Apart from tea or coffee, you can also consume warm lemon water in the morning. Warm lemon water is not only delicious and refreshing, but it also has several health benefits, ranging from maintaining healthy skin to improving digestion.
Lemon fruit is known as one of the best sources of vitamin C. This yellow fruit also contains active compounds that are known to be good for health, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, and carotenoids.
Lemon is often used as a complementary ingredient to add flavor to dishes or is processed into various types of drinks, one of which is warm lemon water.
Potential Benefits
Apart from freshening your breath, there are several other benefits of warm lemon water that you can also feel when you consume it in the morning, namely:
1. Maintain weight
According to one study, the polyphenols in lemons can help people lose weight. For those of you who feel you are overweight and want to try using lemon for a diet, you can include lemon mixed with warm water in your diet menu list.
2. Maintain skin health
Drinking warm lemon water is known to be good for skin health. The high content of vitamin C in lemons can keep the skin moist, prevent wrinkles, and protect the skin from UV radiation and signs of aging.
3. Smooth digestion
Regularly drinking warm lemon water in the morning is believed to expedite the digestive process and prevent constipation. This benefit is obtained from the content of citric acid, which plays a role in the process of breaking down and digesting food in the stomach.
4. Increase endurance
Another benefit of drinking warm lemon water in the morning is increased endurance. This is due to the high content of vitamin C in lemons, which is an antioxidant and can ward off the dangers of free radicals and support the immune system.
5. Prevent kidney stones
Not only is it known for its high vitamin C content, but lemon water also contains citric acid, which is believed to prevent kidney stones. Consuming lemon water can also prevent dehydration, which is a common cause of kidney stone formation.
6. Prevent cardiovascular disease
The high content of vitamin C in lemons can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, and coronary heart disease. However, further research is still needed to confirm this.
Things to Look For When Drinking Warm Lemon Water
Behind the various benefits of drinking warm lemon water, there are potential side effects to watch out for.
Lemons contain citric acid, which can erode tooth enamel. Therefore, it’s best to use a straw when drinking lemon water and rinse your mouth with water afterward to rinse away the acid that sticks to the surface of your teeth.
In addition, the citric acid in lemons can also cause complaints of heartburn in some people. If you are one of those who experience this, avoid consuming warm lemon water before eating.
How to Make Lemon Water
To reap the health benefits of lemon water, you need to drink it consistently, and you need more than just a lemon wedge in a cup.
When making lemon water, always use fresh lemons rather than bottled lemons. The following are some lemon water recipes that you can make yourself at home:
1. Simple Lemon Water
The following is a recipe for lemon water that must be consumed immediately and drunk warmly! Nonetheless, serving lemon water to parties or drinking lemon water throughout the day is a refreshing way to stay hydrated.
Material:
- 1/2 Lemons
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/3 cup boiling water
How to Make Lemon Water:
- In a glass, squeeze the lemon juice with a handheld lemon squeezer or glass lemon squeezer. Remove the seeds if necessary.
- Add water, stir, and drink while warm.
- To make warm water, you can mix boiling water with cold water. You can also turn off the kettle before the water boils. You just need to wait near the kettle and turn it off in time.
2. Lemon Honey Water
Honey lemon water is a home remedy that is believed to promote weight loss. Honey-lemon water is best drunk on an empty stomach right after waking up. Each ingredient in this potion has a role to play.
First, warm water helps increase metabolism by burning calories faster for the same activity. The lemon juice in this drink exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and acts as an antioxidant to keep you energetic.
Honey is an optional ingredient here as it provides some calories, although some believe that honey aids in the fat-burning process.
Material:
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 1/2 Cup or more hot water
How to Make Honey-Lemon Water:
- Put the honey and lemon juice in a cup or teacup.
- Add hot water and stir.
- Add more lemon juice, honey, or hot water to taste, if desired.
3. Lemon Cinnamons Water
Cinnamon lemon water or cinnamon-lemon water, plain cinnamon water, or cinnamon tea are easy ways to get your daily dose of this warming spice. Besides being delicious, cinnamon also offers a variety of health benefits.
Material:
- 177 ml Warm water
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/2 Lemon, squeeze
- 1 tsp Raw Honey
How to Make Lemon-Cinnamon Water:
- In a cup, mix water, ground cinnamon, lemon juice, and honey.
