Lemons

Benefits

An Excellent source of vitamin C

May relieve dry mouth

Drawbacks

The peel contains an irritating oil

May be sprayed with a fungicide

Ideal for flavoring everything from fish to vegetables to tea, lemons are one of the most widely used of all citrus fruits. Sweetened, diluted and chilled, fresh lemon juice is an old fashioned summer thirst quencher.

One cup of lemon juice has about 70 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adult women. To get the most juice, place a lemon in warm water before squeezing.

Because lemons are often sprayed with fungicides to retard mold growth and pesticides to kill insects, wash them thoroughly before grating the peel.

Lemon peels contain limonene, an oil that can irritate the skin in susceptible person. Limonene is being studied for its antitumor activity and may prove useful against breast cancer.

Home Remedies

A tablespoon of lemon juice in a cup of honey-sweetened hot water is a popular sore throat remedy. Licking a lemon or sipping unsweetened diluted lemon juice can stimulate saliva flow in people who have a dry mouth. This remedy should be used in moderation, however, since the high acidity of plain lemon can damage tooth enamel.