"The sour taste, the foremost of the five flavors, is indispensable in the summer. Traditional Chinese Medicine also advocates for the dietary principle of 'increasing sourness and reducing bitterness to nourish the stomach qi' during this season." Summer is the time to eat sour foods, and lemons are indeed a top choice. This is because:
1. During the hot summer, we sweat profusely. Consuming appropriately sour foods can promote the production of saliva to quench thirst, reduce sweating, and prevent diarrhea. It can also prevent the excessive loss of vital energy and body fluids caused by sweating.
2. In summer, increased water intake can dilute gastric acid, reducing its ability to kill bacteria. Eating some sour foods can increase the acidity of gastric juice, strengthen the spleen and whet the appetite, and aid in sterilization and digestion.
Honey Lemon Tea
There are many varieties of lemons
Generally speaking, they are mainly divided into yellow lemons and green lemons.
Yellow lemons are larger with thicker rinds; green lemons are more sour, have thinner rinds, and contain more juice. In terms of nutrition, lemons with thick rinds have a stronger aroma and are rich in limonin, flavonoids, coumarins, etc. Lemons with a higher proportion of flesh and juice contain more citric acid and Vitamin C.
Therefore, yellow lemons are mostly used in cooking, while green lemons are often used to make beverages.
In addition to whitening the skin, lemon juice can also prevent kidney stones
Lemon is one of the fruits valued for both medicinal and culinary purposes. The reason lemons are so renowned in the field of dietetic therapy is due to their rich content of Vitamin C.
Lemons are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, citric acid, malic acid, hesperidin, naringin, coumarin, and are highly alkaline, making them extremely beneficial to the human body. They have effects such as antioxidation, anti-aging, cancer prevention, prevention and treatment of scurvy, promotion of calcium absorption, promotion of collagen synthesis, promotion of intestinal peristalsis, and acceleration of bowel movements.
In addition to modern medicine, our ancestors had long recognized the benefits of lemons. The "Bencao Gangmu Shiyi" (Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica) from the Qing Dynasty records the therapeutic effects of lemons, describing them as "when pickled and eaten, they can harmonize qi and benefit the stomach." The "Mai Yao Lian Zhu Yao Xing Shi Wu Kao" also contains records about lemons, stating that "drinking the juice can quench thirst, ward off summer heat, and is suitable for pregnant women to calm the fetus."
Research has found that the citric acid and Vitamin C rich in lemon pulp have strong antioxidant effects. Their superoxide dismutase activity is high, they have a strong inhibitory effect on free radicals, and they can promote skin metabolism and inhibit pigmentation. Drinking beverages containing lemon juice can increase the level of citrate in the urine, a substance that can prevent minerals in the urine from forming crystals in the kidneys, thus preventing and treating kidney stones. Due to their rich Vitamin C content, lemons can promote the absorption and deposition of calcium, which is beneficial for maintaining normal bone function.
In addition to the medicinal and culinary value of the pulp, lemon peel is also very useful. Limonin in lemon peel, although the main source of the bitter taste, has been found to have antiviral, antibacterial, and antitumor effects. Hesperidin and eriocitrin are the main flavonoid components in lemons; the former has anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive effects, while the latter has antioxidant and blood lipid-regulating effects. Lemon peel also contains coumarin, which not only has the well-known anticoagulant effect but also has antiviral and antitumor properties. The pectin in lemon peel is a good water-soluble dietary fiber that helps regulate blood sugar and blood lipids and promotes bowel movements.
Honey lemon tea