Sucking Lemons: How Lemon Water Can Benefit You

While you may think you need berry blast smoothies or protein shakes, your number one drink for overall wellness is something a lot more simple; lemon water. Though it doesn’t sound as beneficial as your usual health beverage, starting every morning with a glass of warm lemon water is actually a ritual in Ayurveda or Yogic traditions, and current research on the nutritional elements found in lemons suggests that there are numerous health benefits to doing so.

 

You might be shocked and appalled at the suggestion of replacing your morning cup of tea or coffee with something so lack-lustre as lemon water, but starting you day this way can help kick-start digestion, which is great for weight control and overall health. The water doesn’t always have to be warm, but it should be purified. All you need to do us add half a fresh lemon to a large glass of water – which, at the very least, will make the ol’ H20 a little less boring. However, there are five health benefits of drinking lemon water that elevate drinking it for reasons beyond just taste, so why not give it a try?

 

1. It’s good for your immune system: As lemons are packed with the well-known antioxidant vitamin C, they can reduce your risk of respiratory infection. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is known for its supportive role in healthy immune function, as it demonstrates anti-inflammatory properties, which is why lemon water can be used as a complementary wellness therapy for those whose wellbeing is affected by asthma. Plus, vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron more easily, which makes a major difference to your immune function. You’ll also find saponins in lemons, which further work to keep that cold and flu at bay.

 

2. It helps to alkalise your body: As lemons are tart, you’d be forgiven for thinking they were acidic. However, lemons are actually one of the more alkalising foods for your body, even though they contain both citric and ascorbic acid. These weak acids are easily metabolised from your body, which enables the mineral content of the lemons to help alkalise your blood.

 

3. It aids your digestion: Lemon has traditionally used as a digestive tonic and their citrus flavonol content is thought to be the reason why. It is believed that including lemon in your diet stimulates and purifies your liver, which supports digestive hydrochloric acid in your stomach and further aids digestion. Plus, lemon’s vitamin C super status, as we’ve previously seen, may have a part to play in reducing your risk of peptic ulcers caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori.

 

4. It gives you gorgeous skin: As the antioxidants found in lemons combat the damage of free radicals, drinking lemon water can give you clearer skin. UV exposure and environmental toxins cause free radical damage, which is responsible for many symptoms of ageing and skin damage. However, you can offset this damage and minimise your wrinkles, scars and age spots by consuming antioxidants. Moreover, you can directly apply lemon juice to scars and age spots to help reduce their appearance. Plus, as lemon water is believed to help purge toxins from your blood, it helps to keep your skin clear of blemishes.

 

5. It promotes healing: As well as aiding your immune system, ascorbic acid promotes wound healing, and is an essential nutrient in the maintenance of healthy bones, connective tissue, and cartilage. Plus, the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C make it an essential nutrient in the maintenance of good health and recovery from stress and injury.

Categories: age spots, anti-inflammatory, ascorbic acid, drinking lemon, essential nutrient, Health Benefits, immune function, immune system, inflammatory properties, lemon water, vitamin c

Lemon Water: Why You Need It In Your Morning Routine

There are numerous drinks which can offer us health benefits, from smoothies which are packed with protein, pre-workout beverages which energise and keep us hydrated, and herbal teas which can soothe the stomach and cleanse the body – they each have a functional purpose which can make us feel healthier. But there are some less obvious choices which could make you feel better throughout the day and can keep your digestive system ticking along at a more regular pace – for example, the easy to prepare and quick lemon water could be a boon to your healthy eating regime, and it only requires two ingredients! The process of starting each day with a glass of warm lemon water is a feature of Yogic or Ayurvedic traditions, helping to stimulate the digestion throughout the day and clear out any toxins which have built up in the body. Research has even proven that the nutritional elements found in lemons could have a merit when it comes to your diet. While the usual wake-up call is a cup of hot coffee or tea, a simple mixture of warm lemon water could really kick-start your digestion and set you up for the day – and it’s tasty too. While the water doesn’t always have to be warm, it does need to be purified in order to reap the maximum amount of rewards. You will need half a fresh lemon for each glass of water, or to taste, which you can sip throughout the day. Here are five ways it can help your health.

 

1- Lemons are packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, so they’re great for supporting your immune system to keep your body from developing disease. This can help lower the risk of respiratory infections and other ailments. Many people don’t realise that ascorbic acid (which is vitamin C) can also offer anti-inflammatory effects, which can help people with asthma and other respiratory effects. This acid can also help with the absorption of iron in the body.

 

2 – Lemons are fantastic for alkalising foods for the body, as they contain both citric and ascorbic acid, weak acids are easily metabolised from the body allowing the minerals in the lemons to alkalise the blood.

 

3 – They aid digestion which is why they are used as a digestive tonic, and many people think that it can help to purify the liver. Studies have shown that it can also help to support the digestive acids in the stomach, which can further aid your digestion and limit bloating. The high levels of vitamin C in lemons has been linked with a lower risk of peptic ulcers, surprisingly, which is caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori.

 

4 – If you’re trying to boost the appearance of your skin, vitamin C has long been associated with clear skin – this is because it’s an antioxidant which can help to combat free radical damage, a leading contributor of ageing. Free radical damage is connected to the damage caused by UV damage and environmental toxins, but upping your intake of antioxidants can help to offset the damage caused. Lemon juice can also be applied topically to scars and age spots to reduce the appearance. In traditional medicine, lemon juice was used as a liver stimulant, as it can help to purge toxins from the body and this can also help to keep your skin clear of blemishes.

 

 

5 – The ascorbic acid in lemons helps to promote the healing of wounds, as well as helping to maintain healthy bones, connective tissues and cartilage. As already stated, the anti inflammatory properties of lemons can help with swellings in joints, to combat arthritic conditions, as well as helping to maintain good health and the recovery of stress and injury.

Categories: anti-inflammatory, ascorbic acid, body, free radical, Lemon, lemon juice, lemon water, lemons, vitamin c, warm lemon, Wellbeing