Ah, a Breath of Lemon-Fresh Air
Does a flight of stairs leave you winded and a little worried about your lungs? Try squeezing a lemon.
A cold glass of lemonade may protect your lungs against a potentially serious condition: adult asthma. In fact, adding all things citrus -- grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes -- to your shopping list may help reduce your risk of developing this respiratory bane, regardless of how active or how old you are.
Like most fruit, citrus is packed with nutrients that can help keep you healthy in general. And the ample amount of vitamin C in citrus fruit may have a particular benefit: reduced risk of asthma. In a recent study, adults who ate little or no fruit and shunned citrus were significantly more likely to have the wheezing, gasping symptoms of asthma. So don't skip your morning OJ. And for a sophisticated twist on a cool summer drink, try this Cucumber Lemonade, or find more recipes that include lemon by using our Smart Search.
Cucumber Lemonade from EatingWell.com
2 English (hothouse) cucumbers
½ cup fresh lemon juice
2½ cups spring or filtered water
Simple syrup or agave syrup, to taste (optional)
Finely grate cucumbers into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Drain the cucumber for 1 hour and collect the juices. Press on the cucumber pulp to extract any additional juice. Add lemon juice, water, and syrup, if using, to the cucumber juice. Serve chilled or over ice.
NOTE: To make simple syrup: Combine 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook until reduced to a slightly thick syrup, about 10 minutes. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Per serving: 21 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 25 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (28% daily value).
Recipe source: EatingWell.com. Reprinted with permission.
RealAge Benefit:
Eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.
RealAge Smart Search: Find more information on asthma with these hand-selected search results.
Dietary antioxidants and asthma in adults. Patel, B. D., Welch, A. A., Bingham, S. A., Luben, R. N., Day, N. E., Khaw, K. T., Lomas, D. A., Wareham, N. J., Thorax 2006 May;61(5):388-393.
