Why are lemons great for your goodgut?
Lemons may be sour to taste, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from incorporating more of them into your diet. This bright yellow citrus fruit possesses a distinct sour taste because it is rich in citric acid. The lemon’s unique flavor makes it a popular ingredient in drinks, desserts, and meals. Almost all parts of a lemon can be used in cooking and cleaning! Like other plant food options, lemons have also been used medicinally; they are used curatively to treat scurvy, nausea, thirst, and the common cold/flu.
The vitamins, fiber, and plant compounds in lemons may also provide essential health benefits. The pulp, rind, and juice are rich with vitamins that stimulate immunity and help to reduce the risk for certain diseases. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, calcium, polyphenols, antioxidants, fiber, and various beneficial plant compounds. The flavonoids found in lemons may help boost health, reduce inflammation, and fight disease. Additionally, the plant compounds such as citric acid may also help prevent the formation of kidney stones!
Lastly, lemons may also provide a significant amount of dietary fiber for gut health and motility; 1/2 medium lemon contains 1.2 grams of fiber. In fact, Studies have also shown that citrus flavonoids and their metabolites are able to influence the microbiota composition and activity, and exert beneficial effects on intestinal barrier function and gastrointestinal inflammation.
Ways to eat it
If you have IBS or a sensitive gut, try freezing a little bit of lemon before using it in recipes, or putting it in a smoothie!
Try a lemon-poppyseed oatmeal for a wonderful breakfast!
Try a healthy lemon-vinaigrette dressing on a salad!
Try out this #goodgut Berry “Nice” Cream from Married to Health’s repertoire! Add in lemon juice for some tang!
Recipe: Lemon Berry “Nice” Cream
Picture from mealplanaddict.com
Ingredients (Makes 4 Servings):
2 cups strawberries, frozen
1 cup raspberries, frozen
1 cup pineapple, frozen
6 dates, pitted
1 cup filtered water
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
Directions:
Add all ingredients to the blender.
Blend on medium to high while pushing down on the frozen fruit; this can take some time if you want a smooth and thick nice cream.
Optional: add water until desired consistency is achieved.
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References
Mohanapriay, M., Ramaswamy, L., Rajendran, R. (2013). Health and medicinal properties of lemon (Citrus limonum). International Journal of Ayurvedic and Herbal Medicine, Volume 3, (Issue1), https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d26cb57c067540001f8a891/t/5d703a536a06240001dad958/1567636051895/Lemon_Research.pdf.
Chen, Y. & Guiling, M. (March 2020). Polyphenol supplementation benefits human health via gut microbiota: A systematic review meta-analysis. Journal of Functional Foods, Volume 66. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464620300530.
Shoemaker C. (7 January, 2020). Lemon Poppy Seed oatmeal (6 ingredients). From My Bowl. https://frommybowl.com/lemon-poppyseed-oatmeal/.
Hackett, J. (30 October 2020). Vegan lemon vinaigrette dressing. The Spruce Eats. https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-lemon-vinaigrette-salad-dressing-recipe-3377597.
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