Lemonade and CVD: A Sweet Summer Treat
Summer is here again! And every time there’s a heat wave, I always do two things. First, I pour a glass of lemonade, then I grab a book and head to a shady spot. However, now that I’ve passed my 35th birthday, I find myself once again sitting on my porch drinking my traditional drink in the summer heat. Yet, one troubling thought crosses my mind… could this drink I love actually be bad for my heart?
Lemonade has always been a part of my life, but arguably in different forms. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve being outside and enjoying the Summer sunshine, though I arguably didn't play sports aside from participating in the annual neighborhood swim team. But to stay cool, growing up in Colorado, it was easier to just reach into the cupboard for the sweet yellow powder stuff and put a spoonful of highlighter-colored stuff into a water glass, stir it a bit, and drink a very, VERY sweet drink. On the other hand, I also found myself making lemonade for my lemonade stand on the corner of my summer cul-de-sac with fresh lemons and perhaps a smidge of too much sugar.
My point is that lemonade comes in many forms, and therein lies the core of this question’s answer. Some forms of lemonade are healthier for the heart than others.
The lemon itself is a carries many health benefits. The article, Health and Medicinal Properties of Lemon (Citrus Limonum) by Mohanapriya, Ramaswamy, and Rajendran emphasizes how “Lemon is an important medicinal plant of the family Rutaceae. It is cultivated mainly for its alkaloids, which are having anticancer activities and the antibacterial potential in crude extracts of different parts (viz., leaves, stem, root and flower) of Lemon against clinically significant bacterial strains has been reported” (Mohanapriya, Ramaswamy and Rajendran, 2013). Furthermore, another article, Medicinal and Health Benefits of Lemon by Jana, Sureshrao, and Sahu goes deeper into the direct nutritional benefits of this particular fruit. “Citrus contains no cholesterol, sodium or fat. The average energy content of citrus is very low, which may be significant for obesity-conscious consumers. Citrus contains substantial quantities of vitamin C and moderate amounts of carotenoids, folate, and fibre (some of which are capable of converting to vitamin A),” (Jana, Sureshrao and Sahu, 2020). In addition to generic citrus benefits, lemons are also high in vitamin C and have anticancerous properties, as well as support weight loss among other benefits. (Jana, Sureshrao and Sahu, 2020). So, by default, these aspects of natural lemons do help to maintain cardiovascular health.
However, while these benefits make the lemonade drink healthy, it is the addition of too much sugar and other chemicals that make it potentially and distinctly unhealthy for the heart. For example, sometimes lemonade is more than just lemon, water, and sugar, but also caffeine, among other added ingredients. In this case, the article, Panera Now Displaying Warning About Its Caffeinated Lemonade In All Stores After Lawsuit Over Customer's Death, discusses a rather extreme example of this type of issue where a customer died from drinking “Charged Lemonade.” According to the article, “Monday's lawsuit, which was first obtained by NBC News, alleges that Sarah Katz, an Ivy League student with a heart condition, died after she drank Panera’s Charged Lemonade last year. A large Charged Lemonade contains 390 milligrams — nearly the 400-milligram daily maximum of caffeine that the Food and Drug Administration says healthy adults can safely consume” (NBC News, 2023). In fact, “the legal complaint called Charged Lemonade a ‘dangerous energy drink’ and argues that Panera failed to adequately warn consumers about its ingredients, which also include guarana extract, another stimulant. The large cup contains more caffeine than standard cans of Red Bull and Monster energy drinks combined, as well as the equivalent of almost 30 teaspoonfuls of sugar” (NBC News, 2023). While this is an extreme example, it illustrates how lemonade products can be misleading.
So, this summer, if you also have a craving for citrusy drinks, especially lemonade, I would recommend buying/making it as “as close to the vine” as possible, because it is in that form that it offers the greatest potential health benefits for your heart.
I want to make it clear that I in no way discourage adding sugar to lemonade, as it is an essential part of the drink’s appeal. Considering this, it is the amount of it that causes the danger.
Personally, I find the lemonade in Germany to be fresher, though not as common. Perhaps it is the ingredients or some other matter; I am not sure. However, one key difference is that it is not made with excessive added sugar, just enough natural flavor and a hint of sweetness to make the experience delightful and memorable.
One thing I do, if I don’t have lemons at home or enough sugar in the jar, is make iced lemon tea with sparkling water and a sprig of mint or rosemary, which gives it an extra bite of fresh summer flavor.
So, if you have a heart condition, lemonade is not automatically barred from you. Granted, as long as your doctor has not prohibited it and the excess sugar and other chemicals are kept to a reasonable amount, feel free to pour a cool glass of lemonade at a picnic or on the porch on a summer day and enjoy!
What do you think? Did you find this helpful? Can you relate?
What’s your favorite summer drink?
Comment below.
Tune in next Monday and Friday for more! I will be writing more now that I’m finally feeling better, so I’m getting a new, more frequent schedule.
Keep ticking, everybody!
P.S. Are there any aspects of CVD health or pacemakers you’d like to know more about?
Feel free to email me at:
Reference List:
Jana, P., Sureshrao, P.A. and Sahu, R.S. (2020). Medicinal and Health Benefits of Lemon. Issue 4, [online] (Volume 5), pp.16–20. doi:https://doi.org/10.46243/jst.2020.v6.i1.pp16-20.
Mohanapriya, M., Ramaswamy, L. and Rajendran, R. (2013). Health and Medicinal l Properties Of Lemon (Citrus Limonum). International Journal Of Ayurvedic And Herbal Medicine, [online] 3, p.1. Available at: https://dicasdadraanamaria.com/artigos/limao2.pdf.
NBC News. (2023). Panera Now Displaying Warning About Its Caffeinated Lemonade In All Stores After Lawsuit Over Customer’s Death. [online] Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/panera-adds-warning-caffeinated-lemonade-stores-lawsuit-customers-deat-rcna122628.
#cvd #chd #lemonade #lemon #summer #sweet #summerdrink #chronicillness #medicaldanger #medicaldevice #achd #congenital #heartsurgery #cardiology #experience #pacemaker