Everyone has heard of the laundry list of benefits to be experienced after adding lemon water to your morning routine. But before we dive into the advantages of drinking lemon water, let's first explain the best way to incorporate it into your daily life.
Lemon water is best taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes before eating anything. It's best to brush your teeth before drinking lemon water because brushing them afterwards can damage tooth enamel. This is because the acid in the lemon is being rubbed into your teeth, gradually eroding the tooth enamel over time, making you more prone to cavities. For this reason, brush your teeth prior to drinking lemon water (or wait 1 hour before brushing) and rinse with pure water afterwards. Drinking it through a straw is another helpful tip to avoid damaging your teeth.
The amount of lemon juice used is a matter of personal preference, but using the juice of half a lemon is a good place to start. The optimal temperature of the lemon water is a debated topic. Most say it's better for the water to be warm (not too hot but slightly warmer than room temperature) because it aids in digestion. Some say the water should be cold because the body burns more calories in an effort to warm the water, but others say that this extra effort made by the body is harder on digestion. Scientifically speaking, there is very little research to support either side. We recommend you choose the water temperature based on the season or what you prefer at the time. If you are drinking lemon water to improve your digestion and aren't overly concerned with weight loss, you might want to try drinking it warm. If your main goal is weight loss, try it cold.
Lemon water has many benefits. It’s high in vitamin C, especially considering it’s very low calorie and sugar content (9 calories and less than 1 gram of sugar per half lemon). It also contains trace amounts of folate and potassium. Lemon water contains antioxidants, compounds that appear to protect your cells from damage and improve metabolic health.
Lemon water also aids in weight loss, exercise performance, and digestive health (it helps you stay regular). It even helps improve your mental health by optimizing mood and memory. Add lemon water to your routine today and see what it can do for you.
