The benefits and harms of water with lemon
Lemon water helps improve health and reduce the risk of developing dangerous diseases. This healthy drink is quite easy to prepare even at home. However, drinking water with lemon can bring both benefits and harm to the body.
What is the benefit of the drink?
It is impossible to imagine human life without drinking water. However, this familiar drink can be improved. To do this, put a slice of lemon or pour lemon juice into the water. This "cocktail" has many useful properties. Taking lemon water helps the cells of the body to function much better.
Interestingly, this drink can be called universal, as it is suitable for both men and women. The benefits of this lemon drink are enormous. It is used for a wide variety of purposes. Such a drink can be used both for the purpose of treating certain diseases, and for prevention.
Lemons are very healthy fruits. The juice squeezed from these citrus fruits helps to improve well-being and mood.
However, it contains so many biologically active substances that it is not worth using it in a concentrated form for a long time. That is why experts recommend adding lemon juice to water.
So, water with lemon helps to improve metabolism.The systematic use of this drink, which has practically no calories, helps to lose weight. Numerous reviews of people who drank water with lemon in order to normalize weight confirm this.
Water with lemon cannot be called a high-calorie drink. Its average calorie content is 29 kcal per 100 ml. It should be noted that the number of calories can be increased by adding sugar or honey to the lemon drink. If you drink an unsweetened drink, then it is impossible to recover from its use.
The benefits of lemon water are numerous. So, drinking this drink in the morning not only “awakens” the body after sleep, but also starts the digestive process. The intake of citric liquid into the stomach on an empty stomach is a kind of “signal” for the body about the need to start all biological reactions. Many people who do not want to eat breakfast at all after waking up say that after drinking lemon water on an empty stomach, they have an appetite.
Water with lemon juice helps to improve the processes of bile excretion. It is believed that the use of this drink contributes to the fact that its chemical composition changes and it becomes more fluid. Such an effect contributes to the fact that bile stagnates less in the ducts, which means that the risk of developing gallstone disease is reduced significantly.
Normalization of the process of bile excretion has a positive effect on the general condition of the liver cells. Normally, this organ performs a huge number of a wide variety of functions in the body, including participating in the detoxification of toxins that appear in the process of life. If the liver works well, then the risk of developing many diseases is reduced many times over.
Drinking water with lemon juice also helps to improve the water and mineral balance in the body. The fact is that in this drink there are components important for body cells:
- a nicotinic acid;
- B vitamins;
- beta carotene;
- folic acid;
- vitamin C.
Water and electrolyte balance usually changes during the hot season or with certain diseases. The most important electrolytes for the body evaporate with sweat during heavy sweating, which can even lead to disruption of the internal organs. It is no coincidence that in hot weather it is recommended to consume a sufficient amount of liquid. Lemon water will help replenish the body's minerals necessary for its proper functioning.
The most important component of lemon juice can be considered ascorbic acid. People who regularly consume enough vitamin C, according to medical statistics, are less likely to suffer from various diseases, including infectious ones. The fact is that ascorbic acid helps to improve immunity without prescribing additional medications.
Water is essential for all biologically important processes in the human body. Without it, the development of cells, and hence life, is impossible. Modern doctors advise drinking at least 1.5 liters of pure water per day. Every year the recommended amount of fluid changes, but the importance of fluid intake for the human body has been proven. Water with lemon juice helps to fill the physiological need of cells for fluid.
Doctors advise everyone to follow the drinking regimen. However, in some diseases, the importance of fluid intake increases significantly.So, the amount of fluid you drink should be monitored by people suffering from pathologies of the kidneys and urinary tract.
The use of water with lemon contributes to the sanitation of the urinary tract, thereby reducing the risk of infectious pathologies.
However, it should be noted that people suffering from urolithiasis should use such a drink only after being examined by a urologist. With some changes in the urinary sediment, detected during the delivery of a general urine test, it is impossible to drink water with lemon.
Many people, unfortunately, are familiar with the problem of increased thrombosis. This pathology is often the cause of more severe conditions - heart attacks or thrombosis of blood vessels supplying the brain. Doctors recommend that people who have a high predisposition to develop these diseases drink more fluids in order to make the blood thinner. The use of water with lemon helps to reduce the processes of thrombosis, as the chemical composition of the liquid component of the blood, plasma, is normalized.
People suffering from thrombophlebitis, drinking water with lemon regularly, have a lower risk of developing various complications of these pathologies. Lemon juice contains components that have a positive effect on the tone and elasticity of the walls of the veins. This effect contributes to the fact that the risk of damage to blood vessels is reduced, which is the prevention of dangerous complications of these diseases.
