Along with other fruits and vegetables, Christopher Columbus brought lemons with him on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, and they have been growing in Florida since the 16th century.

Besides large amounts of vitamin C, lemons also contain riboflavin, thiamin, iron, magnesium, pantothenic acid, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, copper, calcium and folate.
Did you know? Lemons protected miners against scurvy during the California Gold Rush, and cost as much as one dollar each in 1849.

Although we may not be overly concerned about scurvy in America today, here are 21 extraordinary ways to put lemons to work in your life:

FOR HEALTH

Use # 1: Free radical fighter

Vitamin C is the most important antioxidant. This vitamin neutralizes free radicals both inside and outside of cells. Free radicals are responsible for damaging cells and cellular membranes which leads to inflammation, chronic disease and accelerated aging.

Free radicals can also damage blood vessels and alter cholesterol so that it builds up on artery walls. Vitamin C helps prevent this buildup, and consequently helps to stop the progression of atherosclerosis and heart disease in diabetics.

Use # 2: Immune system booster

When cold and flu season arrives, it is always a good idea to keep a bag of fresh lemons handy. The citric acid, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, calcium, pectin and limonene do a great job of boosting your immune system and keeping infections at bay.

Use # 3: Cancer protection

Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds including limonene – an oil that has been shown to halt the growth of cancer tumors in animals. In addition, they also contain flavonol glycosides, which stop the division of cancer cells.

A 2005 study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that limonoids in citrus fruits protect cells from damage that can lead to cancer. Another study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry stated that limonoids can inhibit tumors in the mouth and stop the growth of cancer cells once a tumor has formed.

Use # 4: pH balance

Lemons are considered one of the most alkalizing foods you can eat. This may seem counterintuitive, as they are acidic on their own. However, in the body, lemons are alkaline; the citric acid does not create acidity once it has been metabolized.

The minerals in lemons actually help to alkalize the blood. Most people are too acidic, and lemons reduce overall acidity, drawing uric acid from the joints. This reduces the pain and inflammation which many people feel.

Use # 5: Oxygen uptake

Lemons have a purer concentration of negatively charged ions than any other fruit. Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owners Manual for the Brain; Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research, says, “negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy. They also may protect against germs in the air.” The first man to reach the top of Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary, said that he attributed much of his success to lemons!

LEMON FACT: One lemon tree can produce up to 600 pounds of lemons in a year. If you live in an area where you can grow a tree you should plant one or two!

Use # 6: Fiber

Most people fall far short of the 20 to 38 grams of fiber recommended daily. Without proper fiber, however, you can easily become constipated or develop hemorrhoids. Consuming adequate fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of developing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and diverticulitis.

In fact, the American Diabetes Association includes lemons on their list of superfoods because of their high fiber content. In addition, the pectin fiber in lemons can help keep you from getting hungry and overeating.

Use # 7: Mood and energy

Have you ever gotten up on the “wrong side of the bed?” If you are often lethargic and cranky in the morning, or any time of the day, for that matter, you may want to consider munching on a lemon.

Our energy comes from atoms and molecules in our food. When positively charged atoms flood the digestive tract and mingle with those that are negatively charged, a positive reaction occurs.

Lemons contain more negatively charged ions than positive ions, which gives you a boost as the lemon enters your digestive tract. Just the scent alone of lemons can improve your mood and elevate your energy levels. Lemons also promote clear thinking and help reduce anxiety and depression.

Use # 8: Digestive health

Your body works hard to digest all that you give it. Lemon juice helps flush away unwanted materials and toxins left from the digestive process. Because lemon juice is similar in atomic composition to digestive juices and saliva, it does a great job breaking down material and encouraging the liver to produce bile.

Use # 9: Clear skin

Sometimes we forget that the key to clear and beautiful skin starts with great nutrition. Thanks to the vitamin C in lemons, these little citrus fruits can help decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemons help to push toxins from the body and support healthy liver function, which also keeps skin clear and supple.

