When Life Gives You Lemons…

You’re probably used to seeing them served on the rim of your beverage, but lemons are so much more than a simple glassware garnish! For centuries this citrus superfood has been utilized for its nutritional benefits, antiseptic properties, and zesty flavor. With a multitude of applications, it’s no surprise that lemons have become one of the world’s most widely consumed tropical fruits.

Lemons are jam-packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other health- promoting nutrients. Just medium-sized lemon contains an impressive 187% of your daily value of Vitamin C — which has immune-boosting and infection-fighting properties!

The citric acid in lemons helps regulate digestion, and the antioxidants like ß-carotenes, beta-cryptoxanthin, and vitamin A, can help keep your skin clear and vision sharp. But the list doesn’t end there; lemons are also an excellent source of fiber, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, and more, which have other health-promoting properties!

When life gives you lemons, here are a few easy ways that you can incorporate them into your day:

Get energized

Leave the caffeinated drinks behind and start your day off with hot water and lemon juice to help stimulate your digestion and boost your energy. Studies have also shown that even the smell of lemon can increase your alertness and keep you focused.  

Soothe a sore throat

Mix lemon juice with honey to create a natural syrup that will coat your throat, fight infection, and boost your immune system!

Get cooking

Along with being a tasty ingredient in breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes, lemon juice can also eliminate the bitter taste of dark, leafy vegetables or be added to fresh produce to prevent browning.

Shopping for citrus? Stick with the unprocessed raw fruit and steer clear of bottled juices. Lemon juice from concentrate contains fructose and other additives that dilute their nutritional value. Become your healthiest self and learn other ways to add healthy foods to your diet each day with Noom’s Healthy Weight course!