Lemon

These citrus fruits have many health benefits that are mainly due to their high vitamin C content. In addition to their health benefits, lemons are an excellent flavor enhancer in many dishes and can be added to garlic honey tea as a cold remedy.

Disease/Ailments:

Cold, flu
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Atherosclerosis
Heart disease
Cancer prevention

Health benefits:

Antioxidant: Vitamin C is one of the main antioxidants found in food and the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body. When traveling the body, vitamin C neutralizes the body of any free radicals that can cause damage and inflammation to tissues.
Cardiovascular benefits: Free radicals can cause damage to blood vessels and contribute to cholesterol build-up in arteries. Vitamin C aids in preventing atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke.
Cancer prevention: In addition to the potent cancer fighting benefits of vitamin C, lemon contains limonin, a phytonutrient that has been shown to prevent cancerous cells from proliferating.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Vitamin C’s anti-inflammatory agent that reduces painful swelling and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Immune booster: Vitamin C is vital to the human immune system and aids in protecting against or treating conditions like cold, flus, and recurrent ear infections.

Good source of:

Vitamin C

Purchasing, storing, & enjoying:

Purchasing: Pick lemons that are fully ripened to gain the optimal antioxidant benefits. Fruit with thinner skins tend to be juicer because they have less flesh. Pick lemons that are heavy for their size and that feature finely grained texture. Avoid fruit that have tints of green for they will be more acidic and sour. Lemons that are overly ripened may show signs of wrinkling, soft and hard patches, and dull coloring. Lemons are available year-round.
Storing: Lemons stay fresh kept at room temperature, away from light for about a week. If you want an extended self-life, keep lemons in the refridgerator crisper for up to four weeks.
Enjoying:

Lemon juice can be used in many dishes to bring out the natural flavor of other foods.
Perk yourself up and stay hydrated throughout the day with lemon water.

Resources & recipes:

Homemade Lemon Larabars: http://athriftymom.com/homemade-lemon-larabars-healthy-vegan-gluten-free-recipe/
Lemon Poppy Zucchini Bread: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/vegan-lemon-poppy-zucchini-bread
Lemon pudding: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/03/dairy-free-lemon-pudding.html

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Ashley Kim

"Our bodies are our gardens—our wills are our gardeners." – William Shakespeare

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