Lemons one of the best food sources of vitamin C. One small (1g/3.5 oz) contains 60-100 mg of vitamin C. Consuming one lemon a day cman provide most, of daily requirement It’s best to consume lemon freshly squeezed, as 20 percent of its vitamin C is lost eight hours at room temperature or 24 hours in a refrigerator.
Important phytochemicals include limonene, anthocyanins, psoralen, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, ferulic acid, hesperidin, monoterpenes, saponins, triterpenoids, quecertin, catechins, P-coumeric acid, sinapic acid, thymol, umbelliferone, rutin, coumarin, phenethyl isothiocyanate, phytosterols and beta-carotene.
Beta-carotene, involved in vision function, is a precursor to and plant form of vitamin A. It is considered the most important of the caoretnoids. Lemons also contain two types of fiber: cellulose, which strengthens cell walls and pectin, which binds cells together. Pectin dissolves in water in the digestive tract to form a gel. It is an antioxidant.
Essential nutrients in lemon