Use #10: Kidney stones

When you don’t have enough citrate in your urine, you are at an increased risk of developing kidney stones. Eating lemons on a regular basis can help raise the citrate levels in your urine, and may prevent stones from forming by coating very small stones and keeping other material from attaching to the small stones and enlarging them.

Use #11: Blood pressure

Lemons are high in potassium, which is an important mineral that helps to keep blood vessels soft and flexible. This, in turn, helps to reduce high blood pressure. The vitamin B in lemons is also beneficial to heart health.
For home and beauty:

Use #12: Cutting board refresher

No matter how clean you try to keep your cutting boards, it is inevitable that they will capture the odors of the foods that you cut on them. After each use, cut a lemon in half and rub the cutting board down. You can also pour some lemon juice in a small spray bottle and spritz the board after each use. Rinse well and allow the board to air dry.

Try This: Rubbing a lemon on your lips before bed and washing it off in the morning will help remove dead skin cells and make your lips soft.

Use #13: Insect repellant for kitchen

If you have small children or pets you may be leary of using a chemical treatment for insects that decide to take up residence in your home. To keep ants and other insects out spray a little juice on door thresholds and window sills.

If you can see where the ants or other unwanted guests are coming from, squeeze a little juice into holes or cracks. You can also cut up small pieces of lemons outside of doors as well. To deter roaches and fleas, mix the juice of four lemons, with rinds left on, with ½ gallon of water and wash your floors.

Use #14: Lighten age spots

Age spots, also known as liver spots, are harmless spots that generally appear in persons over fifty. They can sometimes be the result of sun exposure and are completely harmless, although some people don’t like the way they look.

If you are one of those persons, you can lighten these spots naturally with lemon. Simply apply some real lemon juice to the dark area (a spray bottle works well), and let it sit on the spot for about fifteen minutes before rinsing off. Keep this up daily and you will see a lightening in no time.

Use #15: Natural hair highlights

Do you dream of beautiful hair highlights but dread using heavy chemicals? Using lemons for lightening your hair is a wonderful way to get lovely highlights without exposing yourself to toxins. Mix ¼ cup of lemon juice with ¾ cup water and use this mixture to rinse your hair. After you rinse, sit in the sun until your hair dries. Repeat this once daily for up to a week until you see the desired impact.

Use #16: Dandruff fighter

Many people are plagued with dandruff and tirelessly seek relief. Thankfully, there is a very easy way to ease dandruff using lemon juice. Massage two tablespoons of lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Next, stir one teaspoon of lemon juice into a cup of water and rinse your hair with it – repeat this until you see an improvement in your dandruff.

Use #17: Breath freshener

For long lasting fresh breath rinse with straight lemon juice. Rather than spitting the juice out, swallow it. Citric acid, found in lemon juice will alter the pH level in your mouth, killing the bacteria that cause breath odor. Rinse your mouth and teeth well as longterm exposure to the acid can damage tooth enamel.

Use #18: Berry stain remover

Berries are a delicious and nutritious treat and so much fun to go pick yourself. If you find that your fingers become stained from the berries (and they will if you pick enough), you will also find that regular soap and water will not come close to removing the stains.

However, pour a little undiluted lemon juice on your hands, wait a few minutes, and wash with warm and soapy water. Repeat until your hands are stain-free – it shouldn’t take more than a couple of washes.

Use #19: Clean brass and chrome

Does your brass or chrome need a pick-me-up? If so, let lemons do the work for you. You can easily make a paste with lemon juice and baking soda. Just mix enough of each to make the consistency of toothpaste. Apply the mixture to your brass or chrome and let it sit for about five minutes. Wash it off with warm water – dry and polish with a clean cloth. You can also clean your kitchen sink with this mixture and the bonus is that it smells amazingly fresh. It will work to remove mineral deposits as well.

