Although this simple drink has been around for centuries, lemon water is one of the newest trends in health and fitness circles.
So, what’s the truth?
Is it a cure-all, or just another fad?
Simply stated, lemon water is packed with a variety of health benefits and extremely easy to make, making it a great choice for beginners. It also aids with digestion and may even help with weight loss. Plus, it’s loaded with Vitamin C, a beneficial antioxidant.
But there are plenty of hidden benefits to lemon water as well! To start with, if you’re low on your vitamin C, you should work a cup of lemon water into every afternoon. Why? Because one cup of lemon water packs almost 25% of your daily value of vitamin C into just 8 delicious calories. Vitamin C has been synonymous with orange juice, but lemon water is lower in calories and sugar! Lemon water also has good amounts of magnesium, copper and potassium. Couple this with the fact that lemon water is calorie-free, contains vitamin B6, folate, thiamin, fiber and vitamin E – and you’re really getting a great bang for your buck.
One of the most interesting benefits of lemon water relates to digestion. Because the juice of a lemon is similar in atomic structure to the digestive juices which are found in your stomach, lemon juice can actually trick your liver into producing bile! Why is this important? Because bile is essential to keeping food moving through your body, as well as your gastrointestinal tract. No bile, and you’ll have big problems. Because of this bile production, lemon water also aids in relieving indigestion, and can help to ease an upset stomach.
The many different acids found within lemons help signal your body to digest the beneficial nutrients in your foods much slower than it would normally. This is critical for those who suffer with insulin issues, for keeping the levels steadier, and also for allowing you to draw out more nutrients from your foods. Many with poor digestion also notice that more lemon water leads to much less bloating. Additionally, the enzyme functions in your body are stimulated by lemon water, allowing your liver to work better in flushing out toxins.
You’ll likely also be encouraged to know that lemons contain a beneficial kind of fiber, known as pectin. Pectin aids in helping you feel full for a longer period of time. This is one of the key tenets of weight loss. Rounding out a healthy diet with lemon water can help keep you away from the refrigerator late at night and fight off sneaky cravings. In addition, lemon water keeps us hydrated, which can make weight loss much easier. Being properly hydrated also keeps away nasty headaches and sluggishness.
Sick of the caffeine rollercoaster? Try replacing some of your coffee with some lemon water. Don’t believe me? Just examine the atomic structure found within lemons. They’re packed with negative-charged ions, which – upon ingestion – lead to a natural increase in our energy. Who knew! Interestingly, the scent of lemon has been found to help with stress levels and even potentially boost moods, too!
Here are a few helpful tips for your next batch of lemon water:
- Want to have lemons that last twice as long? Keep them stored in a sealed plastic bag, rather than leaving them out.
- Organic is better. While this is nearly always the case with produce, with lemons it really makes a difference. Buy lemons that are all-the-way yellow, not green. Hard lemons, dull lemons, or wrinkly lemons should be avoided as well.
- Don’t drink it cold! Cold lemon water can be a little bit of a surprise to your body, so start with lukewarm water. Slowly drip the juice into the water, tasting it until you have your desired flavor.
- Did you know there are actually 3 different kinds of lemons available? Eureka and Lisbon lemons are the familiar kind – sour and tart. Meyer lemons, however, are sweeter! They’ll be a little closer to orange-colored, so they’re fairly easy to spot. Mix and match the different varieties until you have your desired flavor.
- Want a great way to always have lemon water ready? Juice several lemons, pour into an ice cube tray, and let it freeze. Simply drop a cube or two into a glass the next time you’re in the mood for lemon water!
Who knew that lemons could be so useful? Hopefully you’re now inspired to spice up your routine with some lemon water.
Let me know how it goes!