We have all heard about the remedies and natural cures that lemon has to offer. However, experts say this fruit has, even more, to offer, including helping in weight management. Some of the most important health benefits that come with consuming lemon, they say, include; its vitamin C content that helps improve skin quality encourages weight loss, improves digestion, and acts as a breath freshener, among others. MORE THAN JUST A FRUIT People can as well use lemon as a washing agent, because of its ability to remove stains. It is also known for its medicinal power and is used in many different ways. For constipation, dental problems, throat infections, fever, high blood pressure, among others, Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist at Amazon Cabinet Clinic in Remera, Kigali, says consuming lemon helps prevent the above problems. Lemon contains a good amount of vitamin C, and a small amount of a number of vitamins and minerals, including B-vitamins (niacin, folate, thiamine, and riboflavin) as well as potassium, zinc, and magnesium. Kamanzi goes on to add that drinking lemon juice can be helpful for people suffering from heart problems. This, he explains, contains potassium which helps in controlling high blood pressure, dizziness, and nausea, as it provides a calming sensation to the mind and body. Also, he says foods rich in vitamin C, including lemon, are known for preventing coronary heart disease. Joseph Uwiragiye, head of nutrition department at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), says lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey when taken can help reduce body weight. MORE BENEFITS Charles Sindabimenya, a specialist in internal medicine at Doctors Plaza Kimironko, says concentrated lemon juice from fresh fruit has more citric acid content per liter than grapefruit juice and orange juice concentrate. This high citric acid content in the fruit, he says, helps increase urinary citrate levels. Thus, lemonade therapy can be used as a secondary therapy for the treatment of hypocitraturia calcium nephrolithiasis (urinary stones formed due to low citrate consumption). He says studies have shown that lemon juice can eliminate the occurrence of kidney stones by forming urinary citrate, which prevents the formation of crystals. Sindabimenya says lemon juice may help provide relief from problems related to indigestion and constipation. Also, he says, lemon juice can assist in treating a person who is suffering from a cold, flu or fever. It helps break fevers by increasing perspiration. For dental care, he says a low concentration of vitamin C can cause periodontitis (gum infection). However, if fresh lemon juice is applied to the area of a toothache, it can assist in alleviating the pain. Kamanzi says lemon can as well help when it comes to the prevention of hair loss. He explains that when it comes to lemon juice, it has proven itself useful in the treatment of damaged hair on a wide scale. “When applied to the scalp, the juice can treat problems like dandruff, hair loss and other glitches related to the hair and scalp. If the juice is applied directly to the hair, it can give the hair a natural shine as well,” he says. For clean and moist skin, Uwiragiye says lemon juice, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can also assist with this. Kamanzi says the juice can be applied to reduce the damage of sunburns and it helps to ease the pain from bee stings as well. He says it is also good for acne and eczema. “It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Drinking its juice mixed with water and honey brings a healthy glow to the skin,” Kamanzi says. Leman can as well be used in cases of burns. Kamanzi says using lemon juice on the site of old burns can help fade the scars, and since it is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin if you have an irritating burn. editorial@newtimesrwanda.com
