13 Amazing Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

Found on healthbeckon.com

Lemon is a common, inexpensive, easily available and most widely used citrus fruit. Its characteristic flavour and refreshing smell make it a popular fruit for drinks. It is used in lemonade, soft drinks, cocktails and tea. It has a long list of benefits. In India, it is used as medicine for many health problems. Thus, lemon is a popular citrus fruit that can be used in various ways. It can be used with other beneficial ingredients like honey, salt, etc. toenhance its benefits.

Nutritional  Properties of Lemon Water:

As we all know, lemon is a good source of vitamins and minerals which are essential for healthy and proper functioning of the body. It has low calories (29 cal /100gm), low cholesterol and low saturated fat. Like most citrus fruits, it is a very rich source of vitamin C which is an amazing antioxidant. It also contains vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin B1 (thiamine) in lesser amounts. Minerals present in lemon include copper, calcium and potassium. Copper possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Calcium is good for bones and teeth while potassium helps maintain PH and water balance.

It is this wide array of beneficial nutrients that makes lemon water and other lemon drinks extremely beneficial for health. So we are going to focus on the various benefits of drinking lemon water and lemon juice.

Benefits of Lemon Drink:

Listed below are the amazing benefits of lemon water that you can consume in various forms.

Warm Lemon Water:

Warm lemon water is an extremely beneficial drink with innumerable health benefits given below.

1. Digestion:

Proper Digestion plays an important role in overall health. Poor digestion can lead to several health complications. Hence warm lemon water is a simple, quick and effective home remedy for digestive issues. Start your day by supping warm lemon water on empty stomacheveryday. It is the best and the healthiest morning drink. Daily consumption of lemon water treats indigestion issues like bloating, belching, heartburn, etc. It treats constipation by helping in waste elimination. Many digestive disorders take place because of poor pH level and lemon water helps restore pH level and helps in digestion.

2. Strengthens Immune System:

Our immune system protects our body by combating illness. Weak immune system makes our body susceptible to illness and infections. Warm lemon water has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties which fight harmful bacteria, fungus, and virus that cause diseases and infections. Its antioxidant property helps eliminate toxins from the body.

Lemon Water in the Morning:

Your health and energy levels for the day depends upon what you eat in the morning. A glass of warm lemon water gives a healthy, energetic and refreshing start to your day. Daily intake of lemon water early in the morning works wonders for your health, providing you the following health benefits.

3. Oral Health:

A cup of lemon water in the morning is good for oral health. Its anti-bacterial property eliminates mouth bacteria which is responsible for causing bad breath. It soothes toothaches and many oral diseases like gingivitis. It also helps in teeth whitening as lemon is a natural bleaching agent. Ensure to gargle with plain water after lemon water intake to avoid tooth enamel damage.

4. Good Mood:

Bad mood spoils everything. Starting your morning with lemon water enhances your mood. This quality can be attributed to its revitalizing mood enhancing smell. It also minimizes anxiety and depression. Vitamin C in lemon is a natural stress reducer.

5. Natural Diuretic (promotes urine production):

Lemon water prevents urinary tract infections. Being a natural diuretic, it increases urination and hence, eliminates bacteria which causes urinary tract infection. Lemon water is effective in the prevention and treatment of kidney stones as it contains citric acid, which does not allow stone formation by breaking it. In case of kidney stone, you can drink lemon water 3-4 times a day for better results.

Lemon Water With Honey:

Lemon and honey helps in fighting many health issues because of their antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-oxidant properties. Thus, the combination of lemon water and honey gives you additional health benefits given below.

6. Aids Weight Loss:

Honey and lemon water is a popular and effective remedy for weight loss. This drink has formed a part of several weight loss programs. Both are beneficial for health. To lose weight, take a glass of warm water, add 1 teaspoon honey, squeeze 1 lemon to it and drink it on an empty stomach daily in the morning. It increases the metabolism rate which burns calories fast. Stimulated metabolism uses fat as an energy source, causing you to lose weight. Lemon water with honey also boosts your energy level. Pectin fibre present in lemon reduces hunger cravings and makes you feel full. The combination of all these functions goes a long way in promoting healthy weight loss.

