Lemon is a juicy fruit, smelling of freshness and health, dressed in a bright yellow porous peel. It can be called one of the most popular citrus fruits in the world. Everyone knows how delicious tea with lemon slice tastes. Hot water with lemon is also tasty and aromatic, but mostly it is drunk not because of taste, but because they consider such lemonade to be extremely useful.
But is it really so? In our article we will talk in detail about hot water with lemon, the benefits and dangers of this drink. You will learn how it affects our appearance and well-being and get acquainted with the simplest and quickest recipes.
Lemon Composition
The benefits of hot water with lemon are undeniable, and many were able to experience the positive effects of this drink. But what causes this effect? To understand this, first, let's examine the composition of the lemon.
Yellow exotic fruit can be called a storehouse of vitamins. Lemon contains a lot of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and even vitamins of group B are abundant in lemon pulp and juice:
- riboflavin (B 2 );
- pantothenic acid (B 5 );
- folates (B 9 );
- thiamine (B 1 );
- pyridoxine (B 6 ).
And lemon is full of vitamins P, A, PP, E, beta-carotene and niacin.
And here is an impressive list of macronutrients contained in citrus:
- magnesium;
- sulfur;
- chlorine;
- potassium;
- phosphorus;
- calcium;
- sodium.
But that's not all! Lemon also contains many trace elements. It:
- copper;
- fluorine;
- boron;
- zinc;
- molybdenum;
- iron;
- manganese.
In addition to all this wealth, the composition of lemon contains glucose, sucrose, monosugar and fructose.
What benefits can be obtained from hot water with lemon
This simple drink has the ability to bring considerable benefits to our body. What does it consist of? The action of homemade lemonade is multifaceted:
- lemon water helps lower blood sugar;
- regulates metabolic processes;
- positively affects digestion;
- can be used as an additional tool in the prevention of strokes, gout and thrombosis;
- helps the body get rid of toxins and cleanse the digestive tract;
- activates the lymphatic flow;
- gently lowers blood pressure;
- reduces the risk of developing senile cataracts;
- thanks to vitamin P, in excess contained in lemon, increased elasticity of blood vessels;
- gives the body the strength to fight disease;
- slows the progression of age-related changes;
- brings cholesterol back to normal.
Hot water with lemon juice added to it has a good effect on the body if a person has a cold. Water with lemon, drunk for the coming dream, helps to sweat and bring down the temperature. It is recommended to drink with tonsillitis and acute angina.
Along with this drink, vitality flows into a sick organism, energy and mood increase. That is why with depression, too, you can and should resort to this remedy. Chronic fatigue and drowsiness can also be overcome with water and lemon. It is even believed that it can serve as an almost equivalent substitute for a morning cup of coffee.
To help sour drink advised to resort to food poisoning, with nausea and dizziness. Just do not need in these cases to drink it on an empty stomach.
The benefits of losing weight
Widely used hot water with lemon for weight loss. Reviews say that it is justified, and the drink really helps to lose weight.
Weight loss is facilitated by the fact that lemon juice significantly affects the activation of metabolic processes in the body and simultaneously stabilizes the digestive tract, and water saturates the cells with life-giving moisture. Hot lemonade effectively drowns out the feeling of hunger, and this in itself helps to lose weight, as the appetite is taken under control.
It is known that people often confuse hunger with thirst. They begin to eat at a time when the body simply suffers from a lack of fluid. Water with lemon shoots in two directions: on the one hand, it delivers a lot of macro- and microelements to the body, along with a whole bunch of vitamins, and on the other hand, it allows you to fully satisfy the body's need for moisture.
Those who want to lose weight, it is important to drink hot water with lemon on an empty stomach. After this, physical education (morning exercises, outdoor jogging, etc.) is recommended, after which you can already afford a light breakfast.
How to cook and eat
How to drink hot water with lemon and how to cook it? It would seem, why recipes and tips, because what is easier: squeeze citrus juice into hot water and all. However, the preparation of this drink can be approached creatively. Here are a few options:
- In a glass of hot water, put a thick slice of fresh citrus and let it brew a little and cool down a little. Then drink the drink quickly. Nutritionists say that after this, fats are broken down more actively throughout the day. Of course, the effect of lemonade should be supported by physical activity and a balanced rational diet.
- Squeeze the juice from half a lemon and pour it into a cup or glass with warm water. Further, it is allowed to sweeten the drink with a spoon of honey. You can drink the drink in the morning on an empty stomach and before bedtime.
- Grind whole citrus with peel in a blender. Use the resulting slurry during the day by adding it to the water intended for drinking. This will help cleanse toxins and relieve swelling.
Tip: mint leaves can serve as an additional component to water with lemon, which successfully complements the taste of the drink.
