Mixing fruits and vegetables into water is a trend that has been going on for a while now. Adding cucumbers, berries, and lemon slices to your water can make your otherwise bland water taste better. However, adding lemons to your water can do more for you besides just adding flavor to your water. Check out the six health benefits that you can take advantage of by adding lemon to your water.
Increases Your Vitamin C
Much like other citrus fruits, lemon contains vitamin C. This vitamin helps boost your immune system and helps fight off illnesses. Vitamin C is also good for your teeth, muscle tissue, and cell repair. By adding lemon slices to your water, you are getting almost a third of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. Drinking lemon water increases your vitamin C intake, which keeps you healthy!
Reduces Sugar Intake
Sugary drinks and soda can be hard to resist, but they aren’t good for our health. Instead, reach for your lemon water. Drinking lemon water can reduce the amount of sugar that you drink while still giving you the sugar you crave. One lemon has about 1.5 grams of sugar.
Prevents Kidney Stones
Lemons contain citrate, which is a part of citric acid. This citrate works to prevent kidney stones by making your urine less acidic and breaking down small stones forming in your kidney. While drinking plain water is recommended to help reduce and prevent kidney stones, drinking lemon water is an added protection from those painful kidney stones.
Promotes Weight Loss
Drinking water on its own generally helps promote weight loss by giving you energy and keeping you hydrated. However, lemon water is a natural energy booster. Research has shown that lemons contain polyphenol antioxidants, which can stimulate your weight loss. While more research needs to be done concerning polyphenol antioxidants’ effectiveness, there is no harm in drinking lemon water to help give you energy and support while you are on your weight loss journey.
Reduces Inflammation
If you suffer from inflammation, lemon water might be able to help. Lemons contain citrus flavonoids. These flavonoids can help reduce inflammation in your body, particularly inflammation caused by uric acid.
Stops Your Bad Breath
Did you eat something with too many onions or too much garlic? Or maybe you suffer from a dry mouth that gives you bad breath? Lemon water can help! The acid in the lemon can cut sharp odors and kill bacteria that lead to bad breath. Lemons can also increase the amount of saliva that your mouth produces to help eliminate bad breath caused by your dry mouth.
Drinking lemon water does have its benefits. However, there are some adverse effects of drinking too much lemon water. Some research has shown that the acid in lemons can hurt tooth enamel. Scientists and health professionals recommend drinking your lemon water through a straw and alternating between regular water and lemon water to help prevent any damage to your tooth enamel.