7. Treatment of Cold and Flu: 

Honey and lemon is an age-old home remedy for treatment of cold and flu. Just add two teaspoons each of honey and lemon juice in a cup of warm water. Its consumption eases discomfort. Cold and flu are also caused due to virus. Both lemon and honey have anti-viral property which fights infectious bacteria. Lemon has lots of vitamin C in it which boosts the immune system. Honey soothes sore throat and treats cough. This combination of honey and lemon also treats nasal congestion by eliminating unwanted mucus.

Lemon Water and Salt:

Lemon water when taken with salt can be beneficial for your health in the following ways.

8. Great Detoxifier:

Lemon diet or the master cleanse diet is a popular weight loss program that involves both lemon juice and salt water. The name itself suggests that having lemon water with salt helps cleanse your system by removing those unwanted toxins accumulated in your body. The result is, of course, visible in the form of reduced weight, glowing skin and better digestion.

9. Maintains pH Balance:

Lemon water with salt is an effective way to restore your body’s pH levels. A pH level above 7.0 is alkaline and below 7.0 is acidic. Lemon is acidic, but when it goes inside our body, it turns alkaline and salt is alkaline in nature. Your body should be more alkaline than acidic. Maintenance of pH balance is important as poor pH balance can cause health issues like digestive problems, skin diseases, osteoporosis, arthritis etc. Proper pH balance helps in nutrient absorption, digestion, toxin elimination, etc. Thus, if you are suffering from these problems, consider taking lemon water with salt as these may be caused due to improper pH balance.

10. Improves Mineral Absorption:

Our body needs minerals for overall health. It cannot produce these minerals on its own sothese have to be supplied to our body through food. Proper absorption of minerals is necessary for performing important functions like maintenance of pH balance and healthy nervous system, acting as a co-factor for enzyme reactions, formation of bones and teeth, metabolic stimulation etc. Intake of lemon water with a pinch of salt 2-3 times a day improves the absorption of minerals like magnesium, iron, potassium etc. Thus, it helps prevent health issues like osteoporosis (calcium deficiency), anaemia (iron deficiency), muscle weakness and abnormal heart rhythm (magnesium deficiency).

Lemon Juice:

Lemon juice is also not far behind as a refreshing and healthy drink. In fact, it is one of the most widely used ingredients. Apart from direct consumption, lemon juice is used as a preservative as well as an ingredient in recipes to impart its sour flavour. But what makes it more valuable is its health promoting qualities as given below:

11. Heart Health:

Heart is a vital organ and so its health and care is extremely important. Lemon juice consumption has been found beneficial for healthy health. Potassium present in it controls high blood pressure while vitamin C lowers cholesterol level and prevents blood clotting within vessels. Lemon has antioxidant property which eliminates harmful toxins and keeps blood purified. It also prevents strokes, heart attacks and other serious heart problems.

Sweet Lemon Water/ Lemonade:

Lemonade or sweet lemon water is lemon water with sugar sweetness. It is a great option to satisfy your sweet tooth in comparison to other sugary foods and beverages which are nil in the nutrient – quotient. Besides being a tasty and refreshing drink, it is beneficial for your health.

12. Beneficial for Skin:

Lemonade is a wonderful drink for your hair and skin health. Having a glass of lemonade daily helps treat hair and skin issues. The high amount of vitamin C in lemonade eliminates free radicals which are responsible for causing wrinkles and ageing. Vitamin C also heals damaged tissues, lightens dark spots, prevents acne and blemishes and helps in reducing sun damage. Lemonade intake provides you with a glowing flawless skin.

13. Beneficial for Hair:

Apart from maintaining skin health, vitamin C in lemonade also helps in treating and preventing hair problems like split ends, dry hair and dandruff etc. Its antibacterial property fights bacteria, thus preventing several scalp issues.

Hence, lemon water and lemon juice are more than just refreshing drinks. So give up all those sugary and canned beverages and switch to simple homemade lemon drinks for a boost in your health and energy!