The Indian Delicacy Nimbu Achar: Your Lemony Pathway to Brain Health

Abstract

Lemon pickle has been made and consumed in India since times immemorial. Though the pickle is made in many different ways, using different ingredients, the basic pickle contains very few ingredients. These include lemons, red chillies, carom seeds and salt. All these ingredients have been found to have numerous health benefits, including promotive effects on the brain. These beneficial actions include anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-dementia, anti-anxiety and anti-depressive effects. Several human studies have also ascertained that regular consumption of lemons and other citrus fruits improves cognition, mood and sleep patterns. Besides the direct effect of the lemon phytochemicals on the brain, lemon peel has also been found to boost the gut-brain axis via prebiotic effects.