Lemon juice contains substances that have an antiseptic effect. The use of such a drink helps to reduce bad breath, as citrus juice contains components that lead to a decrease in the concentration of pathogenic microbes.
Reception of lemon water favorably reflects on the skin. In people who regularly consume this drink, the skin looks fresher and "rested". Ascorbic acid is also a strong antioxidant that protects cells from damage. That is why lemon juice is consumed by people who want to preserve youth and beauty for a long time.
Contraindications
Lemon water is definitely very beneficial for the body. However, in some cases, taking this citrus liquid can cause serious harm to the body.
People suffering from gastritis with increased production of gastric juice should not drink lemon juice. This liquid contains many natural acids, which can lead to the activation of stomach cells, which will help start the processes of formation of gastric juice. As a rule, people suffering from hyperacid gastritis feel soreness in the upper abdomen after drinking lemon water. They may also experience heartburn or a "burning" sensation in the epigastrium. In order to avoid the appearance of these unpleasant consequences, such people should refuse to drink lemon juice.
Drinking water with concentrated lemon juice can also provoke an exacerbation of peptic ulcer. That is why doctors do not recommend people suffering from this pathology to drink water with lemon.
Doctors also note that you should not drink such a drink immediately after surgery on internal organs, especially the gastrointestinal tract.
Lemon water, as a rule, after surgery, doctors recommend drinking only after a few months.If the operation was performed on the internal organs responsible for digestion, then you can add lemon juice to the water only after consulting a doctor.
Allergy to citrus fruits and lemons in particular is another contraindication for drinking lemon water. For people who suffer from food allergies, doctors usually recommend excluding citrus fruits from their menu, as they are foods of high allergenic risk. The use of lemon water by an allergic person can provoke the appearance of extremely unfavorable symptoms in him - for example, an allergic rash (urticaria) on the skin. Taking water with lemon can also provoke the development of more severe pathologies - Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock. In this case, in order to normalize well-being, it may be necessary to immediately go to the hospital for treatment.
The big disadvantage of lemon juice is that it is a fairly concentrated liquid. It should be remembered that even in healthy people who do not have digestive problems, after drinking lemon water, heartburn or a sour taste in the mouth may appear. Such adverse symptoms also often appear if too much lemon juice is added to the water.
In order to reduce these unpleasant manifestations, the amount of citrus juice added should be reduced.
If, despite this, uncomfortable symptoms persist, then in such a situation, you should definitely see a doctor. Often, insufficiently well-treated gastritis manifests itself in this way.
Cooking methods
Lemon juice and water can be used to make a very tasty drink. It can be improved by adding other ingredients.Also, such a vitamin "cocktail" can be made more useful if other supplements containing minerals and vitamins are used in its preparation.
For digestion
Preparing lemon water, which should be drunk in the morning after waking up, according to the classic recipe is quite simple. The preparation time for such a drink at home usually does not exceed a few minutes. For cooking you will need:
- a glass of water at room temperature;
- lemon - a couple of slices.
The method of preparation is quite simple - add chopped lemon to the prepared water and mix well. There is a little secret how you can make this drink more useful. Some people only add lemon pulp to their water. However, in order for this morning awakening “cocktail” to contain more vitamins, lemon slices should be put in water without peeling. It contains many useful substances that have a beneficial effect on the digestion process, and also help to improve the functioning of the whole organism as a whole.
The classic recipe includes only two ingredients - water and lemon. However, there are a huge number of different variations on the preparation of this vitamin "cocktail". So, you can improve the taste of lemon liquid by adding honey to it.
It should be noted that this lemon-honey "cocktail" is very healthy, as it contains a double serving of many vitamins. Warm lemon liquid with honey not only improves digestion, but is also used to eliminate the adverse symptoms of infectious diseases.
In order to improve the functioning of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, you can also prepare a delicious warming tea drink with mint. Mint leaves contain components that not only have a sedative (calming) effect on the body, but also help improve digestion. It is believed that drinking peppermint tea helps to cope with strong gas and flatulence. Often these uncomfortable symptoms appear when the diet is violated or when foods are combined in the diet that are poorly absorbed when consumed at the same time.
In order to make a fragrant mint warming drink, you will need:
- boiling water - 1 cup;
- mint leaves - 3-4 pieces;
- lemon juice - 2 tsp
To prepare such a "green tea", mint should be poured with boiling water and left to infuse for 5-7 minutes. Next, add lemon juice to the drink and mix well. Note that in order to make fragrant “tea” more beneficial for the body, lemon juice should not be added to boiling water, since in this case the concentration of ascorbic acid in tea will be significantly lower.
