Lemons are a popular fruit that people use in small quantities to add flavor to food. However, they rarely consume them alone due to their intense, sour taste.
Lemon water is claimed to have powerful health and weight loss benefits.
In fact, many celebrities swear by it and there are even diets based entirely on lemons.
But does it live up to the hype?
This article uses scientific evidence to explore the benefits and myths of lemon water.
Lemon water is all the rage these days.
Many restaurants serve it routinely, and some people start their day with lemon water instead of coffee or tea. There’s no doubt lemons are delicious, but does adding them to water make you healthier?
Much of the evidence supporting lemon water’s health benefits is anecdotal. Little scientific research has been done specifically on lemon water, but research exists on the benefits of lemon and water separately.
Here are ten ways your body may benefit from lemon water.
1) It promotes hydration
According to the Food and Nutrition Board, general guidelines say that women should get at least 91 ounces per day and men should get at least 125 ounces. This includes water from food and drinks.
Water is the best beverage for hydration, but some people don’t like the taste of it on its own. Adding lemon enhances water’s flavor, which may help you drink more.
2) It’s a good source of vitamin C
Citrus fruits like lemons are high in vitamin C, a primary antioxidant that helps protect cells from damaging free radicals. You’ve probably heard that vitamin C may help prevent or limit the duration of the common cold in some people, but studies are conflicting.
Vitamin C may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and lower blood pressure.
While lemons don’t top the list of citrus fruits high in vitamin C, they’re still a good source. According to the United States Department of AgricultureTrusted Source, the juice of one lemon provides about 18.6 milligrams of vitamin C. The recommended daily amount for adults is 65 to 90 milligrams.
3)Keep your skin blemish-free
The antioxidants in lemon juice help to not only decrease blemishes, but wrinkles too
It can also be applied to scars and age spots to reduce their appearance. Because it’s detoxifying your blood, it will maintain your skin’s radiance.
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)Help fight viral infections
Warm lemon water is the most effective way to diminish viral infections and their subsequent sore throats.
Plus, with the lemon juice also boosting your immune system, you’ll simultaneously fight off the infection completely.
5) It supports weight loss
Research has shown that polyphenol antioxidants found in lemons significantly reduces weight gain in mice that are overfed in order to induce obesity
In these mice studies, the antioxidant compounds also offset the negative effects on blood glucose levels and improved insulin resistance, the two main factors in the development of type 2 diabetes.
While the same results need to be proven in humans, anecdotal evidence is strong that lemon water supports weight loss. Whether this is due to people simply drinking more water and feeling full or the lemon juice itself is unclear.
6) It freshens breath
Have you ever rubbed a lemon on your hands to get rid of the smell of garlic or some other strong odor? The same folk remedy may apply to bad breath caused by eating foods with strong smells such as garlic, onions, or fish.
You might avoid bad breath by drinking a glass of lemon water after meals and first thing in the morning. Lemon is thought to stimulate saliva and water also helps prevent a dry mouth, which can lead to bad breath caused by bacteria.
7) It helps prevent kidney stones
The citric acid in lemons may help prevent kidney stones. Citrate, a component of citric acid, paradoxically makes urine less acidic and may even break up small stones. Drinking lemon water not only gets you citrate, but also the water you need to help prevent or flush out stones
8) Help to cut out caffeine
Replacing your morning coffee with a cup of hot lemon water can really do wonders.
You will feel refreshed and no longer have to deal with that pesky afternoon crash. Your nerves will be thankful too.
9) Give you an energy boost
Lemon juice provides your body with energy when it enters your digestive tract.
It also helps reduce anxiety and depression. (Even the scent of lemons has a calming effect on your nervous system too.
10) Reduce inflammation
If you drink lemon water on a regular basis, it will decrease the acidity in your body, which is where disease states occur.
It removes uric acid in your joints, which is one of the main causes of inflammation.
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