How many lemons can you eat per day?

Everyone knows that lemons belong to the category of very useful products. This is due to the high content of vitamins, minerals, organic acids. But you should not get carried away with it. No matter how useful the fruit is, the lemon, its excessive consumption can have a negative impact on health.

Also, not everyone can eat lemon in unlimited quantities. First, it has a rather specific taste and flavor, which already greatly reduces the likelihood of exceeding the allowable amount when eating. Secondly, there are a number of diseases in which it is worth limiting the eating of lemon or giving it up altogether.

The amount of consumed fruit will depend on the characteristics of the body of each individual. Someone can hardly eat at least a piece, and there are people who can eat it all the time and not feel discomfort. In any case, you should not get carried away. Excessive consumption of sour fruits will definitely not benefit the body. In this matter, it is better to adhere to the advice of doctors and specialists.

How to choose the right lemon in the store

It has long been known that lemons are not the leaders in vitamin C content. There are fruits, berries and even vegetables where its concentration is much higher. But, thanks to the thick peel, the citrus fruit retains the vitamin longer, because it is not affected by the external environment. Lemon is preferred because it is one of the few fruits that are available almost all year round. But to find fresh berries in the winter period is very difficult. But to get a dose of useful substances is possible only from the fresh product, which was grown without chemical fertilizers and was not treated with drugs to extend the shelf life. Therefore, the choice of lemons in the store should be treated with the utmost responsibility. It is necessary to adhere to a few simple rules, to buy a really useful product.

You may notice that there are different types of lemons on the shelves. They can be large or small, round or elongated, have thick or thin skin. The appearance depends on the citrus variety. But in taste and content of nutrients all are about the same. So you can choose any variety. The main thing is to pay attention to the degree of its ripeness and preservation.

If lemons are planned to eat or use for cooking immediately after purchase, you need to choose ripe fruit. Unripe specimens may be bitter, which will spoil the whole experience. Ripe citrus fruits always have a uniform yellow color. It may be more or less saturated, but it should not have green spots. When procuring lemons, it is better to give preference to a slightly unripe product. At room temperature or on a shelf in the refrigerator, it will gradually reach the right degree of ripeness. Also lemons in this case will be stored for a long time. Only they should never be frozen. They lose their flavor, aroma, some useful substances are destroyed. In addition, after defrosting, the fruit begins to deteriorate very quickly and is not suitable for eating.

Determining the ripeness of the product without cutting it and tasting it is quite simple. In addition to the uniform color, note that it should be quite elastic, but not hard. To check this, you need to lightly squeeze the fruit in the palm of your hand. It should only give in a little and return to its original shape. If you can not squeeze, then the lemon is not mature. When it squeezes too easily and doesn't return to its previous shape, it could mean it is very overripe and the rotting process has probably already begun. An overripe lemon does not become bitter, but it does lose its lovely flesh. Its structure becomes too friable and its flavour and aroma become less intense. In addition, some of the useful substances have also had time to escape by this time. Such a lemon is not suitable even for cooking.

In order not to buy a fruit that has already begun to spoil, it is worth carefully inspect the rind. It should not have dark spots, dots, damage, dents. The fruit retains a pleasant flavor. In other cases, you should refuse to buy such products.

If there is a choice between lemons with thin and smooth peel or thick, dense and rough skin, it is better to opt for the first option. These fruits contain more juice and nutrients, as they are harvested from a tree that bears fruit only for the first year. They are suitable for those who take the fruit for juice. Lemons with thick peels are just as good as those with thin ones. But such fruit is better used for cooking and sauces.

Also, when buying, you should pay attention to the shine of the peel. The skin should not be dull, but also not too glossy. The matte skin indicates that the fruit may be overripe, or that it has not been stored in accordance with prescribed rules and regulations. A too glossy sheen indicates that the fruit may have been treated with special solutions or paraffin to extend its shelf life. If you do not plan to eat the zest, you can buy such samples. But if you eat them together with the peel, you can harm your health. It should be noted that it is very difficult to wash off these solutions at home.

