Prized for their versatility in the kitchen, potential health benefits, and refreshing flavour, lemons have become a favourite in Mzansi. Though sour on their own, lemons lend their bright flavour to countless dishes and drinks while exhibiting a surprising amount of health benefits and a surprising number of uses beyond the culinary world.
For Luyanda Kubheka from Utrecht, having a lemon tree at home has made her have a deep appreciation for lemons and commend them for their versatility and benefits.
“I love the sourness of lemons and their ability to be combined with other ingredients to make delicious desserts. I use lemons for making tea, as a cleaning agent, or as a snack.
“I struggle with my iron levels, so having discovered that lemons can help with the absorption of iron, I try to incorporate them into my diet as much as possible with other iron-filled foods,” she says.
Love and enjoy sour taste
“There have been no negative side effects experienced from lemons because, as much as I love them, I consume them in moderation to avoid any harm,” Kubheka says.
Residing in Kuruman in the Northern Cape, Kamogelo Potiake uses lemons as a personal remedy, providing many health benefits for him.
“I love and enjoy lemons for their unique sour, tangy taste, and they remind me of my uncle, who loved them too and shared the same fondness. If it isn’t for eating, I boil them to cure bacteria, and sometimes I have shortness of breath, so I need them before sleep to offer relief,” he says.
All the goodness of lemons
Dietitian Nhluvuko Ngobeni from Limpopo details some ways in which lemons can enhance your well-being.
- Supports heart health: Lemons are a good source of vitamin C and antioxidants. Research suggests that these two nutrients are beneficial for health and help prevent heart disease and stroke.
- Help boost immunity: Lemon is an immunity-boosting fruit as it contains a high amount of vitamin C and antioxidants. It helps strengthen the immune system against germs that cause the common cold and the flu.
- May improve digestion: Lemon contains a high amount of soluble fibres that help maintain regular bowel movements and also improve digestion. The main fibre present in lemon, named pectin, helps improve gut health by increasing the digestion rate of starch and sugar.
- May help to reduce cancer risk: Lemon and lemon juice are rich sources of vitamin C and antioxidants that help fight against deadly diseases like cancer. Some studies suggest that compounds present in the lemon—limonene and naringenin—have anticancer properties.
- May help with oral disorders: Vitamin C is an essential vitamin for teeth and gums. As a result, lemon is a rich source of vitamin C and is beneficial for oral disorders.
- Beneficial for skin: Lemons contain high concentrations of vitamin C, which is required to generate collagen. Collagen helps to give our skin a youthful look, reduces the fine lines on the face, and makes your skin clear.
- Can keep hypertension in check: An intake of lemons, along with 30 – 60 minutes of brisk walking, can keep your high blood pressure in check.
- Help with a throat infection: Lemons naturally have antibacterial properties, which help to lessen the bacterial effects and bring about relief.
- Kidney stone prevention: High levels of citric acid present in the fresh fruit as well as the lemon juice concentrate can improve urinary citrate levels twofold without altering the total urinary volume.
- Help to control weight: Lemon contains a compound called pectin; it is a fibre that expands after ingestion, making one dull sooner and longer. As a result, it will prevent one from snacking on unhealthy foods that can lead to weight gain.
- Protect against anaemia: Iron-deficiency anaemia is quite common. It occurs when you don’t get enough iron from the food you eat. Lemons contain some iron, but they primarily prevent anaemia by improving the absorption of iron from plant foods.
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Other pros and cons
If not consumed in moderation, Ngobeni warns that lemons can increase acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease, and consuming too many citrus fruits can cause frequent migraines.
Additionally, he explain ways in which people can incorporate lemons healthily into their diet:
- You can have lemon infused in lukewarm water.
- You can squeeze the lemon juice into your salad.
- You can use the juice of a lemon to marinate your meat.
- You can add a few drops of lemon to your rice when it’s cooking to prevent the grains from sticking to each other.
- You can add a few drops of lemon to your roasted veggies or chicken.
Pretoria-based agronomist Kwanele Dlamini describes citrus limon, known as lemon, as a tree that is native to South Asia. He says it is an evergreen tree of small to medium size and further extends on growing it.
The right location to grow your tree
“The citrus lemon tree produces yellow oval fruits packed with vitamin C. I wouldn’t say it’s easy to grow a lemon tree, but it depends on the location where it’s grown and many other factors (abiotic factors),” Dlamini says.
“Lemon trees do very well in full sunlight, with the best time to plant it being Spring. They require well-draining soil, preferably loam, because these trees don’t tolerate wet feet (waterlogged soils), and the soil might be a bit acidic to neutral.
“Regular watering is very important if one is located in a dry area, but be careful not to over-irrigate and let the trees stand on water. I would advise one to also mulch the base of the tree, as this will retain soil moisture,” Dlamini explains.
Highlighting how long it takes for the fruits to mature, Dlamini says it mostly depends on the location of the tree, how much sunlight it receives, and irrigation schedules.
“The pH needs to be between 2 and 3 for them to be ready for harvest. For the tree to bear fruit and have a robust harvest, it can take six years for it to get there, but I believe with good farming practices, it can be earlier.”
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