The health benefits of lemon water

You can find lemon water in restaurants and day spas as an alternative to tea or coffee. It’s a refreshing drink that offers a multitude of health benefits.

Lemons are rich in vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C. While water is vital for hydration, combining the two will ensure that you are adequately hydrated while still getting the health benefits associated with lemons.

Here are just some ways that lemon water helps boost your overall health.

Improves digestion

In Ayurvedic medicine, lemons are believed to help stimulate “agni” – a state where the digestive system can digest food much easier, preventing toxin buildup.

Lemon water can also help stools move more quickly through the digestive tract, thanks to its laxative effect.

Drinking a cup of warm lemon water first thing in the morning isn’t only relaxing – it can also get the digestive tract moving.

Eliminates kidney stones

Drinking lemon water can help prevent the formation of large kidney stones.

Lemons contain a compound called citric acid, which helps dissolve stones or break large stones into smaller sizes. This way, kidney stones can be eliminated from the body through urination.

Promotes weight loss

Lemon water contains substances that can help prevent weight gain. Animal studies have shown that the antioxidants found in lemon helped prevent excessive weight gain in overfed mice. Moreover, lemon water improved insulin resistance and slowed down the adverse effects of excessive sugar in the blood.

Often, a person may feel hungry, but when they really are just thirsty. This type of hunger can be quenched by drinking lemon water.

Improves immune function

A glass of lemon juice has around 18.6 milligrams of vitamin C – a powerful antioxidant that can help the body protect itself from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals.

Experts believe that the vitamin C in lemons can decrease symptoms and duration of the common cold. Moreover, this vitamin is known to help manage blood pressure and reduce the risk of acquiring cardiovascular diseases.

How to make lemon water

Indeed, lemon water is a refreshing drink that can help you stay healthy and hydrated. All that is needed to make this drink, as the name implies, is lemon and water.

Natural sweeteners, herbs, and spices can also be added to enhance taste and flavor.

Make sure to wash lemons thoroughly with water to get of rid any bacteria. Also, use fresh lemons, and not lemon concentrates. These concentrates are heavily processed and are loaded with sugar. Moreover, vitamin C degrades during heat treatment. In effect, this healthful vitamin might not even be present in concentrates.

To make lemon water, add the juice of half a lemon to warm or ice-cold water. A teaspoon of honey or maple syrup can also be mixed in to make it a tad sweeter. To further improve flavor, infuse lemon water with herbs and spices like mint, ginger, cinnamon, or turmeric.

Regular water can also be infused with lemons. One easy way to do it is by adding slices of lemon into a pitcher of water. (Related: Lemon honey juice fasting may be useful for women trying to lose weight.)

For more news and stories about lemon water and its many health benefits, visit Fruits.news.

Sources include:

Health.com

Healthline.com