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If you're among the 90% of people in the United States who drink some kind of non-sparkling water, you may be familiar with lemon water.
Perhaps you’ve seen articles on the internet about the supposed health benefits of drinking lemon and coffee. However, have you wondered how plain lemon water can provide so many benefits?
Let’s take a look at why so many people like to drink lemon water in the first place.
What Is Lemon Water?
There are many variations of lemon water, including cold, hot and iced versions. Some people choose to add lemon rind, mint leaf, honey, turmeric or other ingredients.
Lemon water has become a popular morning beverage due to claims that it can boost energy levels and metabolism.
Nutritional Benefits of Lemon Water
Although lemons are full of nutrients like vitamin C and antioxidants, the exact health benefits of lemon water depend on how much lemon juice you're adding to it.
1/2 cup (100 grams) of raw lemons contains:
Calories: 29 ( 89% of which is water)
Protein: 1.1 grams
Carbs: 9.3 grams (including 2.5 grams of sugar)
Fiber: 2.8 grams
Fat: 0.3 grams
Top Health Benefits of Lemon Water
Here are some great reasons why you should add lemon water to your diet:
1) Promotes Weight Loss
Lemons have a type of fiber called pectin, which helps fight hunger cravings. That doesn't mean you will burn off any fat, but it can help you replace soda or sugar-filled coffee with something that's a lot healthier. The fiber is in the peel and seeds of a lemon — there isn't much in the pulp inside the fruit.
Drinking lemon water is a good way to make you feel full, so you won’t have to eat as much. The fiber in lemons helps create this feeling by slowing down digestion.
2) Reduces Inflammation
Drinking lemon water regularly, it can help decrease acidity in your body, which is where disease states occur.
Lemon water also helps remove uric acid in the joints, which is one of the main causes of inflammation. If the knees or joints ache in the morning, try starting your day with a warm cup of lemon water.
3) Boosts Heart Health
Reduce your chances of developing heart disease by drinking honey lemon water. Lemons are rich in potassium, which has been shown to lower blood pressure levels, a major risk factor for heart attacks.
Also, its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties protect the heart muscles from inflammation and other forms of stress.
4) Prevents Kidney Stones
Lemons are rich in citric acid and may help prevent kidney stones. Citrate — a component of citric acid — makes urine less acidic and helps break up small stones. However, lemon juice contains citric acid, so you would have to drink a lot of it to increase your urine’s pH.
5) Helps with Digestion
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C. They also help relieve indigestion and other symptoms related to indigestion, such as heartburn, burping, and bloating.
Lemons contain high levels of vitamin C and a variety of essential nutrients. Lemons also have a diuretic effect, which helps flush toxins out of the system, supporting overall health.
6) Natural Antioxidant
If you feel your allergies acting up, grab a lemon, and go to work. Lemons have vitamin C, which boosts immunity, plus antioxidants that balance body chemistry, equipping it to fight off allergy attacks.
Is Lemon Water Safe For Everyone?
Drinking lemon water can be a healthy practice, but it may cause certain side effects. Drinking lemon water through a straw minimizes the risk of erosion to tooth enamel; after drinking, rinse your mouth with plain water to limit potential heartburn.
Citrus fruits like lemons are known to increase gastric acid production — if you experience heartburn after drinking lemon water, avoid having citrus products for several hours afterwards.
Hot vs Cold Lemon Water — Which is More Beneficial?
It's difficult to say which is better: hot or cold lemon water. Hot lemons can be soothing in cold weather, and drinking them can help clear the sinuses, but cold lemons have some benefits too. They're refreshing all year round and may also help boost the immune system.
Drinking ice-cold lemon water can be pretty refreshing, but you don't need it to be cold. The body will heat it up once it's in the stomach. The answer to the earlier question is neither. You don't need to drink lemon water hot or cold. It's best at room temperature.
To get the most out of your lemons, try making warm or room temperature lemon water. This way, you will be able to enjoy all the benefitslemons have to offer.
Wrapping Up
There are plenty of benefits to drinking lemon water. Drinking lemons or lemon juice can help with weight loss and prevent diabetes, help lower blood pressure, and more. It's definitely worth giving a try if you're looking for new ways to improve your overall well-being.