Pregnant women
Hot water with lemon in the morning can be very useful for expectant mothers, because women who are expecting a baby, like no one else, need a constant influx of vitamins and minerals into the body. Pregnant women should take care of strengthening their immunity in order to protect themselves from bacterial and viral infections. The beneficial substances of lemon juice diluted in water help future mothers get rid of a deficiency of magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C.
These elements are involved in the formation of bone structures of the fetus, its brain and nervous system. A child receiving full nutrition even in the womb will subsequently have stronger immunity and will not get rickets.
Water with lemon: harm when breastfeeding
But nursing mothers should not get carried away with lemon water. The fact is that citrus fruits often cause allergic reactions in babies. The milk of a mother who drinks lemon and water for her health can harm a baby to a large extent.
For children
We have already said about the allergenicity of lemon. It is because of this that children under 3 years old should not be given water with lemon juice. But after overcoming three years of age, it is perfectly acceptable to supplement the child’s diet with natural homemade lemonade.
You just need to start with very small portions and at the same time carefully monitor the condition of the baby. It is important to respond promptly at the first sign of an onset of allergies and stop giving the child a drink.
When preparing lemonade for babies, it is recommended to sweeten it with honey (if there is no allergy) or add juice of other fruits.
Help with a hangover
Many are familiar with the state of a hangover and how difficult it is to bring yourself back to normal. But if you have a lemon and a teapot with hot water at hand, the healing process can be significantly accelerated.
Hot water with lemon will help to neutralize toxic substances in excess concentrated in the blood of a person who, on the eve, allowed himself to drink too much alcohol, and remove toxins from the body. The condition of the sufferer, who resorted to the help of lemon water, is quickly relieved, and the following changes occur with the body:
- blood pressure gently drops;
- vessels and small capillaries expand;
- blood viscosity decreases;
- kidney activity is improving;
- edema disappears due to the withdrawal of excess fluid;
- toxins are neutralized.
Cosmetic effect
Women have long noticed that if you drink hot water with lemon regularly, then this can improve the appearance of the skin. The fact is that the skin condition is very negatively affected by the lack of trace elements and vitamins.
If there is a steady and prolonged deficiency of the necessary substances, then the skin of the face begins to quickly signal this. It acquires a lifeless shade, irritations, acne, etc. appear on the surface. In this condition, even expensive creams or masks can not always help.
But hot water with lemon copes with the cosmetic problem "with a bang." Still, after all, this tool can be called a "vitamin bomb"! For example, vitamin C, which is very abundant in lemons, is necessary for the body to synthesize collagen, the lack of which entails the formation of wrinkles and sagging skin.
Zinc deficiency makes the skin prone to irritation and dryness, nails break, and hair falls out. In lemon, zinc is present in sufficient quantities to make up for the deficiency of this element.
Without vitamin E, long-term preservation of a beautiful appearance is hardly possible. Tocopherol is also called: "vitamin of beauty and youth." Those who want to have beautiful silk silk and well-groomed face skin must make sure that the body does not lack in it. The same can be said about other vitamins contained in lemon. This citrus is a kind of balanced natural vitamin complex.
All that remains for us is to dilute the lemon juice in water, drink aromatic, healthy nectar every day and watch in the mirror the transformation of our appearance.
What harm can water with lemon do?
We have already talked a lot about the benefits of hot water with lemon. On an empty stomach, you can also use it, although not for everyone .. But can it not do any harm?
You should know that citric acid is a rather aggressive substance. For example, it is able to adversely affect tooth enamel, which can be especially strongly felt by people whose tooth enamel is thin and sensitive by nature. But even for those whose teeth are distinguished by excellent strength and health, it is recommended to rinse the mouth thoroughly after it has been visited by an acidic lemon drink.
It is recommended that people with gastritis with high acidity be very careful about lemon and water with the addition of juice from it. If they drink hot water with lemon on an empty stomach, the benefits of this action are unlikely to be noticeable. Severe heartburn and stomach pain are what awaits them. In some cases, the development of peptic ulcer is even possible.
In cases where there is any damage to the mucous membrane in the mouth, citric acid is also undesirable, because it can increase irritation and promote the appearance of ulcers.
And, of course, you should not drink lemon water for those who have the misfortune of being allergic to citrus fruits.
People with any kind of chronic illness are best advised to consult a doctor about their plans for regular drinking, which is discussed in this article.
Final word
Enthusiastic reviews of hot water with lemon lead to the conclusion that a universal magic panacea has been found, besides worthless trifles and accessible to everyone. But I want to remind you that even if some means help most people, there are surely those to whom it not only does not help, but even harms.
Before you begin to actively use water with lemon, you must certainly familiarize yourself with the possible negative effects of this drink and a list of contraindications.