Lemons are a fruit not eaten plain by most Americans, but instead are used in cooking and to make juices. They have many nutritional benefits, but those gains can be reversed when added to sweets and sugary drinks. Lemons are low in calories and full of vitamin C. Citrus fruits like lemons can also be used to increase to absorption of iron from an iron-rich food.
Calories
One medium size lemon contains approximately 102 calories, that is if all of the meat of the lemon is eaten, but not the skin. Lemons are a low-calorie food and, for this reason, are a great way to season foods. For example, squeezing the juice of a lemon on a fillet of fish may add a negligible amount of calories, as compared to a tablespoon of oil, which has about 65 calories.
Protein
There is 0.92 grams (g) of protein in a medium size lemon. Lemons also have individual amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.
Carbohydrates
There are 7.83 g of carbohydrates in the averaged size lemon. For a fruit, this level is considered to be fairly low, as many other fruits have over 20 or 30 g of carbohydrates each.
Fat
A medium size lemon has about 0.25 g of fat. This means that lemons are a low-fat food and can be eaten or used in a low-fat diet for people with coronary heart disease or other medical conditions that require limited fat intake. Using the juice of a lemon is a great way to season a food like fish, instead of using oil or butter, which are both high in fat.
Vitamins and Minerals
Lemons have several important vitamins and minerals. Each medium size lemon has about 22 milligrams (mg) of calcium, which helps to strengthen bones. Lemons are also high in potassium, with 116 mg per serving. Potassium helps to maintain correct fluid balance in the body. Each lemon also has 44.5 mg of vitamin C and 18 IU of vitamin A.
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