You can sweeten the drink with honey. Honey and lemon juice should be added to mint "tea" after it has cooled down a bit and infused. In this case, the warming drink will be not only very tasty, but also useful.
For vessels and heart
Lemon water is an excellent drink that helps people reduce the manifestations of cardiovascular pathologies. Currently, mortality from cardiac diseases, unfortunately, remains extremely high.People suffering from chronic diseases of the heart and blood vessels are usually forced to take several medications at once for life at the same time in order to improve their quality of life and live longer.
You can improve your well-being not only with the help of pharmaceutical drugs, but also with the use of certain herbal remedies. Recently, it has become known that the systematic intake of lemon juice and garlic helps to fight many dangerous manifestations of cardiovascular disorders. Drinking lemon water with garlic also helps to normalize blood cholesterol levels. Some traditional medicine experts even believe that a lemon-garlic drink is a good way to prevent cancer.
In order to prepare a drink, you will need:
- lemon (it is better to take a large enough one) - 1 pc.;
- head of garlic - 1 pc.;
- water - 3-3.5 cups.
Lemon must be washed well, it is not necessary to peel the fruit. When washing citrus fruits, it should be remembered that if the recipe indicates that the fruit will be used with the peel, then it should be washed very carefully. Often, a special wax coating remains on the fruits, which is used to process citrus fruits in order to preserve them for a long time. In order to properly remove this waxy film from the surface of the fruit, a sponge should be used when washing.
The surface of the fruit after thorough washing should become less smooth and not as shiny as when purchased. After the lemon is well washed, it must be crushed in a blender. In the same way, you need to chop the garlic. After that, the ingredients must be mixed and poured with water.It is necessary to infuse the drink for 72 hours in a cool dark place, stirring several times.
Traditional medicine experts recommend taking such a herbal remedy at a dosage of 30-40 ml 2-3 times a day. In order to improve the taste properties of such a drink, you can put a little honey in it. It should be remembered that such a lemon-garlic drink is a medicine.
As with any herbal remedy, unpleasant symptoms can develop with its use. If after taking such a “tincture” there is pain in the abdomen, upset stool or even allergy symptoms, then in this case, further use of this remedy should be abandoned.
It is worth noting that not all cardiologists share the opinion that garlic helps to reduce the adverse manifestations of cardiovascular disease. That is why they advise their patients not to use lemon water with garlic as an alternative to medications. For people who do not want to take pharmaceuticals to treat heart or vascular diseases, but want to be treated only with herbal remedies, they recommend that they undergo regular medical examinations in order to realistically assess health indicators.
It is also worth noting that people who are already taking blood pressure medications or drugs that normalize heart rhythm should consult with their doctor before systematically drinking lemon water with garlic.
Those suffering from various diseases of the heart or blood vessels often face the problem of low mood or even depressive disorders.The more severe the disease, the more manifest, as a rule, these unpleasant clinical conditions. In order to improve well-being, you can prepare a fragrant drink with lemon juice and lemon balm.
Useful plant acids contained in lemons help improve mood. Melissa has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system. Drinking a fragrant drink helps to relax and fall asleep easier. In order to prepare this citrus drink, you will need:
- water - 350 ml;
- lemon - a couple of slices;
- lemon balm - 2-3 sheets;
- some honey.
Cooked lemon balm leaves and lemon slices should be poured with boiling water and left to infuse. A fragrant drink is best prepared in glassware. After the drink has cooled down a bit, honey should be added to it to taste. It is better to drink this fragrant lemon drink in the evening or an hour before going to bed. A more stable and tangible result can be achieved if you drink such a drink with lemon balm for several weeks.
For weight loss
Lemon juice added to water helps to lose weight. Many people believe that such a drink "burns" fats. This is not entirely true. The mechanisms behind the effect of lemon water on fat burning processes are, in fact, much more complicated.
The "burning" of fats in the body when drinking a citrus drink occurs indirectly. The thing is that lemon juice contains components that activate metabolism. Plant components, getting into the cells of the body, contribute to the fact that the speed of all biologically active processes in them begins to increase. This action leads to the fact that fat metabolism in the cells begins to occur more intensively. Moreover, the normalization of all metabolic processes occurs at the molecular level.
People who drink lemon water, but do not monitor the calorie content of their diet and do not exercise, mistakenly believe that just taking a citrus drink will help them say goodbye to extra pounds. Nutritionists note that water with lemon really helps to speed up the process of normalizing weight, but only when combined with other methods. So, in order to quickly see the long-awaited numbers on the scales, in addition to drinking water with lemon, you should eat right and increase physical activity. Such a complex effect will help speed up the process of losing weight, and will also help improve overall health.
