19 Amazing Uses & Health Benefits Of Lemons And Limes

Lemons and limes are so zesty and tangy when added to almost any drink which cleanse and enhance immune properties. They are both favorite citrus fruit. Whether eaten as a fruit, used in various dishes, or consumed as juice, everyone enjoys this fruit. There are several varieties of lime fruit to choose from, with colors ranging from medium green to yellow. On ripening, limes turn yellow in color.

Lemons do not differ very much from limes. They are both excellent sources of vitamin C, B6, potassium, folate, flavonoids and the outstanding phytochemical, limonene.

Health Benefits Of Lemons And Limes

1. Heal Acne and Remove Blackheads

Lemons have antibacterial and antifungal properties that makes it an amazing treatment for acne scars to commercial products. It’s as simple as slicing open a lemon and rubbing it onto the affected areas of your face. To treat blackheads, you can add a few drops of honey on top of a lemon half and apply it to the areas where you have blackheads. Let the solution sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse it off with cold water.

2. Serve As Antioxidants

Vitamin C, flavonoids, phenolic acids, essential oils, and coumarins are all plentiful in lemons and limes. They’re part of a team of superhero substances called antioxidants. They band together to fight the bad guys free radicals which damage your cells and lead to diseases and other health problems.

3. Whiten Teeth

Professional teeth whitening can be very expensive. You can save yourself a lot of money, and a trip to the dentist, by making a homemade lemon juice mixture. Mix baking soda and lemon juice until a bubbly solution forms. Use a Q-tip to apply the mixture to your teeth. Let the solution sit for one minute—not any longer or the citric acid in the lemon juice may damage tooth enamel. Gently scrub the mixture off with a toothbrush and watch your smile get brighter.

4. Promotes Heart Health

It’s all about those flavonoids. Work more of them into your life and you’re less likely to get heart disease. That’s partly because they help keep the fats and sugars in your blood at healthy levels. Too much of either is bad for your blood vessels.

5. Calm Dry Scalp And Also Reduces Dandruff

Hair masks, especially the DIY variety, are becoming widely popular throughout the beauty world. These masks can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Coconut oil, olive oil, and raw honey mixed with lemon juice can be massaged onto your head to heal dry scalp and reduce dandruff. Nobody likes those white flakes on their shoulder! You literally have the cure sitting in your pantry.

6. Helps Lose Wight

Polyphenols, a special kind of antioxidant found in lemons and limes. They may hold off weight and body fat gain. Scientists think these substances change the way your body processes fat. Due to these, it improves response to insulin. But before you load up on lemon water, know that this study was done on mice, not people.

7. Prevent Oily Skin

Oily skin is a super common and an annoying beauty problem. There are a lot of different methods that have been tried—many without success—to bring down the shine on foreheads, noses, and chins. Swiping a cotton swab dipped in lemon juice is an easy, effective way of drying up excess oil. Try performing this procedure before bed. Wash your face when you wake up in the morning. This technique will help prevent excessively oily skin.

8. Adds Flavour To Dishes

Whether you squeeze the juice into water or onto a tasty fish dish, these tangy citrus treats provide you with the same vitamins and minerals as other citrus fruits. The best part: They do it with less sugar.

9. Lighten Dark Elbows And Knees

If your elbows and knees appear a bit darker than the rest of your skin, simply rub them with half of a lemon. Almost like magic, the darker areas will begin to lighten and more closely match your skin tone.

10. Prevents Infections

Their high acid content adds the perfect sour bite to your salad greens. It also helps kill salmonella bacteria that might be on your food, your cutting board, or your kitchen counter. That might be the difference between a pleasant evening and a long, long night. Don’t plan on scrubbing the bathroom with it. But if you want to make sure your greens are clean, a half vinegar, half lemon juice mix should zap most of the bacteria in about 15 minutes.

11. Cleanse Your Face And Body

Body washes and soaps can contain a scary concoction of unknown chemicals and additives. If you’re unsure about what’s inside of your face or body wash, you can switch to a homemade cleanser. Lemon juice, yogurt and an essential oil—like lavender—make for a sweet-smelling, natural cleanser. Massage your homemade cleanser into your face and body to remove dirt and bacteria. This cleanser will also moisturize your skin.

12. Prevents Cancer

While there’s no evidence that lemons and limes can fight cancer you already have. They’re full of antioxidants that may help keep you from getting it in the first place. This is particularly true for cancer of the liver, bone, stomach, breast, and colon.

13. Prevents Skin Wrinkles

It’s all that vitamin C, which is also known as ascorbic acid. Your body can’t create it, so you have to get it from food. It helps make collagen, which keeps your skin springy and full. Without enough, it’ll start to wrinkle. Sure, that’s also a natural part of aging, but you can slow it down with the right vitamins and nutrition.

14. Treats Canker Sores

Canker sores are a dreaded skin issue that can be unsightly and painful. A few drops of lemon essential oil on your canker sores will help speed up healing time.

15. Reduces Blood Pressure

Both the juice and the peel of lemons and limes can do the trick. Squeeze some in your water before and after you go for a walk. You may get more benefit from each. Talk to your doctor if you take blood pressure drugs or other medications. Citrus can interfere with them. Never adjust medication unless the doctor tells you to.

16. Keeps Your Gum Healthy

Swollen, bleeding gums and loose teeth are signs of scurvy. It was common long ago when people didn’t have easy access to foods with vitamin C. But you could get it now if you’re older, a smoker, have a low income, or are addicted to drugs or alcohol.

Before you chow down on citrus to prevent it, know this: Citric acid is good for what ails you but bad for tooth enamel. Wait at least 30 minutes after you eat or drink something with acid before you brush your teeth.

17. Lighten Dark Spots And Blemishes

Facial blemishes are embarrassing and can also be extremely stubborn. Luckily, the citric acid in lemon juice can gradually fade blemish spots and even out your skin tone. But try to avoid getting lemon juice in any open cuts or scratches on your face. This is because, it will sting!

18. Brighten Hair Color

Professional hair coloring can be very pricey. Dying your hair with one of those semi-permanent box kits from the pharmacy is cheaper, sure, but you never know what results you might get. A cost-effective way to lighten your hair at home is by simply using lemons.

Combine lemon juice and hair conditioner and comb the mixture through your hair. Be sure to coat every strand and pull the mixture all the way down to your ends. Then, go outside with a good book or cold drink and sit in the sun for a few hours. When you’re done, wash your hair thoroughly. You can repeat this process at least once a week. In a short time, you’ll see that your hair is noticeably lighter in color.

19. Soothe Chapped Lips

You know the pain that comes along with dry, cracked lips. Not to mention the embarrassment of yucky dead skin peeling from your lip. An overnight exfoliant for chapped lips can be created from nothing more than a sliced lemon. Rub the fruit across your lips, then wash it off the next morning. The lemon juice removes dead skin cells, leaving your lips super soft. Applying lipstick will be much easier too, as it will glide across your lips more smoothly.