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A taste of lemon -

A super healthy fruit, lemons have a distinct taste and smell that make them a fantastic addition to foods and drinks.

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Lemon water -

An all-round health-boosting beverage, lemon water should be drunk regularly and with more than just one wedge of fresh lemon in the glass. For even greater benefits, infuse with sprigs of mint, a teaspoon of raw honey, a slice of fresh ginger perhaps, a dash of cinnamon (or use a cinnamon stick), and a sprinkle of turmeric.

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A good source of vitamin C -

A citrus fruit, lemon is bursting with vitamin C, a primary antioxidant that helps protect cells from damaging free radicals. Vitamin C may help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and lower blood pressure.

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Breath freshener -

Lemon water works wonders on bad breath. A glass after a meal or first thing in the morning stimulates saliva and prevents a dry mouth, which can lead to halitosis caused by bacteria. Nibbling on a slice of lemon is also an effective method of freshening breath.

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Helps prevent kidney stones -

The citric acid found in lemons is beneficial for people with kidney stones. Citrate acid, a component of citric acid, is protective; the more citrate in your urine, the more protected you are against forming new kidney stones.

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Aids digestion -

Some people drink lemon water as a daily morning laxative to help prevent constipation. In fact, drinking a glass of hot or warm lemon water when you wake up can help kick-start your digestive system.

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Improving digestive health -

To get the real benefits of digestive health from lemons though, you need to eat the pulp. This basically means consuming the main fiber in lemons—pectin.

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Improves skin quality -

There are several benefits to drinking regular amounts of lemon water. Vitamin C found in lemons may help reduce skin wrinkling, dry skin from aging, and damage from overexposure to the sun.

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Supports weight loss -

Lemon water may promote weight loss by boosting metabolism. Quite apart from being low in calories, lemon water taken as a lemon detox diet can promote improvements in insulin resistance, body fat, and body weight.

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Cancer prevention? -

Consuming lemon juice and the antioxidants therein may also help prevent free radicals from causing cell damage that can lead to cancer. However, while some plant chemicals found in lemons have been shown to prevent cancer in animal studies, further research is required on whether lemons can definitively fight cancer in humans.

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Promotes hydration -

Keeping hydrated is a number one health priority, and water is the best beverage for the job. Adding lemon enhances water's flavor, thus encouraging you to drink more.

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Scurvy -

A disease resulting from the lack of vitamin C, scurvy was prevalent during the Golden Age of Sail when it was assumed that 50% of the mariners would die of scurvy on a given voyage. By 1795, lemon juice was routinely given to sailors during long periods at sea.

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Citrus fruits -

Some of the most common citrus fruits are oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes. The flavonoids in citrus fruits may help to lower the risk of ischaemic stroke in women. The claim is based on studies that suggest citrus fruits can protect the brain from stroke due to their antioxidant content. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. It can occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain.

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Citrus fruits and asthma -

Some studies suggest that intake of citrus fruit is a highly significant protective factor for wheeze and bronchial hypersensitivity, the latter of which is a characteristic of cold-induced asthma. This was found to be especially so in children. Results, however, are far from conclusive and more research is called for.

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Lemons and heart disease -

It's not only the vitamin C found in lemons that is thought to be good for your heart. The fiber and plant compounds in the fruit could also significantly lower some risk factors for heart disease, studies indicate.

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Protection against anemia -

Iron deficiency anemia is fairly common. It occurs when you don't get enough iron from the foods you eat. While lemons contain some iron, they primarily prevent anemia by improving your absorption of iron from plant foods, examples being lentils, chickpeas, and leafy greens including spinach and kale.

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Salad dressing -

Next time you prepare a salad, why not complement it with a homemade dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs? Add some fresh parsley for good measure.

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Lemon with seafood -

A wedge of lemon comes alongside virtually any plate of seafood served in a restaurant. Furthermore, for many diners, lemon as a garnish is integral in fish recipes. The tart, sweet, and fresh flavor of lemon complements the strong, fishy aroma of seafood.

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Cooking with lemon -

Lemons pair well with both savory and sweet dishes. Among the healthy recipes that use lemon is sticky lemon chicken. You'll need to use the grated zest and juice of one large lemon.

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Lemon tea -

Adding fresh lemon juice to hot tea with a dab of honey works wonders when you have a cough, cold, or are suffering from flu. But it's a soothing and healthy drink at anytime.

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Iron and lemon -

For a superfood side dish, squeeze lemon juice over fresh, leafy green spinach. It's a combo that can help maximize the intake of both iron and vitamin C.

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Lemon curd -

A deliciously rich dessert topping or spread, lemon curd is made using eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Add butter and lemon zest, and you have the perfect filling for cakes, pies, and pastries.

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Lemon as a cleansing agent -

Did you realize that lemons are a wonderful natural cleaner and deodorizer to use around the house?

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Oven cleaner -

A squeeze of lemon juice added to your dish washing liquid will help cut through stubborn oven grease. For reinforcements, add a pinch of baking soda for good measure.

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Citrus shine -

Next time you need to polish the kitchenware, dip half a lemon in table salt to create a scouring paste for restoring a brilliant shine to copper or silver cookware.

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Disinfectant -

Lemon juice works perfectly as a natural countertop cleansing agent. Just add a capful to warm water and mop down the surface. The citric acid works as a disinfectant—and leaves behind a deliciously fragrant aroma too.

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Brighten the laundry -

Are you in the habit of adding fabric softener or conditioner to the laundry rinse cycle? Well, try this: introduce instead a half-cup of natural lemon juice. It will help brighten your whites.

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Deodorize the garbage disposal -

As part of your household cleansing routine, run a couple of lemon halves through your garbage disposal to clean and deodorize it.

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Remember to wash your hands -

Chopping onions? Preparing fish? Get into the habit of washing your hands with the juice of half a lemon afterwards to neutralize the pungent odors some foodstuffs are prone to give off.

See also: Surprising uses for apple cider vinegar

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