From celebrities to common people, from youngsters to elderly, maximum people start their day with a glass of lukewarm water mixed with lemon juice.
Wonder why? To start the day with a clean body. At the time when carbonated beverages were not that popular or not that easily available, lemon Water was served to the guests or anyone coming to the house. This citrus fruit can not only add flavor to salads, soups, and other foods but it can also be used as a natural biocide in water.
Preparation of lemon water is so easy that a six year old can do it. Chilled lemon water is the most refreshing drink in summer months. Even the peel of the lemon can be used and is called zest.
Nutritional values of lemon water
Lemon is the natural source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, sodium, potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, flavonoids and a form of soluble fiber, pectin. Among all these nutrients vitamin C is abundant in lemon. It is considered as a medicine for common coughs and colds.
Good Source Of Vitamin C
All citrus fruits, including lemon, are rich in vitamin C or ascorbic acid. Drinking lemon water boosts the vitamin C level in the body. vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin. Its antioxidant property helps to reduce free radicals in the body. Other benefits of vitamin C are – helps in making collagen, a most abundant protein in the body, it prevents scurvy, boosts immunity, cures infections, help the body burn fat and heals the wound.
Helps Prevent Kidney Stone
Citric acid in lemon helps to prevent kidney stones. From various forms of kidney stone, some form when there is excess of a waste product, calcium oxalate builds up in the urine and forms crystal. Citrate in lemon helps to break such crystals. Continuous use of lemon water helps to keep the kidney healthy and there will be no formation of stone, even if stone is there, citrate of lemon can break it.
Helps In Digestion
Anytime is lemon water time. But lukewarm lemon water in the morning helps in digestion. As lemon contains citric acid that can increase the acid level in the stomach. So, the concentration should be accurate. Half a lemon in a full glass of water will be perfect to boost digestion in the human body. Raw lemon juice or juice of full lemon exaggerates acidity and can cause heartburn, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, acid reflux etc.
Promotes Hydration
Lemon water mixed with sugar and salt is the most common drink in all over the world. But replacing honey with sugar and common salt with black salt makes it a perfect health drink. Be it a hot summer day or an extensive training session, this lemon water is needed to maintain the hydration of the body. Sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium all required minerals makes it a perfect electrolyte to rehydrate the body and prevent dehydration.
Prevents Allergies
Allergy can be prevented only by boosting the immunity and lemon does that. It is rich in antioxidants and has both anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory properties. The lemon has such compounds that restrain the release of histamine(causes allergy symptoms) in the body.
Lemon water helps in digestion, boosts metabolism and thus burns fat, protein and carbohydrates and helps in losing weight.
Youngsters sometimes suffer from acne which is the result of hormonal changes, stress, blocked skin pores and bacterial infection. Vitamin C, flavonoid and the antibacterial property of lemon helps to cure that.
Flavonoid and vitamin C of lemon combined to treat inflammation in the body. It prevents cell damage and boosts healing thus reduces inflammation.
Lemon is a natural mouth freshener. Its antibacterial properties kill the bacteria in the mouth and keep the breath fresh.
The antioxidants of lemon water helps in reducing free radicals in the body. And keeps the heart healthy.
The zeaxanthin and lutein of lemon helps in keeping the eye healthy. It prevents the development of cataracts.
Recipes of Lemon Water
Lukewarm lemon water in the morning in an empty stomach does wonders but what if you want to have it at any other time of the day?
Let us make our common lemon water more tasty and beneficial and substitute for soft drinks.
- Just pour your lemon water in a jug containing lemon slices and allow the concoction to infuse overnight. Next day serve it when it is blazing hot.
- Add some honey, black salt and mint leaves. Be sure everyone, especially the children, will prefer it more than any other soft drinks available in the market.
- Turn your lemon juice into a medicine by adding ginger and turmeric to it. Turmeric is rich in antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties and ginger is antiviral in nature.
- Sliced strawberries mixed with lemon water can do wonders for the body. Strawberries are rich in flavonoids, like quercetin and anthocyanins, vitamin C and potassium which is perfect for boosting immunity.
- To increase the detoxifying properties of lemon, mix it with cantaloupe and mint. Beta carotene of cantaloupe and chlorophyll of mint leaves detox the body. Lemon water, cantaloup and mint leaves should be kept overnight for optimum benefits.
Other usage of lemon water
Lemon water not just has nutritional properties, but it also can be used as a natural disinfectant.
It can be safely used in bathrooms and kitchens. The greasy dirt of the kitchen can be easily removed by the lemon and warm water solutions. In the bathroom also it can substitute harsh chemicals.
Side Effects Of Lemon Water
Lemon water is acidic in nature, that is why proper concentration is very necessary.
Otherwise it exaggerates the acidic level in the stomach and causes headache, vomiting and nausea etc. its acid causes tooth enamel erosion. To avoid this, straw can be used to drink lemon water.
Conclusion
Often we overlook the values of a thing that is just in hand or can be easily available and cheap as well. But now it is time to revalue the potential of the citrus fruit which is available all over the world. It has more beneficial properties than sweet lime or orange and it is available throughout the year. So it can be said that a lemon a day keeps the doctor away.