Many of us have morning routines that are wonderful health practices — a morning meditation, a few yoga poses, a brisk walk around the neighborhood, or a delicious fruit-infused smoothie. Daily routines are vital to health and happiness, and this is especially true at the start of the day.

How about a quick and simple glass of warm lemon water with Himalayan salt? This simple drink can boost your morning health and wellness regimen — and it’s so easy to make. There are a number of professional athletes and Olympians who start their morning with lemon and salt water, which may say something about its effectiveness.

A 10-ounce glass of warm lemon water with Himalayan salt in the morning can increase your immune function, decrease uric acid to fight inflammation, improve digestion, and balance your body. These benefits can be attributed to the vitamin C content of the lemon juice as well as the essential minerals contained in Himalayan salt. This simple morning drink promotes vitality, health, and overall wellness, and may even improve your sex drive!

Let’s take a closer look at 19 of the balancing benefits of water, lemon, and salt, all in one cup.

Lemons are excellent for fighting inflammation. Lemons can help dissolve the uric acid in your joints, and also have been found to help build and repair tendons, ligaments, and bone. This anti-inflammatory property may be especially beneficial for people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, according to an American College of Physicians study on osteoarthritis, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (2000).

Aids in proper food and water absorption. A daily glass of lemon water with Himalayan salt may provide a better overall mineral balance, which promotes proper food and water absorption in your body, allowing essential nutrients to get where they need to be.

Balances your body’s acidity (pH). The alkalizing effects of lemon and natural salt are highly useful for managing your body’s delicate pH balance, which is crucial for optimal functioning of the body’s systems.

Boosts immune function. One lemon serves up 139 percent of your daily value (DV) for vitamin C. Squeezing one lemon into your morning is a natural alternative to that vitamin C supplement you may be taking.

It’s a detox for your cells. The all-natural Himalayan salt mixed with lemon juice and water helps to pull toxins from your cells, reducing cellular toxicity. This may reduce your risk for various chronic diseases, as well as make you feel generally awesome!

Reduces problematic cellulite. Natural salts like Himalayan salt have been used for centuries for skin care. Interestingly, most spa treatments for cellulitis contain some form of salt and/or citrus blend. A few daily gulps of lemon and salt water in the morning may firm up a few of those unsightly areas.

Clears up skin and adds a fresh glow. Using natural salt for skin problems, such as psoriasis and eczema, dates back to ancient Roman times. Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius’ doctor, Galen from Pergamum, used sea salt for skin diseases, according to Science Tribune (1999).

Useful for allergy season. It has been suggested that the combination of lemon and salt, specifically mixed into warm water, acts as a natural antihistamine for allergies. It may be the perfect alternative to those pink pills that leave you feeling drowsy.

Paves the way for better sleep. The natural hormone-balancing properties of lemon and Himalayan salt can be more than useful when it comes to bedtime. Getting the proper amount of sleep is essential for physical health, mental health, productivity, and much more. This hormone-balancing beverage can make an effective nightcap.

Helps controls blood sugar. The fiber content of lemons helps to balance blood glucose levels, which is useful for type 2 diabetes patients and prediabetics alike, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2000).

Lemons may help detoxify your liver. Vitamin C is essential for producing glutathione, which plays a foundational role in detoxifying the liver. It also has antiseptic properties that are useful for liver function, as well.

Freshens breath! Lemon and Himalayan salt may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of fresh breath. However, the lemon and salt in this simple morning drink help kill the bad breath bacteria that build up while you’re sleeping.

May help you chill out. When you get stressed out, do not be so quick to reach for those prescription pills. You may be able to chill out and return to that state of Zen by boosting your vitamin C levels first thing in the morning.

Useful for reducing blood pressure. Lemons are not all about vitamin C and fiber. They also boast potassium, which is vital for flushing excessive sodium from the body.

Boost your libido! The vitamin C content and hormone-balancing properties of this morning beverage can help lift your mood. This might be all it takes to boost your libido, without the need for that little blue pill.

