You’ve probably heard the phrase, “I’m a night owl” thrown about by your peers who look especially zombie-like in the mornings when coming in, dragging their legs behind them with circles under their eyes. Maybe that’s exactly how you start off your day: tired and waiting to go back to bed. Or maybe you’re of the other species. Perhaps you’re a morning person: up at the crack of dawn, bursting with energy, excited and ready to tackle the day ahead.
Whichever one you identify as, getting a head start on your mornings could be the make or break of your day. Ever heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Well, you should probably start heeding that advice, if you aren’t already. While sleeping, your body does not ingest any food or liquids which amounts to an almost 8 hour fast. Waking up on an empty stomach and not replenishing your system could severely cut down on your energy reserve for the day. This is why what you choose to put into your empty stomach in the morning makes such a big difference.
Lemon infused water just so happens to be one of the best things you can have in the morning. It is recommended to drink about 8 glasses of water a day, with one being drank first thing after waking up. The only thing that could be even healthier than drinking some good old H2O is H2O packed with a powerful antioxidant like lemon.
This simple drink that takes hardly 5 minutes to prepare has endless health benefits that beat any product you could get in a store. What makes it even better is that they’re so inexpensive! Plus, it’s likely you already have lemons in your house. And when life gives you lemons, why not use them to add an extra boost to your water, right?
The 7 Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water
1) It’s Refreshing
You’ll see them on ads for perfumes, laundry detergents, and soaps. Citrus fruits are known to be refreshing and lemon is no exception. Having a cool glass of lemon water in the morning will be guaranteed to wake you up and have you feeling fresh in an instant starting from that very first sip.
The citrus in lemon also helps in stopping bacteria growth in the mouth which could help with morning breath. (Though that isn’t a substitute for actually brushing your teeth!)
2) Aids The Liver In Flushing Out Toxins
Drinking lemon water may make you feel fresh, but it also helps in actually detoxifying the body. Not only does lemon have natural antioxidants, infusing it in water ensures hydration of the body, and ultimately, its organs which helps improve their functionality.
3) Keeps You Hydrated
Continuing from the previous note, some people find it difficult to keep hydrated because they do not enjoy the taste (or rather, lack of taste) of water and as a result, only drink it when they’re parched.
Considering we do not feel thirsty until we’re dehydrated, feeling thirsty is a sign that you should have drunk some water ages ago. Lemon gives your water that tangy, zesty taste that actually encourages you to keep drinking, thus improving hydration.
4) Acts As A Natural Laxative
Don’t worry, it’s not as gross as it sounds. Irregular bowel movements, or a struggle to regularly stimulate these movements could hint at an unhealthy diet or a digestive system that requires support.
Lemon, however, has the chemical properties to promote bile production, which is something that is needed to help break down the food in the stomach for it to digest.
5) Your Daily Dose Of Vitamin C
In addition to being a powerful antioxidant, lemons are very rich in Vitamin C, which is also known as ascorbic acid. It is an important nutrient that prevents diseases like scurvy. Ascorbic acid is crucial in the growth and development of the body.
It helps in the formation of collagen for the skin, which in turn also means it aids in the healing of wounds. It increases iron absorption and helps maintain our bones by keeping them strong.
6) Potion For Youth
Though not to be taken literally, lemon water does help make you look younger by possessing numerous benefits for your skin. Just as we mentioned before, lemons are rich in Vitamin C which affects collagen production. Collagen is what keeps your skin looking elastic and firm.
Since it is the loss of collagen that leads to wrinkles, drinking a glass of lemon water in the morning could ease the worries of those of you out there who spend far too much time in front of the mirror trying to smooth out possible lines and spend a fortune on anti-wrinkle creams.
7) Helps You Lose Weight
Anyone concerned with their weight would know that a surefire way to get the calories burning is to boost your metabolism. This is exactly what lemon water does for you, especially when warm. We recommend drinking one to two cups of warm lemon water on mornings to kickstart your day.
Adding lemon, with its detoxing properties, can only help in this process by ensuring your digestive organs are in tip-top shape. On top of all that, lemon is said to have properties to curb your cravings. This coupled with drinking water at least 30 minutes before meals will ensure that you do not eat more than you need to and thereby building up more calories for you to burn off.
So, go ahead, try incorporating a glass of lemon water into your daily morning routine and see the results for yourself. If you feel that just lemon isn’t enough for you, try adding some new flavors to spice things up a bit. Maybe add some strawberries, or mint, or even try some lime for that double citrus tang. It’s all up to you!
