Drinking lemon water, especially in the morning, is a great start for your metabolism. It has been an Ayurvedic practice for thousands of years and it is largely practiced in India, focused on balancing energies to avoid illness.
Taken daily, you should be able to tell if it helps you within about 7 days. Here’s what may happen if you take up the lemon water habit.
1. Easier weight loss
Studies indicate that the polyphenol antioxidants in lemons can reduce weight gain despite a high-fat diet. People who drink lemon water regularly report easier weight loss, though it is unclear if the combination of lemon and water is the fundamental driver. It could be that drinking more water helps to feel full and avoid overeating.
2. Better hydration
Proper hydration is key to good health. In general, you should take 3 liters of water per day. Adding lemon to water is thought to enhance the flavor enough to encourage people to drink more, and be better hydrated as a result.
3. Get enough vitamin C
Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that has a ton of health benefits. You can get only from food as our bodies don’t synthesize it alone. Getting your RDA of vitamin C can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Vitamin C is good for your skin and bonds with free radicals that accelerate aging.
4. Younger looking skin
Hydrated skin is happy skin, so drinking more water is already a great start to achieve that dewy look from the inside out. The vitamin C in lemons further helps to reduce wrinkles that make you look older, as well as support the production of collagen and elastin. Lemon water can be a powerful tool to preserve a youthful appearance.
5. Faster metabolism
Some people start their day with warm lemon water first thing in the morning to get the digestive system going. It is very effective and helps your body to function better and flushes the toxins out.
6. No kidney stones
Kidney stones are calcium deposits, and experts recommend getting more citric acid to reduce the risk of developing them. As a citrus fruit, lemon is a great source of citric acid. Drinking just ½ cup of lemon juice over a day will get you the same amount of citric acid as in prescription medications for people with kidney stones.
7. Stabilized moods
Studies have found that smelling lemon scent reduces stress hormones that regulate mood. Lemon oil is commonly used, in aromatherapy products for that reason. Drinking lemon offers this benefit as well as the vitamins and potassium in the fruit. Potassium plays a huge part in regulating blood pressure hence lemon water can be a soothing beverage.
8. Balanced pH level
It is healthier to have an alkaline environment inside our bodies because diseases like cancer prefer an acidic one. It sounds counterintuitive because lemons are so acidic, but eating them can help achieve the right alkaline-leaning pH balance in our digestive systems. The reason is that citric acid, once metabolized, produces alkalizing byproducts.
In the end, drinking water is never a bad call, and there is absolutely no reason not to add lemon to it (unless you’re allergic). Drinking lemon water provides some helpful nutrients and antioxidants along with crucial hydration. And just because the evidence for the health benefits is largely anecdotal, that doesn’t mean it’s not true. It just means that the issue hasn’t been officially studied enough.
Give it a try! There is nothing to lose.