Gets you hydrated right out of the gate. Many people forget how important hydration is, especially after a seven or eight-hour sleep period with no water. Start your morning off right and get hydrated. The water, salt and zesty lemon will get your day off to the perfect start.

An antioxidant powerhouse vital for, well, everything! Lemon offers up a wealth of vitamins and minerals, while Himalayan salt boosts your mineral and trace mineral levels even more. The antioxidant and detoxifying properties of lemon saltwater pack a powerful, free radical knockout punch.

May improve your heart health. Lemons and real salt are both exceptional for increasing heart health on their own. However, when you combine the two into one vibrant morning drink, you get even more vital heart-thumping health benefits.

Natural salt supports electrochemical reactions in the body, while negative ions assist in healthy heart rhythm. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, which is, “associated with lower endothelial dysfunction in men with no history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes,” according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006).

Promotes digestive health. A glass of warm lemon water with Himalayan salt before breakfast, or any meal, helps signal your liver to produce the essential bile needed to clean out harmful gut bacteria. The fiber content and natural salt will also promote digestion.

Are you ready to commit to this simple and health-promoting morning drink? I have been drinking warm lemon water with Himalayan salt every morning for months, and I absolutely love it. My energy levels are up, and I feel as cool as a cucumber throughout the day.

Quitting refined sugar can be tough.

But given how incredibly harmful sugar can be, it is definitely worth the effort.

Luckily, there are quite a few sweeteners found in nature that are actually good for your health.

They are low in calories, low in fructose and taste very sweet.

Here are 4 natural sweeteners that are truly healthy.

1. Stevia

Stevia is a very popular low-calorie sweetener.

It is extracted from the leaves of a plant called Stevia rebaudiana.

This plant has been grown for sweetness and medicinal purposes for centuries in South America.

There are several sweet compounds found in Stevia leaves, the main ones are Stevioside and Rebaudioside A. Both are many hundred times sweeter than sugar, gram for gram.

Stevia is very sweet, but has virtually no calories.

There are some studies in humans showing Stevia to have health benefits:

• When blood pressure is high, Stevia can lower it by 6-14%. However, it has no effect on blood pressure that is normal or only mildly elevated (1, 2, 3).
• Stevia has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics (4).

There are also studies in rats showing that Stevia can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce oxidized LDL cholesterol and reduce plaque build up in the arteries (5, 6).

If you need to sweeten something, Stevia may be the healthiest choice.

However… many people really hate the taste of Stevia. It does depend on the brand though, you may need to experiment to find one that you like.

Bottom Line: Stevia is a natural, zero calorie sweetener that can lower both blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

2. Erythritol

Erythritol is another low-calorie sweetener.

It is a sugar alcohol that is found naturally in certain fruits, but if you’re buying powdered erythritol then it will most likely be made via an industrial process.

It contains 0.24 calories per gram, or about 6% of the calories as sugar, with 70% of the sweetness.

Erythritol doesn’t spike blood sugar or insulin levels and has no effect on biomarkers like cholesterol or triglycerides (7).

It is absorbed into the body from the intestine, but eventually excreted from the kidneys unchanged (8).

Studies show that erythritol is very safe. However, same as with other sugar alcohols, it can cause digestive issues if you consume too much at a time (9, 10).

Erythritol tastes very much like sugar, although it can have a mild aftertaste.

I wouldn’t say that erythritol is “healthy” – but it certainly doesn’t appear to be harmful in any way and seems to be better tolerated than most other sugar alcohols.

Bottom Line: Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is very sweet, but low in calories. Studies show that it is very safe to eat, although it can cause digestive problems at high doses.

3. Xylitol

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol with a sweetness similar to sugar.

It contains 2.4 calories per gram, or about 2/3rds of the caloric value of sugar.

Xylitol appears to have some benefits for dental health, reducing the risk of cavities and dental decay (11, 12).

It may also improve bone density, helping to prevent osteoporosis (13). Xylitol doesn’t raise blood sugar or insulin levels (14).

