The health & wellness industry have been calling out the benefits of drinking lemon water for a while now, which is similar to apple cider vinegar in that it can help nourish and tone one's skin.
According to some, it can help remove toxins from the body and keep it looking its best. I usually drink a big glass of lemon water before I eat or drink anything, and I squeeze about a half lemon into a cup of room temperature water.
Making sure you’re drinking enough water every day is crucial for overall health and by adding a simple squeeze of half a lemon every morning to your glass can be very beneficial to not only your skin, but overall health.
Here's how your body can benefit from this simple elixir every morning.
1. Lemon water helps flush out toxins
When lemon juice is added to an 8-ounce glass of water, you are actually helping to cleanse your body. It stimulates the natural enzymes in the water which helps to flush out toxins.
2. Great for your skin
3. Can help reduce cholesterol
Say your liver and gallbladder are sluggish and you're not producing enough bile and that's kind of backing up in the system. Lemon water can help increase the flow of bile through the bile ducts and help remove some of the excess cholesterol that is backing up your system.
4. Immune system booster
Lemons are high in both potassium and Vitamin C. One lemon could provide up to almost half of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C.
The potassium will stimulate brain and nerve function and help control blood pressure, while the Vitamin C helps against not only getting sick, but it also protects against spider veins and helps keep your arteries from getting damaged.
On top of that, vitamin C also plays a role in helping your body synthesize collagen, absorb iron, and produce hormones.
(Also, make sure you are consuming fresh lemon juice and not the kind you get in a bottle, which normally comes pasteurized and vitamin C is sensitive to heat- it gets degraded and destroyed with heat.)
5. Has anti-aging effects
Vitamin C stimulates collagen production, and it helps to reduce signs of aging," board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman told INSIDER. This ingredient improves the skin’s texture, firmness, and may help prevent fine lines.
6. Weight Loss
Lemon water does not directly help you lose weight; it can indirectly help you lose weight.
Certain phytonutrients in lemon water stimulate significantly lower blood sugars, they reduce insulin resistance, so they lower insulin, and that is the reason someone can lose weight. Anything that lowers insulin, will help you lose weight.
7. Replenish your body
Whether you've had a strenuous workout or even a long night of drinking and hungover the next day- it is important to refuel with electrolytes. Drinking a glass of lemon water in the morning can make a huge difference in how you feel as well as replenish your body.
Add a pinch of fine sea salt and a drizzle of honey to help it go down.
Cons and Solutions
- Lemon contains citric acid, which may erode tooth enamel over the long term. To limit the risk, drink lemon water through a straw, and rinse your mouth with plain water afterward.
- Citrus fruits are known to increase gastric acid production, and they may cause heartburn in some people, so please drink with caution if you are sensitive to that kind of thing.
Recipe
- 8 oz. glass of water
- Half a lemon squeezed through a strainer
-Strain through a mesh strainer into a cold glass of water and drink preferably on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.
No time to cut and squeeze a lemon every morning? Try this hack
The Takeaway
Start putting lemon juice in your water on a regular basis, whether it's juice from a whole lemon or just a couple teaspoons, as long as you're consistent, you will be able to reap the many benefits of this simple elixir.
(Sources-healthline.com, Dr. Berg, gethealthyu.com, insider.com)
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