Are Lemon Seeds Toxic? Everything you Need to Know!

Are lemon seeds toxic? Are lemon seeds poisonous? With the summer season in full swing, knowing what you can or cannot put into your body is essential. One of the most confusing fruits is lemons. You might be wondering if lemon seeds are toxic?

Don't worry, lemon seeds are not toxic! These small balls have a lot of health benefits. In fact, they contain salicylic acid which is the main ingredient in Aspirin.

The problem with this seed's astringent coat can cause problems for some people who don’t fully digest plant matter like legumes/beans.

However, most will enjoy its sour flavor if consumed sparingly- just make sure to avoid those hard outer shells because digestion issues might occur.

A lemon seed extract has been shown to have antibacterial properties and even act as an antioxidant. Besides, a lemon seed can be a good source of dietary fiber.

Nonetheless, there are some concerns about the toxicity of the lemon seed extract. However, lemons are an essential source of vitamin C and flavonoids. The seeds of the fruit contain a compound called limonin that can be very toxic in high concentrations. Therefore, it is best to avoid eating large amounts of lemon seeds and only use the extract in moderation.

Here we'll get to know all about lemon seed, whether it is toxic or not, and how to deal with it if swallowed!

What are lemon seeds, and what do they look like?

A lemon seed is the small black dots on the surface of a lemon. These fruit seeds are usually removed before eating but are often found in cooking or baking foods that require only the fruit's juice.

Lemon seeds are found in the central core of lemon fruit. They help protect the plant from pests, so surround the seeds with a somewhat bitter and sour tasting white part known as a pith.

Although they can be used as a garnish on some dishes, these seeds contain an oil that has been found to cause rashes when touched directly. The oil is also highly acidic and can damage teeth if swallowed whole or chewed.

Composition of lemon seed

The lemon seed contains mainly proteins, carbohydrates, and fat. Some minerals are also present in it. It also contains vitamins A, B1, B2 & C too. However, vitamin C is the most abundant of all these nutrients included in lemon seeds.

Approximately 79% of oil, lipid, and diacylglycerols, etc., are found in lemon seeds. In addition, the remaining 21% of essential elements such as phytosterols, amino acids, organic acids, and dietary fiber have been determined.

What's the nutritional value of lemons?

Lemons play an essential role in both your culinary and medicinal practices. Lemons have been considered to be one of the healthiest foods because they contribute to good health in several ways:

Vitamin C

This antioxidant plays a vital role in the growth of tissues, bone health, iron absorption, and wound healing.

Sodium

Lemons are high in potassium but also contain sodium. Potassium has been shown to help lower blood pressure and reduce the symptoms of heart disease.

Limonoids

This flavonoid compound is found in lemons and may have several positive effects on human health. These benefits include antioxidant, anti-tumor properties as well as antibacterial effects on some cancer cells.

What about toxicity? Are Lemon Seeds Poisonous?

Lemon seed extract contains substances called limonoids, which act as antioxidants and have antibacterial properties. However, it is recommended not to eat more than 50 fresh lemon seeds per day. 

Consuming lemon seeds in more significant amounts may lead to liver damage because limonoids are dangerous for your liver. Therefore, it's best to avoid eating large quantities of lemon seeds and only use the extract in moderation.

Lemon Seeds Are Not Toxic but Can Be Harmful to Your Health, so consume lemon seeds with precaution.

Even though it is not toxic, eating too many yellow or green lemon seeds can lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, belly pain, cramps, headaches, and even shock. 

However, most people will only experience stomach discomfort. Suppose they eat too many at once, usually more than 15 fresh seeds. So don't do that!

If you accidentally swallow a lot of them at once, consult your doctor immediately. If you know someone who has eaten too many lemons seeds, please go to the emergency room without delay because it may cause intestinal performance.

Lemon Seed Extract Benefits

In recent years, scientists have been studying the health benefits of oils from different plants, especially from citrus fruits like lemons. The potential for a positive influence on human health is related to preventing or treating some diseases, including cancer, obesity, and diabetes mellitus.

These benefits piqued the interest of researchers looking to discover a natural substance. You can use lemon seeds to treat these illnesses while having fewer adverse effects than pharmaceutical medications. 

After many studies, promising results were obtained using oil extracted from lemon seeds (Citrus limon). It is identified.

What other facts make lemon seed

Lemon seed is often used to treat inflammation and indigestion problems. In addition, it has good properties to control diarrhea and pain during the urination process. It proves very effective for heartburn & acidity problems also.

Besides that, lemon seed extract has antibacterial properties, which help to keep your skin healthy and glowing always. You can use it alone or can mix it with other remedies for better results.

Also, the lemon seed has diuretic properties. That helps reduce excess water from the human body, which makes it very effective against edema problems.

Lemon seeds are not toxic, but if you eat lemon seeds in large amounts, it can lead to digestive issues, so use them in moderation.

Is lemon water good for you?

When it comes to staying hydrated, nothing beats pure lemon water. Drinking more water every day can boost your metabolism, cleanse your body from toxins and improve your immune system.

Lemons are naturally acidic fruits that are very rich in vitamin C. And antioxidants that can help boost your metabolism and cleanse the body.

Lemon water also helps you to maintain proper pH levels in the body and keep illness at bay. In addition, it's a very refreshing beverage.

