6 Side Effects Of Consuming Excess Of Lemons

Lemons or Nimbus are the evergreen citrus fruit that grows on the tree of the same name. They are mostly consumed in the form of juice, pulp, and pickles, and also as the cleansing agent. Being a good source of a number of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, dietary fibers, etc., they are very beneficial for our health, but there are also some side effects of too many lemons, and in this article, we will know about these side effects in detail.

# Can Give Rise To Tooth Erosion

Lemons are a good source of vitamin C which is very beneficial for our teeth and gums as it prevents us from the risk of scurvy ( a disease caused by the efficiency of vitamin C. However, too much of everything is bad and same goes with lemon.

Lemons are highly acidic in nature and consuming a significant portion of this fruit or drinking many glasses of lemon juice in a day can harm our teeth. The acid present in lemon can get in touch with the enamel of our teeth and give rise to teeth erosion.

It is important to note that the tooth enamel plays a vital role in maintaining our oral health as it protects our teeth from the bacterias, virus and various types of infection. Erosion of tooth enamel makes our teeth vulnerable to infections and oral health problems, and sensitivity of teeth ( and the pain associated with it) is one of them. What makes it worse is that Once tooth enamel is gone, it is gone for forever. Taking good care of our tooth enamel is one of the best ways to maintain oral health.

For this reason, it is advisable to not to drink too much lemon juice and even in general scenario, you should drink lemon juice with a straw. It will minimize the contact of acids ( present in lemon juice) with the teeth, and will thus reduce the risk of tooth erosion.

# Can Cause And Worsen The Situation of Heartburn

Another disadvantage of drinking too much lemon juice or consuming too many lemons is their ability to trigger heartburn or worsening the situation of heartburn. The primary cause of heartburn is the improper functioning of the esophageal sphincter ( a bundle of muscles that separates esophagus and stomach).

The main function of this muscle is to ensure that the acid present in the stomach doesn’t go upwards and enters into the esophagus region.

Sometimes, this muscle doesn’t work properly and fails to stop the stomach acid from coming into the esophagus, and this results in a feeling of burning sensation at around chest, which is in other word known as “heartburn.”

Lemons are acidic in nature and drinking too much lemon juice or eating too many fruits can give rise to the heartburn problem, and if you are already suffering from heartburn, then lemons can make the situation worse.

# May Cause Frequent Urination & Dehydration

Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C ( Ascorbic acid) which provides many benefits like keeping premature aging at bay, making our immune system stronger, reducing the risk of scurvy and so on. Vitamin C is diuretic in nature which means it increases the production of urine in kidneys, and thus help them in eliminating excess fluids and sodium.

In moderation, this is a good thing, but drinking too much lemon juice or consuming too many lemons in a given time can worsen the situation and make us depleted of necessary fluids and salts. It should be noted that in moral case, diuretic nature of lemon is not a problem, but it becomes a problem when heavy doses of lemon juice ( concentrated) or lemon slices are added to the water for making lemon juice ( diluted).

Excessive urinating is bad for our health as this way our body loses a lot of fluids and essential salts and this can even give rise to dehydration. For this reason, it is advisable to drink lemon juice in moderation and most importantly, stay away from the highly concentrated lemon juice.

# Are Highly Contaminated With Pesticides

Nowadays, it is very common to use lemon slices as a garnish on the rim of the glass, and people are habitual of putting the entire lemon wedge in their drink, without even thinking about the consequences.

It is not to scare you, but lemons are often coated with wax to protect them from the damage during the shipping and inspection. The wax so covered on lemons is prepared by the toxic jelly, ethyl alcohol, and ethanol. So, by putting an entire lemon wedge in your drink, you are also including toxic chemicals like petroleum jelly, ethyl alcohol, and ethanol, etc.

The best way to prevent our self from these toxic chemicals is to wash lemons before using them in any form thoroughly, and instead of putting the entire lemon slice in your drink, just squeeze the lemon in your drink and enjoy the benefits ( after all, this is what we are looking for ).

If you still want to put an entire lemon wedge in your drink, then it will be better to look for the organic lemons or buying locally grown lemons. They are less likely ( most likely, they won’t have any ) to have any pesticides and toxic waxes on the peels.

# Increases Risk of Ulcers and GERD

Lemons are highly acidic in nature and consuming too many lemons, or drinking too much lemon juice can give rise to various health problems like nausea, vomiting, and heartburn, etc. The acids present in lemons can even break down our esophageal and stomach lining and could increase the risk of ulcers and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

# Can Increases Risk of Kidney Stones And Gallbladder Stones

Lemons, apart from their acidity levels, also contain something called oxalates, which can become crystallized in the body if over-consumed. These crystallized oxalates can cause kidney stones and gallbladder stones because they inhibit the absorption of calcium in your body.

Drinking lemon juice in moderation is good for our kidneys as they help in the removal of excess fluids, salts, and other waste products. However, too much of lemon juice ( or lemons) is bad for our kidneys. This is because lemons are high in oxalates which get crystallized in our body ( when consumed in excess).

Drinking too much lemon juice can increase the risk of crystallization of these oxalates which in turn increases the risk of kidney stones and gallbladder stones ( because of their nature to absorb calcium present in our body. This is another important reason to avoid drinking too much lemon juice.