Consuming low-acid foods is essential when fighting against the symptoms of acid reflux and GERD. By doing that, you're ensuring that your symptoms won't get worse, and you can also control their severity and frequency.
As a result, you have to be aware of the pH levels and acidity of the foods you consume the most, especially fruits and vegetables. For example, are lemons acidic?
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Are Lemons Acidic?
Lemons have a low pH level, but once digested and metabolized, they actually have an alkalizing effect on your body. This is because the compounds in lemons change once they enter your body, turning certain foods that might seem very acidic alkaline.
Furthermore, lemons provide you with many health benefits since they're right in minerals and micronutrients that contribute to maintaining good health.
What is the pH level of lemons?
Lemons have a ph level ranging between 2.00 to 2.60. However, once digested, they have an alkalizing effect on your body. This means that they help balance the pH level of your body as well as urine. This can help your kidneys metabolize sodium and potassium to ensure that they function properly.
Furthermore, all the nutrients that lemons possess can help you stay healthy and prevent many ailments from developing.
Nevertheless, just because lemons are alkaline-forming doesn't mean that they can't irritate your stomach. This is because lemon juice only has an acid-neutralizing effect once digested and metabolized.
However, before that happens, it has to be consumed and travel through your esophagus.
The acid can inflame your esophagus during that process, leading to worse acid reflux and GERD symptoms.
Are lemons healthy?
Lemons are mostly made up of carbohydrates, but they are high in other compounds and micronutrients that can help you stay healthy. For example, the plant compounds in lemons can help prevent weight gain.
Moreover, they can even help you lose weight, especially if consumed along with water. This is because the compounds in lemon prevent overeating, giving you the sensation of being full.
Lemons are very high in vitamin C. This micronutrient is not only a powerful antioxidant, but research also proves that consuming fruits and veggies rich in this vitamin can help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Vitamin C also contributes to maintaining healthy skin since it stops zits and cystic acne from forming. As a result, this compound can help both when consumed and also when applied topically.
Consuming lemons and lemon juice can also aid in kidney stone prevention. This is because the acids in lemons increase the pH level of urine to one that's less favorable to the formation of kidney stones.
As a result, you'll be less likely to develop kidney stones frequently if you suffer from them. In addition, for people who don't experience this condition, lemon juice can help prevent it from ever occurring. Hence, lemons are a wonderful addition to your diet.
In addition, lemons help your body absorb iron, thus preventing anemia. Lemons do contain some iron, but it's not enough to fulfill your daily requirements. Hence, helping your body absorb this mineral can ensure that you won't develop this condition.
Lemons are particularly good at preventing anemia since they contain both vitamin C and citric acid — the two compounds that increase iron absorption. What's more, a diet rich in citrus fruit has been proven to help prevent certain forms of cancer from developing. This is often due to vitamin C and plant compounds that lemons contain.
Furthermore, lemon oil and the substances it contains have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.
Hence, consuming lemons and other citrus fruit can help you fight inflammation of your organs and prevent oxidative damage of your cells.
Are lemons bad for acid reflux?
Even though lemons are alkaline-forming, they can still adversely affect acid reflux, especially GERD. This is because lemons are high in citric acid that can irritate your esophagus and stomach, leading to unpleasant symptoms.
As a result, regularly consuming a lot of lemon juice can negatively impact your digestive tract. Nevertheless, this issue can be prevented by mixing some lemon juice with water.
That way, you're staying hydrated while diluting your stomach acids. Moreover, the same citric acid can damage the enamel on your teeth.
As a result, it's best to drink lemon juice and lemon water through a straw to avoid this problem, especially if your teeth and gums are particularly sensitive.
It's also a good idea not to consume lemons and lemon juice every day as the citric acid they contain is quite powerful and can acidify your body if consumed in too high quantities.
Don't know what to drink? Check out these articles: 20 Most and Least Acidic Juices and 20+ Alcoholic Drinks Ranked by Acidity Level
Is lemon water bad for acid reflux?
Lemons have a low pH level, but water has a pH level of 7, making it neutral. As a result, lemon water isn't as acidic as lemon juice. This means that it can be consumed more frequently than lemon juice, even by people struggling with acid reflux and GERD symptoms.
It also doesn't irritate your esophagus and stomach and helps dilute stomach acid, preventing it from refluxing.
When using lemon water to treat acid reflux and GERD, it's important to use small amounts of lemon juice. For example, experts recommend adding only one tablespoon to a jug of water.
That way, you won't consume too much acid, and the lemon water will have an even stronger alkalizing effect.
Furthermore, drinking lemon water can help you stay hydrated, and it's more refreshing to consume than plain water.
As a result, it's a great way to reach your daily water intake goal.
Lemons have a low pH level, but they're actually alkaline-forming once digested and metabolized. This means that they won't acidify your body if you consume them.
However, it's still important to remember that they do contain acid, which can irritate your esophagus.
As a result, overindulging in lemons can cause heartburn and worsen the symptoms of GERD and acid reflux. However, if you consume lemons in moderation, they can help you stay healthy and provide you with many health benefits.
Don't know what to drink? Check out these articles: 20 Most and Least Acidic Juices and 20+ Alcoholic Drinks Ranked by Acidity Level