Lemon juice is highly acidic and contains no fat or cholesterol. Besides using lemon juice on food, many people add it to their homemade beauty products such as masks and scrubs. 

Because of its high Vitamin C content works wonders on skin tone, complexion, and overall health.

What If you swallow lemon seed?

Swallowing some lemon seed will not affect you, but if you eat a large amount, it will cause intestinal problems. Also, the doctor may prescribe medications to treat this problem. 

In addition, if you know someone who ate too many lemon seeds, please go to the hospital as soon as possible because it can also be harmful to the intestine.

However, you maybe look at some people who ate lemon seed within their lemonade and other drinks, and nothing happened.

The possibility of this problem is very low because the lemon seed got wet, while there is a high risk that it can cause problems to your health.

What Are The Benefits Of Lemon Seeds For Health?

Lemon seeds, health benefits:

Prevent cancer properties

Lemon contains limonoids which can prevent the formation of cancerous cells in the body. You need at least five or six grams of dry lemon seeds per day to get these effects. Also, you can add fresh ones if possible, but make sure to chew them well before swallowing them.

Treat respiratory tract infections.

By using lemon seed extract regularly, you will treat respiratory tract infections naturally.

Fine-tune the digestive system

If you suffer from indigestion issues, use lemon seeds regularly to get rid of these problems forever. It will also treat the pain and inflammation in your stomach lining tissues.

Powerful antioxidant

It can provide robust protection against free radicals in the body cells, which cause premature aging or even cancer. This is because it contains vitamin C in reasonable amounts for this purpose. Also, antioxidants are present in large quantities to keep our bodies healthy always.

Good for skin

The lemon seed extract has properties that are very effective when applied on the skin directly or when mixed with other natural ingredients like honey, olive oil, etcetera to make an excellent face mask. It is one of the best solutions to keep your skin healthy, glowing, and smooth consistency.

Suitable for heart & blood pressure

This beneficial extract can prevent problems with the heart. Also, it will reduce high blood pressure issues effectively because it contains potassium in large amounts. Potassium controls many functions inside our body, including controlling blood pressure.

The Disadvantage of Lemon seed?

Though there are several benefits of lemon seed, it has disadvantages also. Let's talk about some of them:

It May cause throat problems

The major disadvantage is it has citric acid in large quantities, which can irritate your throat and even mouth tissues. If you swallow lemon seeds directly without chewing them properly, these problems can happen.

Intestinal problems

If you consume lemon seed extract or oil regularly but in high doses, intestinal problems will occur, including diarrhea. The solution is to avoid the usage of this seed oil in large amounts.

Cause swelling

It is revealed that the lemon seed can cause a specific type of swelling, too, especially for those who have allergies to these seeds.

If you suffer from any allergy issues and you want to use it. Then take a small dose first and check if there is any problem with your body or not.

No identifiable side effects

There's no evidence yet about how many seeds are needed to create side effects on our bodies. But it is recommended to avoid as high doses as possible because its chemical components may cause problems inside our digestive tract too.

Slow movements during pregnancy

You must avoid using lemon seeds during pregnancy because it contains eugenol, a medical ingredient to induce labor. So, it can also lead to preterm labor, which can be harmful to your baby and yourself.

How does lemon seed work on Animals (dogs)?

As with human beings, it's not recommended to swallow lemon seeds directly to your pets because it may cause allergic reactions to their body.

But lemon seed oil is beneficial for dogs too which can provide these benefits-

1. It helps stop hairballs in pets: If your dog suffers from problems related to hairballs, then use this oil twice a day to remove these issues forever. It will reduce the hairball episodes effectively and will provide relief fast also.
2. Gain shiny fur by lemons: Another benefit of using this oil is that it can always make your pet's coat shiny. That's because it has vitamins A & E, which are beneficial nutrients for strong fur growth inside our dog's body naturally.

Is there any seed, for example, that is bad for single-use?

Yes, Apple seed is super toxic for consumption. Because apple seeds have the chemical components to kill an adult in just one day, you must avoid using apple seeds for pets & people also.

However, apple seeds consist of some chemicals named cyanide. This chemical can kill human beings & other pets in less time.

But don't worry, there are many great alternatives to an apple seed that can be used as an excellent choice to fight your pests.

Will it grow on your belly?

Fun Fact Right, "Don't eat lemon seed, It'll grow a plant on your stomach if you consume lemon seed." you may have been warned by your mother when you were a youngster. It doesn't.

Because the stomach is unsuitable for seed development, there is a lot of acid in the stomach, destroying each seed and food.

What happens if you accidentally eat a lemon seed?

There's really no need to worry if you accidentally eat a lemon seed. While the citric acid in lemon seeds can cause some gastrointestinal discomfort, it's not likely to lead to any serious health problems. So just relax and give your body time to digest the seed; everything will be just fine.

Conclusion

To summarize the essay, we may say, "if you take some of the seeds cautiously, it will not affect you; but if you take more than is recommended, your health and safety could be jeopardized." 

Use caution when eating the seed, as it may cause illness. As a result, it is not suggested to eat the seed daily. Instead, you can consume the entire lemon without eating the seed, and it will also be productive.

So this is the information about lemon seeds. We think this information will be beneficial for you and maybe you will learn something new.

DISCLAIMER: buildyourbody.org does not provide medical advice, examination, and diagnosis.

Medically reviewed and approved by Nataniel Josue M D.