FRUIT

Lemon

You Need To Know

This Month

Lemons, botanically classified as Citrus limon, are actually a hybrid fruit, not a naturally-occurring fruit. This means they are the result of a genetic cross between two other fruits. Specifically, lemons are a hybrid between the bitter orange and citron fruit.

Medical Uses

Lemon is also used for the common cold and flu, H1N1 (swine) flu, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), Meniere's disease, and kidney stones. It is also used to aid digestion, reduce pain and swelling (inflammation), improve the function of blood vessels, and increase urination to reduce fluid retention.

Benefits

Lemon contains antioxidants called bioflavonoids. These bioflavonoids might be responsible for the health benefits of lemon. People use lemon for hay fever, high blood pressure, obesity, morning sickness, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.