Ah, the humble lemon. We are big fans of this little yellow fruit, so unassuming, yet with so many unexpected uses. We recently reported what happened when we drank hot honey and lemon water every day for a year, and the results were fascinating.
As if you needed more conviction that starting your day with a glass of warm lemon water was the way to go, we’ve compiled this definitive list of the health and beauty benefits you can get from lemon water.
Benefits Of Drinking Lemon Water
10. It Works Wonders For Your Digestive Health
A healthy digestive system is often said to be the cornerstone of good overall health. Lemons are an important source of pectin fiber, necessary for good colon health; therefore, a glass of warm lemon water each morning acts as a boost for the digestive system, reminding it to eliminate accumulated waste from the previous day.
9. Lemon Water = The Original Rehydrator
Centuries before energy drinks, rehydration salts, and glucose electrolyte solutions flooded the market, lemon water was used as a highly efficient dehydration treatment.
When we exercise, we lose electrolytes (minerals, including sodium, potassium, and chloride) through sweat, and while drinking water only rehydrates it, adding a few slices of lemon to the mix will speed up the process of rebalancing the electrolytes in your body.
8. The Eyes Have It
Remember being told as a child that eating carrots would make you see in the dark? Well, there is a new (old, actually) mantra in town. Like citrus fruits, lemons are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, which work together to form a protective effect against cataracts and macular degeneration. Drink up, kids!
7. For Peachy Soft Skin, Drink…lemons!
It seems like this should be obvious as we all know that staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water is the first thing you can do for your skin. However, convert that water to lemon water and you will get supercharged benefits.
Because lemons contain powerful antioxidants, you will notice a decrease in blemishes and wrinkles and smoother, healthier skin as a result of its detoxifying benefits.
6. Lemons Are Your Liver’s Best Friend
Keeping your liver happy is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health, and drinking lemon water can help your liver function at a higher level.
In addition to releasing toxins, improving enzyme function, the citric acid found in lemons also helps dispel harmful bacteria.
5. Oh, You Clever Potassium
We all know about bananas and potassium, but did you know that lemons are also rich in this essential mineral? Or that, as the third most abundant mineral in the human body, its importance is often underestimated?
Drinking lemon water will help ensure optimal heart, brain, kidney, and muscle function.
4. A Lemon A Day Keeps The Doctor Away
Well more or less. While there is no cure for the common cold, it is true that those who drink lemon water everyday experience fewer colds and have significantly shorter durations than those who have not yet discovered the benefits of lemon water.
This is mainly due to the concentration of vitamin C, the undisputed defender against viral infections, and the weaknesses of the immune system.
3. It’s An Inflammation Buster…
Inflammation is not just about the visible, temporarily “inflamed” – your body’s natural response to injury. Chronic inflammation in the body is an essential component in many serious illnesses and has been linked to excess acidity in the body.
Drinking lemon water lowers the body’s acid levels, which helps the body flush out harmful uric acid, which can cause inflammation.
2. It Helps Maintain pH Perfection…
Given that lemons are, like citrus fruit, acidic in nature, you may be surprised to learn that once absorbed into the bloodstream, lemon water has an alkalizing effect on body tissue.
Why is this a good thing? While we need acid to help digest food, it is important to balance our body’s pH levels, as excess acid makes us prone to diseases like high cholesterol and diabetes.
1. Boost Your Metabolism
If you want to lose weight by making healthy and sustainable changes to your diet and lifestyle, lemon water is the perfect accompaniment. By helping to increase metabolism, lemons also contain pectin fiber, which has the effect of reducing hunger.