- Stir well.
- Drink warm as tea or allow the mixture to come down to room temperature. You can also refrigerate the mixture to enjoy chilled lemon-cinnamon water.
Notes:
- You should use warm water to help the cinnamon powder dissolve. If you want to serve cinnamon water as cinnamon tea, use very hot water, not warm water.
- This recipe is very versatile. If you want lemon cinnamon water that is sweeter, add a teaspoon of honey. If you want to make it sugar-free, use a sugar alternative like stevia or monk fruit sweetener.
- You also need to remember that pregnant women should consult their healthcare provider to ensure that lemon cinnamon water is safe to drink
4. Ginger Lemon Water
Ginger water is often used as a concoction to warm the body. Then what if ginger is mixed with lemon water? Ginger-lemon water is a refreshing way to start the day, especially in the colder months.
You can make this all day when you’re feeling sick. And even occasionally enjoying a cup of lemon water at night is also highly recommended to relax before going to bed.
Material:
- 1 large lemon (clean wash)
- 1 2-inch pieces fresh ginger (rinsed, peeled optional)
- A pinch of turmeric powder
- A pinch of fresh black pepper (optional)
- A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 Cups of boiling water
How to Make Lemon Ginger Water
- Bring a pitcher of water to a boil (you need about 2 cups or 480 ml).
- Slice a lemon in half and squeeze each half into a serving cup (each cup gets half of the lemon).
- Be sure to place the juiced lemon halves into the cup as well to impart more flavor.
- Add sliced ginger and a pinch of turmeric powder. Black pepper and cayenne are optional, but they bring more balance and heat. Black pepper also increases the bioavailability of turmeric.
- Pour boiling water into a small bowl and let the flavors infuse for a few minutes.
- Enjoy this refreshing ginger lemon water. Ginger lemon water can be enjoyed up to 24 hours later if stored in the refrigerator and reheated.
5. Lemon Detox Cucumber Water
The last lemon water recipe is a cucumber detox lemon water recipe. The flavors of cucumber and lemon are a perfect match, both of which have amazing health benefits.
Making lemon and cucumber water is the perfect mix for any weight-loss recipe.
Cucumbers are packed with potassium, making them a natural way to help lower blood pressure. Cucumbers can help reduce bloating and swelling. Paired with lemon water, this detox drink can help boost your metabolism.
Material:
- 1 Cucumber is being peeled and sliced
- 1 Lemon sliced into rings
- 1 Gallon of water
How to make:
- Begin 6 to 12 hours before drinking this cucumber detox lemon water.
- Mix the ingredients in a pitcher of fruit-infused water.
- Store it in the fridge until you are ready to drink it. Moms can make it the night before and drink it the next day. This cucumber-lemon water detox lasts up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
Dangers of Drinking Lemon Water Every Day
Lemon, which contains vitamin C, potassium, fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, iron, and magnesium, can speed up your body’s metabolism and help you lose weight.
It’s no wonder that many individuals choose to regularly consume lemon water on an empty stomach to manage their weight.
But apparently, drinking lemon water is more harmful than beneficial if consumed every day. So, if you want to get the most out of lemon water, you must drink it in moderation.
Here are some reasons why you should stop drinking lemon water every day
1. Causes tooth decay
Drinking lemon water daily can damage tooth enamel and cause tooth decay. The reason is the acid present in the lemon juice.
2. Causes nausea and heartburn
Drinking too much lemon water can cause nausea and heartburn. again due to the presence of acid in the lemon.
3. Stomach ache
Lemon water, if consumed in high and regular quantities, can prove to be harsh on your stomach. This will give you an upset stomach and may even exacerbate any gastrointestinal complications you have.
4. Cause frequent urination
Some individuals report dehydration and frequent urination as possible side effects of drinking too much lemon water.
Several studies have shown that lemon juice is high in ascorbic acid or vitamin C which is a diuretic. It promotes urine production in the kidneys, therefore, helping the body get rid of excess salt and fluids more quickly.
Hence, this will make you have the urge to visit the restroom more often than before.
5. Causing migraines
Several studies have found a relationship between migraines and the consumption of citrus fruits, one of which is lemon.
Several neurologists say fruits such as lemons are known to trigger migraines and headaches. This is due to the high levels of tyramine in lemons. Tyramine itself is a natural compound that is often associated with headaches.
