Lemons Lower Blood Pressure

Published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, researchers studied 101 Japanese women near Hiroshima. For five months, these middle-aged participants recorded their daily lemon intake and the number of steps walked. The conclusion of the “Effect on Blood Pressure of Daily Lemon Ingestion and Walking”:

These results suggest that the walking and lemon ingestion have the effect of lowering systolic blood pressure by, respectively, different action mechanisms. There may be an additive or synergistic effect in movement and lemon ingestion.((https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003767/))

Lemons Are Anti-Carcinogenic

It’s common knowledge that lemons contain vitamin C. According to the study “Vitamin C and the Role of Citrus Juices as Functional Food”, “Citrus fruits provide about 51% of vitamin C.” Published in 2009 in the internationally peer-reviewed journal Natural Product Communications, researchers looked at different factors that affect vitamin C content, such as ripening, weather, and juice processing. Not surprisingly, studies support that organic citrus is healthier.

However, differences were found between conventional and certified organic Rio Red red-fruited grapefruit, where vitamin C content of organic grapefruit juice was higher [81]. Similar results were reported for organically grown Valencia oranges [95] and Hernandina mandarins [89].

Lemon juice is one of the most important citrus vitamin C sources [72] (Table 4). Vitamin C levels in lemon juice range between 20 and 60 mg / 100 mL of juice [16]…

Lemons Lower Cholesterol (At Least in Rats and Hamsters)

Researchers fed three different groups of rats lard for 21 days in order to test concentrations eriocitrin on cholesterol and high-fat diets. Eriocitrin is lemon’s main flavonoid. “Lipid-lowering effect of eriocitrin, the main flavonoid in lemon fruit, in rats on a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet” was published in 2006 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Food Science.

The results of the study found, “The total cholesterol, VLDL+LDL, triglyceride, and phospholipid in the serum of the 0.35% eriocitrin group showed significantly lower concentrations than the control group (P < 0.05)…”((http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00192.x/abstract))

Another study found lemon peels to have cholesterol-lowering effects in hamsters. “The hypocholesterolemic effect of lemon peels, lemon pectin, and the waste stream material of lemon peels in hybrid F1B hamsters” published in the European Journal of Nutrition found,

Lemon peels and the waste stream of the lemon peels are as effective in lowering plasma and liver cholesterol in hamsters as the pectin extracted from the peels and that also compounds other than pectin are probably responsible for the cholesterol lowering effect of the citrus peels.((https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11990004))

Lemons Suppress Weight Gain and Fat Accumulation (At Least in Mice)

Often included in weight loss tips, drinking lemon water can help prevent weight gain and body fat accumulation. Lemon essential oil is included in DoTerra’s Slim and Sassy Metabolic Blend due to these properties.

In “Lemon Polyphenols Suppress Diet-induced Obesity by Up-Regulation of mRNA Levels of the Enzymes Involved in β-Oxidation in Mouse White Adipose Tissue” published in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, researchers divided mice into three groups and fed a different diet for 12 weeks.

1. High-fat diet
2. Low-fat diet
3. High-Fat diet supplemented with lemon polyphenols from the fruit’s skin

By examining the four fat pads on the mice, researchers found:

Body weight gain, fat pad accumulation, the development of hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance were significantly suppressed by lemon polyphenols. …

Body weight gain induced by the high fat diet was significantly reduced by feeding with the diet containing lemon polyphenols, and no significant differences were observed in average energy intake between the HF and LP mice (Fig. 1)… Supplementation with lemon polyphenols significantly decreased the epididymal, perinephric, and mesenteric visceral fat pads and inguinal, subcutaneous fat pad in comparison with those in the HF group. ((https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2581754/))

Lemons Can Prevent Gout

Gout is caused when “uric acid crystallizes and deposits in the joints”.  Severe pain and inflammation are the symptoms. Gout attacks can come on suddenly. It is very common in the United States.

Research suggests lemon juice reduces uric acid. Published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, “Lemon Juice Reduces Serum Uric Acid Level Via Alkalization of Urine in Gouty and Hyperuremic Patients- A Pilot Study” found all of the study’s participants that drank lemon water had a reduction in serum uric levels. Specifically, each individual consumed two freshly squeezed lemons in two liters of water each day.((http://ard.bmj.com/content/74/Suppl_2/774.1))

We were sent Leaf & Love Organic Lemonade juice boxes. This is a great way to send your kids to school with a little extra boost to their immunity. Leaf & Love Organic Lemonade contains zero sugar!  It’s sweetened with stevia. Also unlike other juice boxes, this lemonade has only five calories.  It’s pure and simple. 

How did you come up with the idea for this product?

Three moms were frustrated with the amount sugar in the juice boxes being offered to our kids. So we took to our kitchens and created something we would feel good about serving our children and yours!

Lemons are amazing, and science backs up these claims. These five studies support the various anecdotal claims of lemon’s many benefits. Leaf & Love Organic Lemonade is a convenient way to give your children the benefits of lemons every day!