ALL ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS OF USING LEMON WITH WATER

Lemons can do much more than just flavor your water. These little yellow fruits have numerous health benefits. Infusing water with lemon is done by placing sliced lemons into drinking water and allowing the mixture to steep, or sit. Squeezing the lemon to release juice into the water before steeping will help to increase the flavor and healing properties.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF USING LEMON WITH WATER, LETSUPDATE

Lemon-infused water may lower your chances of developing diseases like cancer, slow weight gain and even prevent the common cold. Lemons could keep you out of the doctor's office and feeling better.


pH Regulation

The citric acid found in lemons helps to maintain proper body pH. Every cell in your body is made up of mostly water. If the pH of body fluids is alkaline, or basic, and between 7.35 and 7.45, your body systems run normally. Foods like red meat, dairy products and sugar tend to make your body more acidic. However, the citric acid found in lemons helps to maintain body pH within the ideal range, which is beneficial in preventing cancer, heart disease, fatigue, weight gain and a variety of other health issues.

Kidney Health

The citric acid in lemons helps to keep kidneys healthy. Kidneys are vital to maintaining proper hydration, regulating blood pressure and excreting wastes from the body. If kidney stones are present, the organ is not functioning well. Kidney stones are most often formed when the waste products calcium oxalate and uric acid crystallize. Citric acid found in lemons prevents this crystallization, allowing your body to detoxify and preventing kidney stones. UW Health recommends increasing citric acid intake to decrease your risk of getting new calcium stones. Drinking lemon water not only helps you get more citric acid, but also the water you need to prevent stones.


Good source of Vitamin C

Lemons are also high in vitamin C, which means they will improve your immune system. Vitamin C aids in the production and strength of collagen, an essential protein found in the body. Collagen is needed for healing wounds and is found in high concentrations in bones, teeth, tendons and blood vessels. If you're having trouble with low iron levels or are anemic, vitamin C improves the absorption of iron. Another bonus: Lemons reduce skin blemishes and can improve your complexion.
Citrus fruits like lemons are high in vitamin C, which is a primary antioxidant that helps protect cells from damaging free radicals. Vitamin C may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and lower blood pressure. Research published in Stroke showed that people with low vitamin C levels, especially obese men with high blood pressure, have a higher risk of stroke. Vitamin C may also help prevent or limit the duration of the common cold in some people, although studies are conflicting.

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 Agriculture, 1/4 cup raw lemon juice provides about 23.6 grams of vitamin C. That’s over 30 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA).
Vitamin C found in lemons may help reduce skin wrinkling. A study published in the American Society for Clinical Nutrition concluded that people who consumed more vitamin C have less risk of wrinkled and dry skin.

It Fights Cancer

A study published in the "Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition" suggests that a diet a rich in lemon may prevent and reduce body weight and fat gain. The study focused on lemon polyphenols, a type of antioxidant found in lemons. In addition to slowing weight gain, an increase in lemon intake showed improvements in blood glucose control and insulin function. A study published in the "Journal of Research in Medical Sciences" found that citrus peel extract decreases and prevents oxidation of LDL -- or "bad" -- cholesterol. When oxidized, cholesterol is a free radical that increases inflammation and increases the risk of cancer.

It promotes hydration.

According to the Food and Nutrition Board, the dietary reference intake for water is 91 to 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.

It supports weight loss.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition showed that polyphenol antioxidants found in lemons significantly reduced weight gain caused by a high-fat diet in mice. In addition, insulin resistance was improved.
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 an increase in water intake and fullness or the lemons remains to be seen.

It aids digestion.

Some people drink lemon water as a daily morning laxative to help prevent constipation. Drinking warm or hot lemon water when you wake up may help get your digestive system moving.
Ayurvedic medicine believes the sour lemon taste helps stimulate your “agni.” In Ayurveda, a strong agni jump-starts the digestive system, allowing you to digest food easily and helping prevent the buildup of toxins.

 It freshens breath.

Have you ever rubbed a lemon on your hands to remove a powerful stench? It’s thought to neutralize odors. The same folk remedy may apply to bad breath caused by eating foods with strong smells like garlic, onions, or fish.

Keep your breath sweeter by drinking a glass of lemon water after meals and first thing in the morning. Lemon is thought to stimulate saliva, and water helps prevent a dry mouth, which leads to bad breath caused by excess bacteria growth.

How to Make Lemon Water
When making lemon water, always use fresh lemons and not artificial lemon from a bottle. To make lemon water, squeeze half a lemon into 8 ounces of boiling, warm, or cold water. To make the drink as healthy as possible, use filtered water and organic lemons.

Infuse flavor to lemon water by adding:
  • a few springs of mint
  • a teaspoon of maple syrup or raw honey
  • a slice of fresh ginger
  • a dash of cinnamon

You can also add slices of other fresh citrus fruits such as limes and oranges, or cucumber slices.

Having lemon ice cubes on hand is a great way to add lemon to your water fast. Simply squeeze fresh lemon juice into ice cube trays and freeze. Drop a few cubes into a glass of cold or hot water as needed.

Start your morning with a mug of warm lemon water, and keep a pitcher of water infused with a few sliced, whole lemons in your refrigerator to drink throughout the day.

Side Effects of Lemon Water

Lemon water is generally safe to drink, but there are a few potential side effects to be aware of. Lemon contains citric acid, which may erode tooth enamel (an ironic twist for people using lemon to help bad breath). To limit the risk, drink lemon water through a straw, and rinse your mouth afterwards.

When it comes to heartburn, lemon water can go either way. The acidic citric acid may stimulate heartburn in some people. Others may experience relief from heartburn since lemons become alkaline in the digestive tract. If lemons aggravate your heartburn, avoid drinking lemon water.

Some people report more frequent trips to the bathroom when drinking lemon water. Although lemon juice is often referred to as a diuretic, a substance that increases urine production, evidence doesn’t show that vitamin C from natural sources like lemons has diuretic effects.

If you experience the need for extra bathroom breaks while drinking lemon water, it’s more than likely caused by increased water intake.



Kindly consult your doctor for more information.



                                                                            SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND IMAGES 
                                                                            http://www.healthline.com
                                                                            http://www.sfgate.com
 

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