In order to improve the process of losing weight, you can add ginger to lemon water. This plant has proven itself in dietetics as a food product that helps to normalize weight. Ginger root contains very useful components that increase the intensity of metabolic processes in the body.
You can also prepare a healthy drink with which you can speed up the process of losing weight at home. This will require:
- mineral water without gas - ½ liter;
- lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l.;
- grated ginger root - ½ tsp
In order to prepare this vitamin drink, lemon juice and chopped ginger root should be added to the water. It is highly undesirable to add sugar to a citrus drink. In this case, the calorie content of the drink will be higher, which means that the metabolic activation processes will proceed more slowly.
When using such a lemon-ginger drink, caution should be exercised for people who suffer from diseases of the digestive system. They should definitely discuss the possibility of taking a citrus drink with a doctor.
An allergy to any of the ingredients present in the recipe is also a contraindication to drinking this drink.
Nutritionists recommend people who want to lose a few extra pounds to monitor compliance with the drinking regimen. Drinking almost two liters of water a day for an unprepared person can be extremely difficult. In order to diversify the drinking regime, in addition to water, you can drink other drinks that do not contain various carbohydrates in their composition - for example, honey, syrup or regular sugar.
You can also quench your thirst with a citrus drink, in which cucumber juice is added. This drink is perfect during the hot season. This refreshing drink helps to cope with thirst, and also saturates the cells of the body with the moisture they need. In order to prepare this refreshing lemon drink, you will need:
- mineral water - 1.5 liters;
- lemon - 1 pc.;
- cucumber - 1 pc.
Cucumber and lemon must be cut into large circles and put in water. In order for the drink to acquire the best taste, it must be brewed a little. If desired, ice cubes can also be added to a refreshing summer drink. Such homemade "lemonade" can be prepared both at home and in the country. Both adults and children can drink this drink, as it is perfectly refreshing, especially on a hot summer day.
You can also activate metabolic processes in the body with the help of some spices. So, back in the middle of the 20th century, in order to lose weight, people began to use a drink that contains lemon juice and cayenne pepper.This combination helps to speed up the metabolism in the body several times. Also, this "fiery" drink helps not only to achieve the normalization of body weight, but also helps to reduce the risk of developing many diseases.
Traditional medicine experts note that the use of such a "burning" drink helps to normalize blood sugar levels. Also, the intake of this drink helps to activate the work of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, which is manifested in the improvement of digestion. Preparing such a drink is quite simple. This will require:
- hot water - 250 ml;
- lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l.;
- cayenne pepper - a small pinch
Making a "fat-burning" drink is quite simple. To do this, add lemon juice and cayenne pepper to a glass of hot water, and then mix thoroughly. You can add some honey to improve the taste.
It is worth noting that you should not drink this drink in large quantities. When using it, be sure to follow the precautions. So, it should not be taken by people who have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
When drinking a "warming" drink, one should also remember that it can provoke the development of allergies.
How to drink?
Lemon water can be used in a variety of ways. So, if you drink such a drink on an empty stomach, you can improve metabolism. This method is often used by people who want to normalize their weight. Lemon water drunk in the morning also helps improve digestion. Lemon juice is very concentrated, so only people who do not have chronic diseases of the stomach and intestines can drink it every day.
Warm lemon water helps to cope with the unpleasant symptoms of colds. Doctors advise people with flu or respiratory viral diseases to drink enough water and other drinks during the height of the infection. Warm, plentiful drink helps the body to “get rid” of viral toxins faster.
Drinking lemon water is better than a comfortable temperature. Too hot a drink can cause a burn to the throat. When preparing warming drinks, you can add both lemon juice and just a few lemon slices. In order to make lemon water tastier, add a little bee honey or regular sugar to it.
You can drink warming lemon drinks throughout the day, as well as at night. Warm lemon tea with honey will help the body “warm up” better, which will lead to increased sweating. Together with sweat, all toxins accumulated in it as a result of viral or bacterial infections will be removed from the body.
In the hot season, lemon water can be consumed chilled. You can do this by placing a container with a drink in the refrigerator or simply adding ice cubes to it. When drinking chilled drinks in the hot season, be sure to be careful. Too cold drinks can lead to the development of tonsillitis - tonsillitis, as well as other throat diseases. To avoid this, you should not drink too cold drinks.
Water with lemon can be drunk not only on weekdays, but also on holidays. Refreshing homemade "lemonade", poured into tall glasses, can be the highlight of any festive table. You can decorate glasses with orange or lemon slices, and also add beautiful straws.
For the benefits and dangers of water with lemon, see the following video.