Check out these amazing health benefits of citrus!
Timestamps
0:00 Are citrus fruits good for you?
1:02 Nutrients in lemons and limes
1:25 Health benefits of citrus
2:18 Citrus for scurvy
4:30 Other citrus benefits
Today I want to cover the health benefits of citrus. Oranges and grapefruit contain too much sugar, so we’re going to focus on lemons and limes. Citrus fruits have a lot of phytonutrients, but we’re going to mainly talk about flavonoids.
One type of flavonoid is the bioflavonoid, which is a part of the vitamin C complex. It’s essential in supporting healthy gums. It’s important to get the majority of your vitamins from your food so that you get the whole vitamin complex.
For example, you get the whole vitamin C complex from citrus, rather than just the ascorbic acid you would get from a synthetic vitamin C supplement.
You can get phytonutrient benefits from citrus fruit and the leaves, roots, and flowers of the lemon and lime trees.
Nutrients in lemons and limes:
• Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Zinc
I wouldn’t depend on lemons and limes to get the vitamins and minerals you need. But they are a fantastic source of flavonoids.
The vitamin C in citrus can also potentially help a person get rid of scurvy, which is a severe vitamin C deficiency. A few symptoms of scurvy are frequent infections, frequent colds, cracked lips, and cracked corners of the mouth. Spongy, bleeding gums is another big symptom of scurvy.
It’s important to keep in mind that when you consume sugar, you can’t absorb vitamin C. Smoking will also block vitamin C absorption.
Dr. Eric Berg
08/31/2023
