10 Benefits Of Yuzu
Yuzu, known scientifically as citrus junos, is a citrus fruit similar in appearance to grapefruit, although yuzu is smaller. Its average diameter ranges between two and three inches. Yuzu grows on a small, upright tree with many large thorns. The fruit has a rough, uneven skin and is orange in color when ripe. The immature or unripe fruit is green. Yuzu contains dietary fiber, vitamins like A, B1, B2, B6, C and E, and minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc, besides antioxidants.
Known also as the Japanese lemon, yuzu is rarely eaten as fruit although its zest is used as a garnish. You can use yuzu juice to season dishes just like lemon juice. Other uses of the juice include making vinegar, sauce, syrup, marmalades, cake and alcoholic beverages. Yuzu essential oil is used in diffusers and in bath water. The following are ten benefits of yuzu.
Yuzu Benefit #1: Boosts Immunity
Because yuzu is a rich source of vitamin C and various antioxidants, including it in your diet can boost your immune system. With a boosted immune system, your body is better able to resist infections and to fight them when they occur. Studies have shown that increased intake of vitamin C reduces both the severity and duration of infections of the respiratory tract, digestive system and malaria among others.
Studies have also established that antioxidants help reduce free radicals in the body. This lowers oxidative stress and reduces damage and compromise of the immune system. It is worth it to note that vitamin C is heat sensitive, so to maximize the benefit of the vitamin C in yuzu, include it in uncooked forms like garnishing.
Yuzu Benefit #2: Enhances Skin Health
Regular intake of yuzu can help enhance your skin health thanks to its rich store of vitamins and antioxidants. Vitamins A, C and E are especially important for skin health. Vitamin A helps keep the skin functioning more efficiently by increasing cell turnover and helping form a thicker and more firm dermis. This gives skin a youthful feel and appearance. Vitamin A also helps clear acne, lines, wrinkles and spots.
On its part, vitamin C has antioxidant properties which help to protect skin from free radicals and other damaging effects including those found in the environment. Vitamin C is also required for formation of collagen. Vitamin E is another important antioxidant vitamin that helps enhance skin health. It makes skin smooth and protects it from environmental pollutants. Vitamin E works synergistically with vitamin C to protect skin from premature aging.
Yuzu Benefit #3: Fights Inflammation
While the body requires some inflammation to remain healthy, chronic inflammation can lead to serious problems including chronic diseases. Because yuzu is rich in antioxidants and antioxidant vitamins, consuming it regularly helps reduce inflammation. The antioxidant phytonutrients neutralize the free radicals, allowing for proper functioning of the body.
Peels and seeds contain some of the more potent antioxidant compounds in yuzu. According to some studies, yuzu seed oil has double the antioxidant power of grapefruit seed oil. Another study found that yuzu peel contains large amounts of limonene, a strong oxidant compound. Therefore, using peels and seeds or their extracts can help reduce inflammation and thereby improve your overall health.
Yuzu Benefit #4: Improves Blood Circulation
Yuzu contains a significant amount of potassium which is important to maintain healthy blood pressure and in effect, healthy circulation. If your body does not have enough potassium to achieve balance with sodium, you may end up developing high blood pressure. This can lead to other blood circulation problems such as heart attack and stroke.
Besides providing balance with sodium, potassium also acts on the blood vessel walls, causing them to relax and thereby allowing blood to flow more easily through them. Including yuzu in your diet can help provide your body with potassium in addition to other beneficial minerals like iron and calcium, vitamins and phytonutrients. All these compounds add to the benefits of yuzu fruit.
Yuzu Benefit #5: Prevents Blood Clots
Clotting of blood helps to arrest bleeding from cut wounds; otherwise the wound would lead to death due to excessive bleeding. However, when clots form within the circulation system, they can lead to problems like deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, stroke and heart attacks. People with clotting issues take anticoagulant medications to manage the condition.
Studies have shown that regular intake of yuzu can help reduce clot formation by inhibiting aggregation of platelets within the blood stream. It is not clear how this happens, but compounds known as naringin and hesperidin, which are present in yuzu could have something to do with it. If you are on prescription medication for clotting, make sure you talk to your doctor about consuming yuzu.
Yuzu Benefit #6: Improves Digestion
Citrus fruits such as yuzu are great digestive aids due to a number of their properties. Being high in fiber, yuzu helps in the movement of food within the stomach and through the digestive system. This helps prevent cramping and other digestive issues like constipation, bloating and diarrhea. Additionally, fiber cleans the digestive tract by helping to eliminate waste. Antioxidants in yuzu also prevent oxidative stress by eliminating free radicals within the digestive system.
The high vitamin C content in yuzu boosts absorption of such nutrients as iron and calcium. Vitamin C also boosts absorption of antioxidants like catechins which is present in green tea.
Yuzu Benefit #7: Enhances Brain Health
Similar to other organs and tissues of the body, the brain is not spared from the degeneration that comes with advanced age. As a result, elderly people experience cognitive decline. They may also suffer from memory loss and degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Taking foods rich in antioxidants like yuzu can help reduce inflammation by neutralizing free radicals and inhibiting buildup of damaging compounds in the brain. According to a study published by the Journal of Nutrition, giving yuzu extract to rats prevented cognitive dysfunction. The study found that some compounds in yuzu extract inhibit buildup of beta amyloid proteins. It is possible that regular consumption of yuzu can have similar effects in humans.
Yuzu Benefit #8: Boosts Mood
Smells or aromas have a significant effect on the mood. Some fragrances like that of citrus, as found in yuzu, have an uplifting effect on the mood. This has an overall positive effect. A study conducted on women with premenstrual tension symptoms found that yuzu fragrance improved mood significantly. It also reduced the levels of stress, anxiety, fatigue and anger.
According to other similar studies, exposure to yuzu fragrance for ten minutes helps to reduce emotional stress and mood disturbance. Therefore, in addition to the benefits of yuzu by consuming it, putting its oil in a diffuser boosts your mood and keeps you mentally and emotionally healthy.
Yuzu Benefit #9: Helps In Weight Loss
Because yuzu is low in calories and rich in vitamins and antioxidants, taking it regularly has weight loss benefits. While yuzu helps to break down food, some flavonoids in it including naringin inhibit digestion of starch. This means that consuming yuzu can help keep your weight down.
Additionally, according to the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center, vitamin C helps in the absorption of calcium into fat cells. This reduces the desire to eat more food. Other studies also indicate that people who take foods high in vitamin C are less likely to become overweight. Some studies have also found that by taking the recommended dietary amounts of vitamin C, you can burn about 30 percent more fat than a person whose vitamin C intake is below the recommended dietary allowance. This means that incorporating yuzu in your diet can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Yuzu Benefit #10: Protects Against Chronic Diseases
Inflammation is one of the causes of chronic diseases like cancer, coronary heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and others like Alzheimer’s disease. According to collections of studies, these diseases develop as a result of chronic inflammation within the body.
Free radicals are the most notorious causes of inflammation. Yuzu contains a wide array of antioxidants which can help reduce the amounts of free radicals. By reducing the inflammation causing free radicals it is possible to significantly lower the risk of developing these chronic diseases. In addition to taking yuzu and other antioxidant foods, you should reduce or quit lifestyles that increase inflammation within the body. These include smoking and excessive alcohol intake.