However, as with other sugar alcohols, it can cause digestive side effects at high doses.

If you have a dog in your home, then you might want to keep xylitol out of the house because it is highly toxic to dogs (15).

Bottom Line: Xylitol is a very popular sweetener. It is a sugar alcohol, with about 2.4 calories per gram. It has some dental benefits and may improve bone density and lower the risk of osteoporosis.

4. Yacon Syrup

Recently I reviewed a rather unique sweetener called Yacon syrup.

It is harvested from the Yacon plant, which grows natively in the Andes in South America.

This sweetener has recently become popular as a weight loss supplement, because one study found that it caused significant weight loss in overweight women (16).

It is very high in fructooligosaccharides, which function as soluble fibers that feed the good bacteria in the intestine (17, 18).

Yacon syrup can help against constipation and it has various benefits due to the high amount of soluble fiber (19).

Don’t eat too much at a time though, as it can cause digestive problems.

Bottom Line: Yacon syrup is very high in fructooligosaccharides, which feed the good bacteria in the intestine. It may be helpful against constipation and may help you lose weight.

What About “Less Bad” Sugars Like Honey?

There are several popular sweeteners that health conscious people often eat instead of sugar.

This includes coconut sugar, molasses, honey and maple syrup.

I recently wrote an article making the case that they really aren’t much different from sugar.

They may contain slightly smaller amounts of fructose and some tiny amount of nutrients, but your liver really won’t be able to tell the difference.

However… I should definitely clarify something here.

The harmful effects of sugar depend completely on the context. Most of the studies are done on people who are already eating a high-carb, Western junk food diet.

For those people, especially those who are overweight and/or insulin resistant, large amounts of sugar are downright toxic (20, 21).

There are a few people who might want to avoid sugar-based sweeteners completely. This includes food addicts, binge eaters and people who are on a very low-carb, ketogenic diet.

Other people can eat sugar in small amounts without any harm. It is still empty calories and will still be bad for your teeth, but it won’t harm your metabolism, give you fatty liver or end up destroying your health.

If you’re one of those people who eat healthy but like to to bake stuff with healthy ingredients, then I don’t see a problem with using natural sugar-based sweeteners like honey as long as the majority of your diet is based on real food.

In the context of a healthy, real food based diet, small amounts of these natural sugars won’t cause harm.

Added sugar can have terrible effects on your metabolism and overall health.

For this reason, many people turn to artificial sweeteners like sucralose (Splenda).

However, while authorities claim that sucralose is safe to eat, some studies have linked it to health problems.

This article takes an objective look at sucralose and its health effects, both good and bad.

What is Sucralose/Splenda?

Sucralose is a zero-calorie artificial sweetener, and Splenda is the most common sucralose-based product.

Sucralose is made from sugar, in a multi-step chemical process where 3 hydrogen-oxygen groups are replaced with chlorine atoms.

It was discovered in 1976, when a scientist at a British college misheard instructions about testing a substance. Instead, he tasted it, realizing that it was highly sweet.

Splenda products were then jointly developed by the companies Tate & Lyle and Johnson & Johnson. It was introduced in the US in 1999, and is one of the most popular sweeteners in the country.

Splenda is commonly used as a sugar substitute in both cooking and baking. It’s also added to thousands of food products worldwide.

This is what sucralose looks like:

Sucralose is calorie-free, but Splenda also contains the carbs dextrose and maltodextrin, which brings the calorie content up to 3.36 calories per gram (1).

However, the total calories and carbs contributed by Splenda are negligible because you only need to use tiny amounts each time.

Sucralose is actually 400-700 times sweeter than sugar, and does not have a bitter aftertaste like many other popular sweeteners (2, 3).

Bottom Line: Sucralose is an artificial sweetener, and the most popular product made from it is called Splenda. Sucralose is made from sugar, but contains no calories and is much sweeter.