If the choice is unsuccessful, you should not look for ways to reanimate the product, it is better to get rid of it immediately, so as not to harm yourself and cause negative consequences.

How many lemons can be eaten per day

Some people will not hurt to eat one fruit a day or drink its juice, others are better not to exceed the norm of two rings a day, periodically taking breaks in its consumption. There are many diets or wellness practices now that advise eating lemon daily or drinking its juice in the morning. But it is better to be cautious and consult a doctor beforehand.

In the case of high acidity in the stomach or the presence of pancreatitis eating too much lemon can aggravate your condition and provoke an attack of the disease. Also the excessive content of vitamin C and ascorbic acid can have a negative effect on the body. You should know that the lack of vitamins is easier to restore than to eliminate their overabundance.

Basically, it is recommended to eat just a couple of slices of lemon a day. This is enough to get all the useful substances contained in the product. You can also drink some lemon juice, but be sure to dilute it with water. Concentrated juice can damage the enamel of the teeth or negatively affect the protective layer of the digestive system.

It also matters how you eat citrus fruit - with the peel, as juice, or as lemonade - and when you eat it.

You can eat it at night and on an empty stomach

Directly eating lemon on an empty stomach or at night is not recommended. This way, too concentrated organic acids get into the oral cavity and the digestive tract, which can negatively affect the state of the tooth enamel and the mucous membrane of the stomach. For quite a long time, many nutritionists recommend drinking a glass of warm water with lemon juice on an empty stomach. It is also very useful to drink water with lemon before going to bed.

A glass of lemon water in the morning helps to start the body, the metabolic processes in it, to remove accumulated toxins. The result of drinking water with lemon juice every day is improvement of digestion, appetite dulling, start of fat decomposition, improvement of general well-being and skin condition. It is as if the skin is purified, luminous and glowing from the inside.

To achieve this effect, you must daily dilute in 100 ml of warm water, the temperature of which should be below 50 degrees but above 30, 1 tsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice and drink 30 minutes before meals. During this time, the body will finally wake up and be ready to receive and digest food. If you add some honey and ginger to the drink, it will become much healthier and will contribute to weight loss.

But this procedure has serious contraindications. If they are present, in no case can you drink sour water on an empty stomach, so as not to worsen the condition and provoke an attack. The main contraindication is increased stomach acidity, excessive release of enzymes, ulcers and pancreatitis. With such disorders, you should not experiment with your health and find another means to help the body to cleanse and prepare for breakfast. It is also not recommended to drink something sour to those who have hypersensitivity of the teeth or damage to the enamel. Sour drink will contribute to its further destruction. Even if there are no problems in the oral cavity after taking the drink, it is recommended to rinse your mouth, or better to brush your teeth.

Lemon water, drunk at night, calms the nervous system and allows you to normalize sleep. It also helps to eliminate toxins, as well as taking it in the morning. But it has a not very pronounced side effect. Such a drink is a weak diuretic. Therefore, to avoid discomfort during sleep, it is recommended to drink water with lemon 2 hours before going to bed.

Water with lemon is also considered good for the prevention of cancer. Such an effect is achieved by eliminating toxins, free radicals and increasing immunity.

It is better to consult a specialist first, before starting to drink water with lemon daily. It is also worth listening to your body during the course. If after drinking the drink you feel discomfort, it is better to give it up.

Can I eat lemons with the peel?

Eating lemon with the peel is not only possible, but also necessary. After all, it is there is most of the useful substances and trace elements. Most of the vitamin C is in the white part of the peel, which is always thrown away because it has no taste or can be a little bit bitter. It is fibrous and of no interest. But this is where all the benefits of this fruit are found. Citrus peels contain many beneficial essential oils that have a disinfectant effect. It is the peel that helps boost the immune system and fight inflammatory processes.

