The health benefits of lemon juice

The humble lemon may make your mouth pucker, but just a spoonful of its juice has numerous health benefits. Here are some of them.

Lemon is rich in antioxidants.

Lemons are an excellent source of plant compounds called flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Antioxidants are natural substances that help protect the body's cells from damage.

By keeping cell damage in check, antioxidants may help reduce the overall risk of many health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

These powerful compounds do this by eliminating free radicals — the harmful, disease-causing intruders created by oxidative stress. Flavonoids from lemon can also help reduce inflammation in the body (and as mentioned earlier, chronic inflammation is a major marker for many illnesses).

It has antibacterial effects.

In addition to its anti-inflammatory effects, lemon juice has antibacterial and antifungal properties that may support overall health. In a recent study, the bioactive plant compounds in lemon juice effectively inhibited the growth of staphylococcus, salmonella, and candida infections.

But that's not all — lemon juice was also effective at fighting an antibiotic-resistant bacterial strain that’s known to cause pneumonia and blood infections.

It supports healthy skin.

Lemon juice's high vitamin C and vitamin E content makes it especially beneficial for the skin. Its powerful antioxidants help support collagen production, which is what gives skin its bouncy, plump appearance.

Lemons are also rich in magnesium — an important mineral that promotes healthy, supple skin and prevents damage from oxidative stress.

Source: firstforwomen.com

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