There are many foods trends that I sometimes find myself rolling my eyes over. Like the black-coloured food trend (yes, this is a thing), things made from ramen other than ramen, or the baby food diet (à la RoboCop).
One of the trends that has been on the up-and-up for a while now that isn’t so ridiculous, and is something that as a nutritionist I can really get behind, is lemon water. It’s so simple, so good, and very much packed with a ton of health benefits.
The humble lemon has always been a hot commodity. These yellow citrus wonder balls were highly-prized by miners and cultivators during the California gold rush in the mid 19th century as it was used to protect against scurvy which resulted from a deficiency of vitamin C. Another group that cherished these amazing fruit for their health benefits were people making long sea voyages. Pirates probably considered them precious loot, alongside their gold and treasure.
Cultivated for about 2,500 years and thought to have originated in China or India, today the leading producers of lemons are the United States, Italy, Spain, Greece, Israel and Turkey. There is no shortage of alternative uses for lemons, including medicinal purposes and even as a common house cleaner.
One of the best ways to achieve the health benefits the lemon can provide is with lemon water. The first thing that I do in the morning is grab a glass of water and squeeze half a lemon into it. This will kick-start the day by having cleansing and detoxing effects on my liver and a start off my hydration and digestion process. Lemon juice helps increase hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which aids in the breakdown of food as the major component of gastric acid. In fact, a lot of digestive problems and illnesses can be the result of not having enough stomach acid, and healing your stomach always equals fantastic results for your health.
So what are other the benefits of diluting a little lemon in your water? Let’s explore a few:
Immune system
Because of its high vitamin C content, it aids in boosting the immune system, so it comes in handy during cold and flu season.
Aging
Lemons are high in antioxidants that have anti-aging properties, making it great for wrinkles and your skin altogether. Lemon juice is frequently snuck into skin products as it is a great blackhead treatment, along with its many other talents.
Nutrition
Yes, they are bitter and pack a punch, but adding them to your meals will result in high citric acid, vitamin B complex, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and fiber intake. I love adding lemon juice to salad dressings, dips and even just squeezing some over a prepared meal for extra flavour.
Detoxing
Taken first thing in the morning, lemon juice is a great liver detoxifier, which will come in handy after that bottle wine you drank last night.
Digestion
Along with increasing digestive juices, lemons also encourage the production of bile and aids digestion.
First aid
Always handy to have round because it can prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria that causes infections.
Inflammation
Lemon juice reduces inflammation in joints and knees because it dissolves uric acid.
Brain health
Potassium levels helps to nourish nerve cells as well as your brain.
Recipe: Lemon salad dressing
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup organic expeller pressed extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp dried thyme
1 crushed garlic bulb
Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
Mix together in a jar and store in fridge until ready to use.
