We have all heard that lemons are a super food. We have been told constantly that lemons are a treasure trove of health benefits and are extremely beneficial for all parts of the body. Now, this makes many people wonder that how such a small food product can be so beneficial for the entire human body.
Yes, this is true and we can use it for a lot of reasons. It gives us immense benefits, for example, you can use it to improve your health as well as clean your kitchen sink, floor tiles etc. People across the world have been using this miraculous fruit since centuries.
In many parts of the world, the harvesting months for lemons are between May and October, although, it is available all year round in some countries.
Historical Background of Lemons
There is a lot of mutation and crossbreeding involved in the family of citrus fruits. This makes it very difficult to trace the origin of a particular member of the citrus family. People believe that it was first grown in an Asian country like China, Burma or India for at least a thousand years.
It was formally accepted as edible specie in the 1960’s. Research conducted at the University of California suggested that lemons originated due to cross-mutation between citron and sour orange.
Advantages of Lemons
Lemon is acidic in nature, whereas its high content of vitamin C is the key reason for its health and healing benefits. Lemons contain substantial content of citrus acid which makes it a great anti-microbial and anti-oxidant. These two properties help it fight against inhibiting oxidation and infection. This anti-inflammatory benefit of lemons is associated with the prevention of cardiovascular disease, arthritis and hypertension. According to research, it also suppresses cancer cells, improves immunity and the digestive tract.
Use of Lemons as a Home Remedy
Lemons have diverse benefits. Besides the nutritional and anti-inflammatory benefits, you can use it for different purposes at home. Lemon is a useful remedy to get rid of different conditions if applied topically. These conditions include sunburn, dandruff, insect bites, eczema, and acne.
On the other hand, it is also a terrific beauty aid. You can use it to help your skin glow and hair shine. It is used in various beauty products to reduce wrinkles, and highlight and lighten hair. It is also used as dental rinse because it helps get rid of gums ailments, reduce plaque, avoid bad breath and whiten teeth.
When ingested, it is used to improve cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, prevent and cure osteoarthritis, improve digestion, relieve heartburn, prevent and cure colds and flu, heal and ease sore throat and increase the fat burning process.