Some wellness influencers have started drinking shots of pure lemon juice in the hope of reaping the benefits of this tart citrus fruit. Lemon juice supplies vitamins, antioxidants, and other compounds to the human body that may improve digestion, support immunity, and even prevent kidney stones.
Lemon juice can be intense on its own, which is why it’s often diluted with water, mixed with other herbs and spices, or used as a culinary ingredient.
LEMON JUICE NUTRITION FACTS
Here’s a closer look at the nutrition facts for 1 ounce (31 grams) of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Calories: 7
- Total carbohydrate: 2 g
- Vitamin C: 12 mg
- Calcium: 2 mg
- Potassium: 32 g
5 POSSIBLE HEALTH BENEFITS OF LEMON JUICE
It’s not just the citrusy scent of lemon that can perk you up. Consuming lemon juice may also boost digestion, immune health, and more. Here are some of its benefits:
1. Lemon Juice May Promote Digestion
Lemon juice is acidic, which can be beneficial for digestion. “I’m a big fan of lemon juice water in the morning because it activates the digestive system in a positive way,” says Abigail Hueber, RD, a Functional Dietitian and the owner of Above Health Nutrition in Boston.
Most anyone can benefit from lemon water in the morning, but especially those who could use digestive support, says Hueber.
Some folks have a low production of stomach acid (called hypochlorhydria), which has various causes, including bacterial infections like H. pylori, acid-reducing medications (like proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs), and chronic stress.
“Lemon water helps create a more acidic environment in the stomach, which can improve digestion,” Hueber explains.
“Lemon juice is not a cure for digestive concerns, but drinking 16 ounces (oz) of water with a squeeze of lemon in the morning is a good way to jump-start digestion,” Hueber says.
2. Lemon Juice Is Rich in Antioxidants
Lemon juice can supplement a healthy, balanced diet by providing antioxidants, says Laura M. Ali, RD, a Culinary Nutritionist in Pittsburgh. Antioxidants are important for health because these compounds may prevent or delay cell damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules that can damage DNA).
Vitamin C is one antioxidant found in lemon juice.
One ounce of lemon juice contains 12 mg of vitamin C, making it a good source of the nutrient that, as an antioxidant, may help prevent cancer and heart disease.
3. Lemon Juice May Support Immune Function
Vitamin C is also key for immune function. Importantly, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and supports the function of immune cells that fight off illness.
4. Lemon Juice Promotes Hydration
Squeezing fresh lemon into a glass of water may help you stay hydrated. “The fresh flavour lemon juice adds often makes drinking water more enticing and refreshing,” says Ali, “and if incorporating lemon juice helps you drink more water, that’s a win.”
5. Lemon Juice May Help Prevent Kidney Stones
Lemon juice contains citric acid, a compound that can ward off calcium kidney stones (a common type of kidney stone composed of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate).
“Citric acid, or citrate, can help prevent calcium-based kidney stones by binding to calcium in the urine and creating a soluble complex that dissolves calcium out of urine,” Betz says.
While this may reduce your chances of developing a kidney stone, it’s unlikely to dissolve or pass an existing stone, she notes. (Be sure to speak to your doctor about appropriate treatment if you have existing kidney stones.)
But you’d have to drink up to a ½ cup of lemon juice daily to see a significant increase in the amount of citrate in your urine, Betz says. Instead of using lemon juice to prevent kidney stones, she recommends eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables and limiting red meat, organ meat, and shellfish (which are high in purines, compounds that prompt uric acid production and encourage the formation of stones).
A healthy diet will increase urine citrate to help prevent kidney stones.
HOW TO INCORPORATE LEMON JUICE INTO YOUR LIFESTYLE
Learn ways to integrate lemon juice into your life to reap its potential health benefits.
Practical Tips for Consuming Lemon Juice
Sipping plain lemon juice can be jarring – it can even backfire. “Straight lemon juice is very acidic, which can lead to tooth decay, heartburn, and an upset stomach,” says Ali. “It’s best to dilute it with water to minimise these effects.”
Hueber recommends mixing the juice from ¼ to ½ of a squeezed lemon into 16 oz of water.
It’s often best to avoid lemon-flavoured beverages from the supermarket and stick to pure lemon juice. Store-bought drinks like lemonade or lemon waters may contain a lot of calories and added sugar to counteract the sourness of the lemon juice. It’s also unlikely that they provide much pure lemon juice, says Ali. Read the ingredient label carefully, looking for ingredients like water and lemon juice and limited (or no) added sugars.
Ways to Use It
There are many ways to consume lemon juice besides drinking it. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- Use it to replace salt
“Lemon juice adds flavour to food, allowing you to cut back on salt,” says Ali. Top soups, salads, meats, seafood, and cooked or roasted vegetables with a squeeze or two of fresh lemon, and then have a taste to see if you still need salt. - Stir it into dressing
Thanks to its acidity, lemon juice is a good replacement for vinegar in dressings. Try this tangy recipe from Ali: Mix together three parts olive oil with one part lemon juice and herbs (like basil, parsley, tarragon) and salt and pepper to taste. You can also use this as a marinade for meat and fish. - Add to a juice
If you have a juicer or blender, you can create your own juice blend with lemon juice. Combine lemon with ginger, apples, and greens, for example. Or lemon with beets, ginger, and apple. Strain if you’re using a blender (but note that you will lose fibre if you do this).
SOURCE: Everyday Health
