Lemons are one of the best fruits that are on this planet. They are so versatile and widely available, and provide a plethora of health benefits. Belonging to the citrus family, alongside other MVPs like oranges, limes, and grapefruit, they thrive in warm conditions, but can also be grown indoors in colder weather.
Not only do lemons provide a boost of flavor to any type of dish – sweet or savory, they should also be at the top of any list of superfoods because of how good they are for you. Read on to find out how these little yellow fruits can help you on your way to becoming your best/healthiest self!
01. Cleanse Your Liver
When we wake up in the morning, our bodies have been fasting for about 8 or more hours. Breaking this fast with some lemon water will give your digestive system the boost it needs, and help your liver in its detoxifying process of ridding harmful substances from your body.
It’s pretty easy to do as well! All you need is a quarter of a lemon sliced into a glass of warm water. You should wait 20-30 minutes to eat after drinking the lemon water to give your body enough time to absorb it all before eating anything else. Store the rest of the lemon in a sealed container for later use.
02. Fights Against Flu
We all know that Vitamin C is really good for our health, and one of the best ways to get it into our bodies is through lemon juice. A glass of lemon water daily is sure to give you your daily dose of immune boosters. Along with keeping your immune system healthy, it can also help fight against colds and flu. A good dose of lemon water and honey throughout the day should be as good as any drug your doctor can prescribe!
03. Fires Up Your Digestive Juices
Your digestive system has been deprived of food and water for all that time that you’ve been sleeping, so before eating anything, it’s a good idea to drink some lemon water. This will cleanse everything from your intestines to stomach and get them fired up for the upcoming day. The acid in the lemon juice will also help alkalize the stomach, which will also make the digestion process smoother.
04. Replenishes Your Electrolytes
Electrolytes are nutrients in your body that work in harmony to make sure it functions properly. These nutrients are essential for bodily functions like the heart, nerves, and muscle contraction. They include magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, chloride and phosphate.
You might be tempted to buy one of those electrolyte drinks in the market, but they often come laden with sugar, which ends up counteracting the actual point of them. A healthy way to get these nutrients into your body is through some lemon water mixed with a little Celtic salt, coconut water, honey and mineral drops.
05. High in Vitamin C
As we said earlier, lemons are a rich source of Vitamin C, which is essential in so many functions of our body. Not only does it help combat the flu and improve your immune system, it also helps in the fight against cancer, the prevention of strokes and to maintain a healthy heart in general. Vitamin C is also a great aid in keeping your skin, hair, and nails healthy, as well as helping wounds to heal faster.
06. Increase Your Potassium Levels
Another nutrient that is potent in lemons is potassium, which is another important thing to maintain a healthy body. The nervous and cardiovascular systems are in particular, dependent on potassium to function effectively.
A constant dose of potassium in your diet is essential, as low potassium levels could lead to serious health impacts. And guess where you can get it from! Other than humble old warm lemon water, the homemade electrolyte drink we mentioned earlier is one of the best ways to get potassium into your system.
07. Help You Body Absorb Iron
Iron is also a very important nutrient that should be included in our diets. But did you know that the absence of certain other nutrients can make it difficult for your body to absorb iron?
Doctors recommend taking a healthy dose of Vitamin C along with iron-rich foods to ensure that your body gets the maximum benefit from both. You can do this by drinking some lemon water/drink, or even by simply squeezing some lemon juice over your food. Apart from the health benefits, its sure to add flavor to your meal!
08. Hangover Help
A hangover is often experienced the morning after a night of heavy drinking. This is because despite being called “drinking”, alcohol is actually a diuretic, which is what dehydrates your body to the extent that your body is unable to function properly.
This loss of hydration is what causes hangover symptoms like vomiting, light sensitivity, headache, etc. One precaution you can take is to drink some of our homemade electrolyte drink before a night of partying. Do the same the next morning, and keep replenishing your system throughout the day for ideal results.
09. Weight Loss
We already saw how a glass of lemon water can be really beneficial to our digestive system. A properly functioning digestive system ensures that foods and substances are processed and eliminated in the right manner, helping you maintain a healthy weight balance.
Another way lemons can help in weight loss is by being a delicious substitute to sugary drinks, which we all know is a main cause of weight gain. Other than drinking lemon water, you can also drink lemon juice with honey, or even infused into herbal teas.
10. Heart Health
Several studies have found a regular intake of lemons to help in heart health, and in the prevention against cardiovascular diseases. This is done by helping the blood vessels and arteries in the body and heart to open or dilate the right way, which allows the blood to pump and flow throughout the body, supplying it with oxygen. Potassium in lemons is the main aspect that helps create healthy arteries.
