mg of potassium and 5 mg of magnesium. Your body needs between 1000 and 1200 mg of calcium daily, and a lemon gives you a little over 1 percent of your daily requirement. When you eat a low-sodium diet and have an adequate intake of potassium, you may see a reduction in your blood pressure. You need 4700 mg of potassium per day. Magnesium helps your body with energy transportation, protein production and muscle function. A lemon gives you about 1 percent of your magnesium requirement.
Considerations
An entire lemon has just 17 calories, and the juice of a single lemon has 11 calories, making it a low-calorie way to flavor drinks and water. Adding lemon juice to vegetables gives you flavor with few calories, and grated lemon peel enhances the flavors of banana or bran muffins. You may add some juice from a fresh lemon to a glass of water as a mild diuretic. This diuretic effect may help relieve feelings of bloating or fluid retention in women during their monthly cycles. MayoClinic.com indicates that lemons and other citrus fruits may contribute to urinary incontinence.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute; Vitamin C; Jane Higdon; January 2006
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Lemons, Lemon Juice
- "Nutrition"; Paul Insel, Ph.D., et al.; February 2007
- MedlinePlus; Magnesium in Diet; Linda Vorvick, et al.; March 2009
- Colorado State University Extension; Potassium and Health; Jennifer Anderson, et al.; August 2008
- MayoClinic.com; Bladder Control Problems in Women: Lifestyle Strategies for Relief; May 2011
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