Sucralose May Affect Blood Sugar and Insulin

Sucralose is said to have little or no effects on blood sugar and insulin levels.

However, this may depend on you as an individual and whether you’re used to consuming artificial sweeteners.

One small study in 17 severely obese people who did not regularly consume artificial sweeteners reported that sucralose elevated blood sugar levels by 14%, and insulin levels by 20% (4).

Several other studies in healthy, normal-weight people have found no effects on blood sugar and insulin levels. However, these studies included people who regularly consumed sucralose (5, 6, 7).

So, if you don’t consume sucralose on a regular basis, it’s possible that you may experience some changes to your blood sugar and insulin levels.

If you’re used to consuming sucralose, then it probably won’t have any effect.

Bottom Line: Sucralose may raise blood sugar and insulin levels in people who do not consume artificial sweeteners regularly. However, it probably has no effect in people who regularly use artificial sweeteners.

Baking with Sucralose May Be Harmful

Splenda is considered to be heat-resistant, and good for cooking and baking. Yet recent studies have challenged this.

It seems that at high temperatures, it starts to break down and interact with other ingredients (8).

One study found that heating sucralose with glycerol, the backbone of fat molecules, produced harmful substances called chloropropanols. These substances may raise the risk of cancer (9).

More research is needed, but in the meantime it may be best to use other sweeteners instead when baking at temperatures above 350° F or 120° C (10, 11).

Bottom Line: At high temperatures, sucralose may break down and generate harmful substances.

Does Sucralose Affect Gut Health?

The friendly bacteria in the gut are extremely important for your overall health.

They may improve digestion, benefit immune function and reduce the risk of many diseases (12, 13).

Interestingly, one rat study found that sucralose may have negative effects on these bacteria.

After 12 weeks, rats that consumed the sweetener had 47–80% fewer anaerobes (bacteria that don’t require oxygen) in their guts (14).

Beneficial bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli were significantly reduced, while the more harmful bacteria seemed to be less affected.

What’s more, the gut bacteria had still not returned to normal 12 weeks after the experiment was finished.

Nevertheless, this was a study of rats. Human studies are needed to explore whether the gut bacteria really are affected.

Bottom Line: Animal studies link sucralose to negative effects on the bacterial environment in the gut. However, human studies are needed.

Does Sucralose Make You Gain or Lose Weight?

Products that contain zero-calorie sweeteners are often marketed as being good for weight loss.

However, sucralose and artificial sweeteners don’t seem to have any major effects on your weight.

Observational studies find no connection between artificial sweetener consumption and body weight or fat mass, but some of them report a small increase in body mass index (15).

A review of randomized controlled trials, the gold standard of research, reports that artificial sweeteners reduce body weight by around 1.7 lbs (0.8 kg) on average (15).

Bottom Line: Sucralose and other artificial sweeteners do not seem to have any major effects on body weight.

Is Sucralose Safe?

Like other artificial sweeteners, sucralose is highly controversial. Some claim that it is totally harmless, but new studies suggest that it may have some effects on your metabolism.

For some people, it may raise blood sugar and insulin levels. It may also damage the bacterial environment in the gut, but this needs to be studied in humans.

The safety of sucralose at high temperatures has also been questioned. You may want to avoid cooking or baking with it, as it may release harmful compounds.

That being said, the long-term health effects are still not clear, and health authorities like the FDA do consider it to be safe.

Bottom Line: Health authorities consider sucralose to be safe, but studies have raised questions about its health effects. The long term health effects of consuming it are unclear.

Should You Avoid it?

If you like the taste of sucralose and your body handles it well, then it’s probably fine to use. There is certainly no clear-cut evidence that it is harmful, at least not in humans.

However, it may be a bad choice for high-heat cooking and baking, and it may be something to look at if you have persistent problems related to gut health.

If you choose to avoid sucralose or artificial sweeteners in general, then there are plenty of great alternatives.

By Hrefna Palsdottir, MS

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