Lemon Water
Anyone who's read about my daily routine will know that I start the morning with a large glass of water with the juice of half a lemon in it.
Lemons are high in vitamin C and also contain magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamin B6, iron and calcium. They are low in sugar and have no fat, cholesterol or sodium.
Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning does more than just hydrate (though it also ticks that box which means that your liver gets a kick start in removing toxins from the body), it:
Decreases stress and increases mood (thanks to the essential oil content and vitamin B6)
Lowers risk of stroke (thanks to the high vitamin C content)
Increases immunity (also due to vitamin C)
Promotes wound healing (vitamin C, again)
Decreased appearance of ageing (again thanks to vitamin C which fights free radicals and protects the skin while supporting collagen production)
Prevents infection (thanks to their naturally acidic nature which acts as a barrier to pathogens)
Aids protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism (thanks to vitamin B6)
Promotes brain health by assisting in the creation of neurotransmitters and red blood cells (also due to vitamin B6)
Aids digestion (thanks to flavinoids which break down food). This may be increased further by drinking warm lemon water
Keeps you regular (and can even relieve constipation) by creating an ideal environment for gut bacteria
Reduces the risk of heart disease (hesperidin in lemons strengthens blood vessels and prevents atherosclerosis)
Reduces chronic inflammation (diosmin in lemons is an antioxidant that benefits the circulatory system and improves muscle tone)
Reduces cancer risk (thanks to d-limonene)
Reduces the risk of kidney stones (thanks to citric acid)
Freshens your breath (and has even been shown to relieve tooth pain) by reducing bacteria growth in the mouth
Aids in weight loss (lemons are high in pectin fibre which is known to fight hunger cravings)
I always buy organic when I can (I strongly suggest making friends with someone who has a lemon tree. Often they have more than they can handle in the winter months) and recommend you give non-organic varieties a good wash before squeezing them to reduce pesticides and herbicides. I use a handheld lemon squeezer which makes the task so easy. They are relatively inexpensive (at about $7-15AUD) and readily available from kitchen supply stores or online.
I have mine plain as I find it easy but you can get super creative with your water if you want and add fresh mint or basil, ground cinnamon, turmeric, or cayenne pepper, sliced cucumber or some fresh ginger.
Please note that I brush my teeth shortly after drinking lemon water in the morning which negates the potential risk to tooth enamel presented by drinking lemon water.