You can cut the lemon into thin slices with the peel and eat it 1-2 times with warm tea. If it's hard to eat just like that, you can sprinkle a little sugar. But then not only does it add extra calories contained in carbohydrates, but it also destroys vitamin C much faster in a sweet environment. So don't cut up the whole lemon at once and sprinkle it with sugar. It is better to re-cook the portion each time, so that it remains as fresh as possible. Sugar can be replaced by honey. Then this treat becomes more useful, better absorbed by the body. When adding honey, it is allowed to make a billet, which can be eaten in small portions over a long period. It should be noted that slices of lemon marinated in honey are often used by athletes during competitions to quickly restore tone and strength. In everyday life, it is recommended to resort to such a remedy when a particularly hard day is taking shape. A couple of slices of lemon with tea will help you to recover quickly, so that tomorrow you can get to work with renewed vigor.

Don't just eat lemon. It is better to wash it down with water or tea. This dilutes the concentrated acid, which is less harmful to the tooth enamel and the digestive system. And the enzymes in the tea help to better absorb the vitamins contained in the fruit. The main thing is that the drink should not be hot. Temperature destroys many useful elements.

Can you eat the seeds?

For a long time, lemon pips were tried not to eat. It was even considered that they were poisonous and harmful to the body. But this misconception was formed because of the bitter taste of the seeds. In fact, in the seeds of plants, and lemon is no exception, there are all the same vitamins, trace elements and useful substances that are in the pulp and peel. On the contrary, the seed contains them in a concentrated form. After all, a new plant emerges from a seed, which needs all these elements for growth and development. But this does not mean that now you have to eat lemon seeds without limiting their quantity. There is still a limitation. First of all, an overabundance of useful substances also causes tangible harm to the body and affects the health. Also, the seeds are covered with a dense and tough peel, which is not digested in the intestines. It can cause inflammation of the intestinal walls, stopping digestion or constipation.

Therefore, it is recommended to eat no more than 2 pieces a day. And for complete digestion it is better to dry and grind them into a powder.

In addition to enriching the body with micronutrients, lemon pips can relieve headaches or toothaches, prevent intestinal parasites. Salicylic acid contained in the seeds has an analgesic effect. Essential oils disinfect the organs of the digestive system.

You can simply chew the seeds, removing the skin, or grind them to powder and dissolve them in water.

There are limitations in the use of seeds. It is forbidden to consume them in large quantities, the maximum is 2-3 pieces per day. It is also not recommended to eat them for pregnant women, nursing mothers, children under 12 years of age. The high content of essential oils can provoke the development of allergies.

What is useful for lemon

General benefits

1. The use of lemon has a favorable effect on health. It helps to relax, calm down and gain strength.
2. Acceptance of citrus has a good effect on the digestive, cardiovascular, central nervous system. Essential oils and organic acids improve the secretion of enzymes in the stomach and intestines, which promotes better digestion of food, excretion of toxins and impurities, helps breakdown of fats. The substances contained in lemons help to fight cholesterol plaques in the blood vessels, improve blood circulation, neutralize the effects of stress, restore emotional balance and normal sleep.
3. If you constantly eat lemons or drink diluted juice, it will have a favorable effect on the skin. There will be less rashes, and the skin will look healthier and better cared for.
4. Also, the acids in the product help to get rid of plaque, prevent the formation of tartar.
5. Lemon contains vitamins B, C, PP, D. It also contains many useful trace elements such as calcium, manganese, boron, potassium, chlorine, sodium, magnesium. The peel is rich in dietary fiber, essential oils, pectin, flavonoids.
6. Citrus helps boost immunity, fight viruses and bacteria during the seasonal colds and SARS. In order to use lemon for this purpose more effectively, you should start eating it or drinking diluted lemon juice long before the epidemic begins. With the beginning of the off-season, it is worth to work on increasing the body's resistance. Then, by the beginning of the period of massive colds, the body will be ready to resist all viruses and bacteria.
7. Lemon can be not only consumed internally, but also used externally. Many women wipe their skin with a piece of citrus. He promotes healing of inflammation and rashes, lightens the skin. Also, its juice has a small rejuvenating effect. The use of lemon juice in facial care is part of the program for skin rejuvenation. But before its use, it is necessary to conduct a test and make sure that there are no allergies. To do this, a small amount of lemon juice is applied to a small area of the skin on the hand. If within a couple of minutes there is no redness, the place has not begun to itch, you can continue the procedure.

