Fact Check: Can consumption of lemon juice and Ghee daily Clear Clogged Arteries And Blood Vessels?

A video on Instagram claims a tablespoon of ghee and lemon juice a day Clear Clogged Arteries and Blood Vessels.

Claim:  A video on the social media site YouTube claims that consuming lemon juice and ghee (clarified butter)  can clear Clogged Arteries and Blood Vessels. The video goes on to explain the process of making a concoction of lemon juice and ghee. The video advises mixing ghee (clarified butter) in liquid form and half to 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice and consuming it daily after waking up.

The link to the claim is here.

Fact Check:

The Claim is False

What is Atherosclerosis?

According to the American Heart Association, "Atherosclerosis is a condition of Plaque buildup, or fatty deposits, in arteries. These deposits comprise cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin, a clotting material in the blood. Atherosclerosis is a type of arteriosclerosis, which means hardening of the arteries. As plaque builds up, the wall of the blood vessel thickens. This narrows the channel within the artery, reducing blood flow and lessening the amount of oxygen and other nutrients reaching the body."(1)

Atherosclerosis is a slow, lifelong progression of changes in the blood vessels. Atherosclerosis leads to several other conditions like Coronary heart disease (plaque in arteries in or leading to the heart), Angina, Carotid artery disease (plaque in neck arteries supplying blood to the brain), Peripheral artery disease, or PAD (plaque in arteries of the extremities, especially the legs)

Incidence of Atherosclerosis:

Causes and risk factors of Atherosclerosis:

Speaking to the Medical Dialogues Team, Dr Manav Aggarwal, Interventional Cardiologist, Sanjeevan Hospital, New Delhi, explained, "Atherosclerosis begins with damage to the artery walls, often due to unhealthy lifestyle habits, medical conditions, or genetic factors. This damage attracts inflammatory cells and cholesterol, forming plaque that narrows arteries and restricts blood flow. Key risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, poor diet, family history of cholesterol disorders, and inflammatory diseases. Lifestyle factors like smoking and lack of physical activity also contribute. The risk generally increases with age, particularly after 45 for men and 55 for women, and is exacerbated by certain female health conditions."

Health benefits of Lemon and Ghee:

Lemon is an important medicinal plant cultivated mainly for its alkaloids, which have anticancer activities and antibacterial potential in crude extracts of different parts (viz., leaves, stem, root and flower) of Lemon against clinically significant bacterial strains have been reported. Citrus flavonoids have a large spectrum of biological activity, including antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, anticancer and antiviral activities. Flavonoids can function as direct antioxidants and free radical scavengers and have the capacity to modulate enzymatic activities and inhibit cell proliferation. (2)

According to the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) are broad, ghee has been defined as “a product exclusively obtained from milk, cream or butter, using processes which result in almost total removal of water and non-fat solids, with an especially developed flavour and physical structure. (3)It posses Cognitive benefits, Gastrointestinal health benefits, Rejuvenating and immunomodulatory properties, etc

Can lemon juice and Ghee cure Atherosclerosis?

Some studies have shown that Lemon juice and ghee have some cardiovascular benefits, but no scientific evidence supports the claim that they can cure atherosclerosis.

A study by Khan et al. reported, " As citrus lemon juice has significantly reduced cholesterol and LDL levels, it may be concluded that it may prevent atherosclerosis. Moreover, there has been a significant increase in serum HDL levels, which is considered good cholesterol. The increase in HDL has been shown to slow down the atherosclerosis process." (4)

Another study by Hingoro et al. mentioned that Curcuma longa(Turmeric), Fenugreek leaves, and Lemon are mild to moderately effective hypolipidemic herbs to lower total plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. (5)

TChinnadurai K et al., in their study, mentioned that ghee was linked with Cardiovascular disease due to high Saturated Fatty Acids and Cholesterol oxidation products; studies suggested that ghee's several functional components may help lower its atherogenic index. (6)

Lemon juice and ghee do not cure atherosclerosis. While lemon juice and ghee have health benefits such as antioxidant properties, their claim to cure atherosclerosis has no definitive scientific evidence or research in the Medical fraternity.

Responding to the claim, Dr Prem Agarwal, Cardiologist, Founder and M.D. of Sanjeevan Hospital, New Delhi, clarified that "Lemon juice and ghee do not cure atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a complex disease involving the buildup of plaques in the arteries, and it requires comprehensive management, including lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes surgical interventions. While a healthy diet is crucial for cardiovascular health, no specific food or combination, including lemon juice and ghee, can cure atherosclerosis. Managing this condition typically involves reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. Atherosclerosis cannot be completely cured once it has developed, as it involves hardening arteries that cannot be reversed. Still, its progression may be managed and sometimes even partially reversed with appropriate interventions."

Medical Dialogues Final Take:

Lemon juice and ghee, while offering certain health benefits such as antioxidant properties, do not cure atherosclerosis. There is no substantial scientific evidence or medical research supporting claims that they can treat this condition. Hence, the claim that "a tablespoon of ghee and lemon juice a day Clear Clogged Arteries and Blood Vessels" is False.

References:

1.https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/about-cholesterol/atherosclerosis.

2.Mohanapriya, M., Ramaswamy, L., & Rajendran, R. (2013). Health and medicinal properties of lemon (Citrus limonum). International Journal Of Ayurvedic And Herbal Medicine, 3(1), 1095-1100. Retrieved from http://interscience.org.uk/index.php/ijahm

3.https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Compendium_Food_Additives_Regulations_21_10_2022.pdf.

4. https://indianexpress.com/article/health-wellness/orange-lemon-a-day-cholesterol-heart-attack-risk-8493024/

5.Majid Hingoro, Benish Aleem, Shah Murad, Abdul Qadir, Abdul Ghaffar, & Aamna Khokhar. (2019). ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUES FORMATION AND MEDICINAL HERBS. JOURNAL OF KHYBER COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY, 9(04), 23–28. https://doi.org/10.33279/jkcd.v9i04.390.

6. Chinnadurai K., Kanwal H.K., Tyagi A.K., Stanton C., Ross P. High conjugated linoleic acid enriched ghee (clarified butter) increases the antioxidant and antiatherogenic potency in female Wistar rats. Lipids Health Dis. 2013;12:1–9. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-12-121.