Lemon is a sour fruit, used as food all over the world. So what are the effects of eating lemon and is eating a lot of lemon good? The following article will help you answer your questions.
1. What are the effects of eating lemon?
Lemon is a fruit that contains a lot of vitamin C and water, so it has some outstanding effects as follows:
Lemon flesh has a sour taste, and cool properties, the effect of clearing heat, preventing nausea, disinfecting, helping to brighten eyes, treating coughs, and promoting digestion. Lemon peel has a bitter, spicy taste, has a fragrant smell, and is cold. In general, lemon has the effect of clearing heat, ventilating, reducing phlegm, digesting food, treating colds, and headaches, and treating coughs with phlegm, etc
Lemon is a fruit that can reduce bad breath, treat colds, headaches, and clean bacteria in the oral cavity;
Lemons are rich in vitamin C, and low in calories, each lemon contains only about 20 calories, of which 90% is water. All parts of the lemon such as juice, peel, and seeds can be used as medicine
Drinking lemon juice helps the body produce more saliva, helping to limit the ability to produce bacteria, while cleaning white residue on the tongue, removing food residue inside the oral cavity;
Lemon has the effect of detoxifying the liver, enhancing liver activity through the process of increasing the production of bile acids necessary for digestion
When having a fever, you can drink a glass of lemon juice to provide potassium and energy, helping the patient reduce stress and sleep better
Overweight people can drink a glass of diluted lemon juice (1 fruit) every day to help lose weight effectively
Vitamin C is abundant in lemons, helping to reduce dark spots, and blemishes on the skin, and improve wrinkles. Lemon can be combined with honey, mint leaves, ginger, or cinnamon to improve the flavor, remove toxins from the body, and make the skin whiter and smoother.
2. Is eating too much lemon harmful?
Similar to any other food, besides the beneficial effects, overuse or misuse can be counterproductive. So is eating too much lemon harmful? The following are the unwanted health effects of using too much lemon:
2.1. Overuse leads to stomach ulcers
Stomach ulcers are a condition in which the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or lower esophagus has ulcers. The main cause of this disease is an excess of gastric acid. Overuse of lemon is a favorable factor that increases the amount of excess acid and results in stomach ulcers ranging from mild to severe.
In addition, lemon juice is acidic and can corrode the lining or aggravate existing stomach ulcers. Therefore, people with stomach ulcers should limit the use of pure fresh lemon juice to avoid making the disease worse. Instead, drink diluted lemon juice, both to take advantage of the effects of lemon and to limit harm to the body.
2.2 Excessive use of lemon causes gastroesophageal reflux
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (also known as GERD) is a common digestive disease with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, chest pain, sore throat, etc. There are many causes or risk factors leading to GERD and excessive use of lemon is one of them.
The amount of acid in lemons can weaken the boundary layer separating the stomach and esophagus. This creates favorable conditions for excess acid in the stomach to move up the esophagus and throat, causing uncomfortable burning symptoms. At the same time, the amount of stomach acid also directly erodes the esophageal mucosa, making reflux more severe.
2.3. Eating too much lemon can cause dehydration
Although it contains a large amount of vitamin C, a trace element that is extremely necessary for the body, if we use too much lemon, it will accidentally cause the body to increase urine excretion and indirectly cause dehydration.
2.4. Increased risk of migraines
Fresh lemon juice is acidic and can cause digestive problems as mentioned above. However, not everyone knows that excessive use of lemon can sometimes lead to frequent headaches. Some reliable studies have shown that using a significant amount of lemon is the cause of migraines.
The culprit is identified as an amino acid called tyramine, which exists in lemons in quite large quantities. Under the effect of this amino acid, the amount of blood rushing to the brain will suddenly increase and cause migraines.
2.5 Increased risk of kidney stones
In addition to the juice, lemon peel is widely used in cooking recipes and this is a factor that can lead to the risk of kidney stones. The reason for this is that lemon peel has a very high oxalate content, when introduced into the body, oxalate will transform into crystalline form and prevent calcium absorption, thereby leading to the formation of kidney stones.
2.6. Causes dental problems
The ingredients in lemons such as citric acid, ascorbic acid and natural sugars are favorable factors for dental problems (such as tooth decay and tooth erosion). To limit this condition, we should only use diluted lemon juice.
2.7. Causes many intestinal problems
Using too much fresh lemon juice can cause digestive problems in the body. The reason for this side effect is that the amount of vitamin C in lemons is much higher than the amount of vitamin C that the body can absorb. Therefore, the excess amount of vitamin C that is not absorbed can cause intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and nausea.
3. The right time to drink lemon juice
“What are the effects of eating lemons” or “Is eating a lot of lemons good” depends on how we use it. Experts say that the appropriate time to use lemon juice to maximize its effectiveness includes:
- About 30 minutes after meals: Limit the absorption of natural sugar;
- In the morning after waking up: Using lemon at this time will help purify the body, and clean the intestines;
- About 30 minutes after exercising: At this time, lemon juice will help balance
electrolytes, replenish minerals, and support better fat burning.
Some other effective ways to use lemon:
- People with indigestion should use fresh lemon juice diluted with a slice of ginger to increase the secretion of digestive juices, thereby supporting the digestion of food;
- Limit the use of hot lemon juice because the acid content in lemon is more active at high temperatures, and it can dissolve tooth enamel, causing tooth discoloration and increased sensitivity;
- In addition, we can squeeze the juice of half a fresh lemon, add 1-2 teaspoons of honey and mix with a cup of warm water to increase effectiveness.
Lemon is a sour fruit, cool in nature, has the effect of cooling, anti-nausea, antiseptic, helps improve eyesight, cures cough, aids digestion, etc. However, overusing lemon or using it incorrectly can be counterproductive. Lemon should only be used in moderation to maximize the benefits of this fruit.
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