Unfortunately, such a useful product has a list of contraindications, which should not be ignored.

1. It is not recommended to use lemon, its juice, peel and seeds to people with hyperacidity, gastritis, stomach ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome. Essential oils and acids irritate the mucous membranes of the internal organs, and in the presence of such diseases can rapidly worsen the condition.
2. Also, those who have problems with the work of the pancreas should be cautious about lemons.
3. It is recommended not to abuse citrons for people with hypertension, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 12 years. Excessive consumption of lemons by pregnant women or children can lead to severe allergic reactions and can further affect the formation of intolerance to the substances contained in it.

To get the maximum effect and not to harm your health, you should approach the use of lemon wisely and not abuse, trying not to exceed the allotted amount, and always paying attention to the reaction of the body after eating the fruit.

For women

1. Women will appreciate the citrus for the acids, vitamins, essential oils and trace elements that have a beneficial effect on the skin, hair and nails. Moreover, the lemon is useful both when consumed internally and when used externally in the form of masks, balms, rinses and tonics.
2. If a glass of water with lemon juice is drunk daily, after a short time you will notice an improvement in the appearance of the skin. It becomes clearer, there are fewer pimples, pustules and blackheads on its surface. This is due to the removal of toxins and impurities from the body. Also, lemon improves blood circulation and speeds up the metabolism.
3. You can wipe your face a couple of times a week with lemon juice or a thin slice of citrus. It acts as a tonic that cleanses and refreshes the skin, helps to heal minor lesions. Also, such a remedy lightens pigment spots, and yes improves the complexion. Mask of honey and lemon juice can tighten the skin, making it elastic and firm again.
4. Rinsing the hair helps to remove excess grease, increases its shine and improves its overall condition. Blondes can use citrus juice as a natural illuminator to give their hair more shine.

For men

The citrus has a beneficial effect on men's health as well. There are recipes that help fight prostate adenoma. Also, the use of lemon helps to improve the quality of sperm and sperm motility. Also, men should not forget about taking care of their skin. For example, citric acid is often included in shaving and facial care products. It helps to heal minor injuries and makes the skin supple and elastic.

Pregnancy

The state of pregnancy is accompanied by many negative effects, which the use of lemon can help to alleviate. You can alleviate the condition with toxicosis by sucking a lemon slice in the morning, without getting out of bed. This remedy can help reduce nausea and improve the overall condition.

Also, pregnant women are usually forbidden to use many medicines that are used in the prevention and treatment of colds. Tea with lemon or lemon water can help support the immune system or restore health more quickly if you have a cold.

Skin problems often appear during this period. For example, pigment spots may appear. Lemon juice has a whitening effect, so it is enough to wipe your face with it periodically or add it to moisturizer.

But you should treat its use and application during pregnancy with caution. If the expectant mother has an intolerance or allergy to this fruit, it can in no case be eaten or used for cosmetic purposes. It is also necessary to eat it in reasonable quantities, so as not to form a citrus intolerance in the future child.

Also, during pregnancy, many women have worsening oral diseases. If there are cracks in the tooth enamel or tooth decay, it is better to give up lemon at all, so as not to aggravate the situation.

The use of lemons is prohibited to pregnant women who suffer from heartburn or gastrointestinal diseases. The acids it contains will definitely contribute to aggravating the situation.

When breastfeeding

During the breastfeeding period, mothers should be very thoughtful about what they eat, because it affects the newborn as well. Therefore, the introduction of lemon into the diet should take place at a certain time and gradually. Mom should not eat lemon before the baby is a month old. You should start with a mild tea with lemon. It is better to do this in the morning, as it has an invigorating effect. So the baby can be active in the first half of the day, and by bedtime he will have calmed down. All day long you need to watch the reaction of the child's body. If during the day there were no side effects, it is worth to gradually introduce lemon into the diet of dishes and drinks, but do not get carried away.

