The Amazing Health Benefits Of Raw Lemon Juice

It is well known that raw lemon juice has tremendous health benefits. Interestingly, the origins of the lemon are unclear. It is thought that they originated in India, China, and Burma and then entered Europe via the Roman Empire in the 1st Century AD. Wherever they came from, lemons are rightly revered for their delicious taste for being an incredible addition to any household’s natural medicine cabinet.

Raw lemon juice is well known for its antioxidants and properties and has been used for centuries to cure many ailments and cleanse the body.

Lemons are rich in Vitamin C, which is essential for maintaining a fully functional immune system, aiding digestion, fighting cancer, helping wounds to heal and even helping to prevent heart failure.

In the 18th Century, The Royal Navy used lemons to fight scurvy – a serious condition caused by vitamin C deficiency – and the Roman Emperor Nero was reputed to have consumed copious amounts in order to prevent poisoning by one of his many enemies.

Lemons are not only an essential household addition for their medicinal qualities and health benefits; lemon juice is also used in the home in order to disinfect surfaces, remove stains, clean cookers and remove old wax. It can also be used as an insecticide to deter mosquitoes, flies and other insects.

It’s hard to imagine any natural product with so many and varied uses as the humble lemon – it’s like the swiss army knife of fruit!

The Health Benefits Of Raw Lemon Juice

Fresh lemon juice can also help with:

• Maintaining a pH Alkaline State – Maintaining a slightly positive alkaline state is thought to help fight off cancer and other illnesses. Although acidic to taste, lemons actually help our bodies maintain an optimum slightly alkaline pH. You can read more about alkaline-forming foods here or here.
• Blood Purifying – Lemons can help the body to remove toxins.
• Blood Sugar Balance – The acidity of raw lemon juice lowers the impact of any meal on your blood sugar.
• Detoxification – Raw lemon juice cleanses the kidneys and the digestive system. It helps the body remove toxins for a great overall detox.
• Weight Loss– The pectin in the lemon peel is a great source of fiber that is thought to help overweight people lose weight. Lemons can also be used to bring salads and other dishes to life without adding unnecessary calories.
• Osteoporosis – Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C which helps the body to absorb calcium and fight osteoporosis. Two tablespoons of raw lemon juice diluted in a glass of warm water is good for pregnant women, promoting healthy bone growth for the mother and baby.
• Insomnia – in the case of insomnia, raw lemon juice helps improve sleep.
• Brain and Nerve Food – The potassium found in the raw lemon juice helps the brain and nerve cells, improves concentration, memory and calms the mind.
• Immune System – Raw lemon juice strengthens the immune system which in turn helps fight many illnesses including cancers.
• Infection – Fresh lemon juice is rich in citric acid, which can help prevent or cure infections.
• Coughs and colds– Lemon added to a little hot water with some honey is one of the most effective remedies known for a cough and cold.
• Asthma – Having half-teaspoonful of fresh lemon juice washed it down with luke-warm water before each meal provides quick relief to asthma. Taking it first thing in the morning and the last thing at night also gives very positive results.
• Corns – Apply lemon juice a few times a day for excellent results.
• Nausea, Vomiting and Travel Sickness – Take a glass of lemon juice diluted with water to help with travel sickness and nausea.
• Rheumatism, Arthritis and Bone-Related Diseases – As lemons are a rich source of antioxidants, they have excellent anti-inflammatory properties. A few glasses of diluted lemon juice can be given to help with recovery from rheumatic fever, painful joints, lumbago, and sciatica.
• Acne, Spots, and Pimples – Applying raw lemon juice to the face is a popular remedy for acne and pimples.
• Hair – Raw lemon juice has been used throughout history to make hair strong and shiny.
• Radiation or chemotherapy – As an excellent detoxification aid, If you have had radiation therapy or chemotherapy, regular lemon juice drinks can help the body naturally detox from these aggressive treatments.

Lemon Drink Recipe – For Optimum Health

An excellent way to help the body reach optimum alkalinity to aid in fighting illness. Simply increase lemon juice intake by half a lemon per day, as in:

Day 1: the juice of 1 lemon
Day 2: the juice of 1.5 lemons
Day 3: the juice of 2 lemons
Day 4: the juice of 2.5 lemons

Etc.

Then start to go down by the juice of the ½ lemon until you reach zero.

5 lemons would be a reasonable goal for smaller people, children, etc. Adults can go much higher.

You can add Stevia and of course water; adjust to your own taste. People with cancer should be cautious with sugars, and not take more than 2 teaspoons of honey a day. Other sugars and sweeteners should be avoided.

You do not have to drink the lemon juice all at once; you can keep it in the refrigerator and drink it throughout the day. It is excellent to combat nausea. Add a little warm or room temperature water to the juice; avoid very cold drinks.

After consuming the lemon juice, rinse the mouth with pure water to avoid the effects of fruit acid on teeth enamel.

Once you reach your goal – between 5 and 30 lemons in one day – go back down slowly decreasing by half or one lemon daily.

You can also use the lemon rind when baking as it contains Limonene, which is also very beneficial for health. Using organic lemons is essential as the peel of non-organic lemons can contain harmful pesticides and a wax coating.

Further Reading

For more on the health benefits of lemon, we encourage you to read the following articles:

• Fight Disease And Fatigue With Lemon Juice And Baking Soda
• How To Make Your Own Natural Vitamin C
• Increase Your Appetite With These 9 Foods

At the Budwig Center, we use lemons as a part of our very successful natural cancer-fighting Budwig Diet. For further information on the health benefits of lemon juice and information on the Budwig Diet, download a free copy of our guide.

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Note: This post was originally published in November 2011 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and clarity.