Lemon water is the big thing these days—especially among the fit among us. What’s up with that, anyway? It’s old news that water is hydrating and we need to gulp it all day long, but does adding lemon actually make it better for you?
Apparently, grapefruit is not the only citrus your body will love. It turns out there are lots of healthy reasons we want lemons in our H2O. And if you drink it first thing in the morn, you’ll get the benefit boost before you start your day. Not only does it give your body a tangy fresh feel as it goes down, but it will also make you feel brighter and more energized.
Point of fact: The value of lemons goes way beyond their fresh taste. They’ve got so much nutritional goodness that you’ll never want to drink plain ol’ water again.
5 REASONS TO ADD LEMON WATER TO YOUR MORNING
1. Healthy pH Lemons are acidic outside the body but once ingested they are totally alkalinizing contributing to a healthy pH balance. This is extremely beneficial for anyone who suffers from heartburn, acid reflux, internal inflammation or digestive issues.
2. Improved Digestion Lemon juice in water first thing in the morning will wake up the digestive system and stimulate digestive enzymes.
3. Helps Keep You Regular Lemon juice will stimulate the secretion of bile, which tells the bowels to move and is also a source of pectin, a soluble fibre.
4. Glowing Skin We all want natural glowing skin and lemons can help you get it. Vitamin C aids the production of collagen necessary for healthy skin/nails and is also an important antioxidant that helps protect the cells from free radical damage created by toxins such as pollution, excessive sun, pesticides etc.
5. Cleans the Liver The liver is your second largest detoxifying organ (after skin) and as such, needs all the help it can get. Lemon juice strengthens liver enzymes aiding in the detoxification process.
3 CREATIVE WAYS TO USE LEMONS
- Drink this wakeup Lemon Elixir first thing in the morning! Lemon water will wake up digestion, alkaline your blood, detoxify your liver and stimulate your bowels to move. You can also drink this easy-to-make elixir all day. Note: if you’re worried about the effect of the lemon on your teeth, simply swish some fresh water around in your mouth after drinking.
Recipe for Lemon Elixir
- Juice a few fresh lemons into a glass bottle
- Store the lemon juice in the fridge for up to 3 days
- To drink: add about 1 oz of lemon to 6 oz warm or cold water
- Squeeze in salad dressings. Use lemon as a replacement for vinegars, which can be quite acidic.
- Add to green juices or smoothies. Not only does lemon re-energize flavours it adds detoxifying value to your smoothies and green drinks. It also adds Vitamin C, potassium and magnesium to naturally rebalance electrolytes and help the body stay hydrated.
Krissy Smith is a partner in Delicious Nutrition, a new take on popular cleanse programs, focused on people who want to improve their health without sacrificing good tasting food in the process. Krissy is a Certified Nutrition Practitioner (CNP) with over half a decade of experience working with Dr. Joey Shulman of The Shulman Clinic and at her own practice, Eat, Play, Live Nutrition. She has helped hundreds of clients improve their lives by helping them change how, what, and why they eat.