At this time, both mother and baby need vitamin C, which helps to build and maintain immunity. Therefore, the use of lemon is a good option, but in the absence of an allergy to it.

For children

Lemon has the same positive effect on children as it does on adults. In some cases, a child needs even more of some of the elements contained in the product. Since his immune system is still in a state of formation and development, ascorbic acid he just needs. To make up for the lack of it will help all kinds of lemon drinks. However, here parents should be careful, since the fruit is a strong allergen and also contains a lot of acid, which can irritate the walls of the digestive system. Therefore, it is worth introducing lemon gradually in small doses, taking long breaks.

Experts recommend the introduction of lemon to the child's diet no earlier than 2 years. This is if the baby is not observed manifestation of allergic reactions. If before that there were similar manifestations to other products, it is worth waiting until the age of 5 years. The first time you should give a small amount, preferably in a drink, for a day watching the reaction of the body. If there was no reaction, you can gradually expand its use. But this does not mean that from now on the child should be fed the product every day. He should get lemon occasionally, so as not to harm the developing digestive system.

All this can be done only if the child has no diseases for which lemon can not be included in the diet. Their list is the same as in adults (gastritis, ulcers, hyperacidity, etc.).

It is better to be cautious from the very beginning and not rush to accustom it to adult food, so that in the future the baby won't have problems with eating this useful product.

Are lemon seeds useful?

Despite their bitter taste, lemon pips are just as useful as pulp and juice. They may even have a stronger effect, because the substances they contain are concentrated. The tree collects all the substances in the seeds, which will then be used for the growth and development of a new plant.

The seeds have a pronounced antiseptic effect, helping to fight not only colds, but also many other diseases. Often they are advised to eat on par with eating raw pumpkin seeds. Both seeds help to prevent parasites in the intestines and their removal if necessary.

The seeds can be chewed or dried and used as a powder, diluted in water. The second option is even preferable, since the seeds have very tough fibers that are not always well digested in the intestines. Grinding them avoids problems with digestive stoppages and constipation. It's also a good idea to get rid of the tough rinds. It is not digestible anyway and can only be a source of problems.

Powder of lemon seeds will allow getting useful substances for those who are contraindicated juice and pulp. Consumption in small quantities will help to avoid problems with hyperacidity of the stomach.

But here, too, there are limitations. It is necessary to remember that excesses always become a source of health problems, so you should carefully monitor how the body reacts to the next consumption of the product. If there is a feeling of discomfort, it is better to suspend its intake for a while.

The benefits of lemon peel

Lemon peel is very useful. It is what contains most of the vitamin C. There are also flavonoids in the top part of the peel, which help the body absorb vitamin C. Everyone also knows that the peel is rich in essential oils that are responsible for fighting viruses and bacteria. It is they who provide the disinfectant effect that helps fight colds, when treating the skin, heals minor rashes and lesions. It is to them that the lemon owes its persistent fragrance. Sometimes it is enough to smell the citrus oil to calm down. So you can take a lemon peel, squeeze it a little to release the oil, and enjoy the aroma.

Also, lemon peel helps to combat dry skin on the heels. If the damage and cracks are small, then the daily application of the zest helps to heal them within a couple of weeks. To do this, you need to clean the skin of the feet, steamed in warm water. The peel of a lemon should be slightly broken in the hands, so that the yellow side began to come out the juices and apply to the heel for a few minutes.

Crushed dried peel can easily replace the fruit itself, if it is not available at the moment. It is worth removing the peel beforehand and drying it well. To do this, just put it in a warm and dry place. When you need the zest, you can grind it with a blender or grate it and add it to dishes, drinks, desserts.

Thus, we can say that the lemon is completely useful and can have a beneficial effect on health. Therefore, the pulp should be eaten immediately, to squeeze the juice from it, and the skin and seeds should be reserved for the case when you will not be able to buy the fruit.

Of course, you should always observe the norm of consumption and keep in mind the contraindications and possible side effects. It is better to temporarily exclude the citrus from the diet, rather than in the future to give it up forever.