Lemon Water

[Ethan_Oleh]

I drank lemon water every day for 2 weeks to see if its health benefits were true - here’s what I learned

 

Humans have been experimenting with tonics since the beginning of time. From the fountain of youth to alkaline water to kale juice, we’re always searching for that magic potion that will restore health and wellness, ward off illness, and make us look and feel 10 years younger. But what if that potion isn’t so mysterious? What if it’s just… lemon water? 

Lemon water has been touted as a health and wellness aid for years by some MDs, clean living advocates, and, of course, celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow. And unlike packaged juice cleanses that supposedly brighten your skin and age you backwards, lemon water won’t break the bank. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it seems safe (as long as you don’t try to exist on lemon water alone)—but does it really work wonders?

Some proponents of lemon water claim that it aids digestion, detoxifies the liver, erases age spots, speeds up your metabolism, helps with depression and anxiety, relieves heartburn, wards off cancer, and reduces inflammation. I was sceptical that it could do all those things, but I figured if it does even a few it would be pretty great.

I’ve had lemon water here and there over the years, of course, but I decided to drink two cups a day for two weeks to see if it would have any noticeable impact. Here’s what I learned.

 

Complexion perfection?

Lemons are high in antioxidants, which help prevent cellular damage and ward off free radicals—including those that lead to wrinkles and other complexion issues related to ageing. (That's why so many skin serums contain antioxidants like vitamin C, and why dermatologists say it's a good idea to eat more antioxidant-rich foods.) I wasn't expecting miracles, and I didn't find them. But by week two I started to notice a slight improvement in my skin. A few trouble spots had cleared up, and when I looked in the mirror my complexion did seem to be less dull and more vibrant. 

 

Tummy tamer?

Health-conscious friends of mine are always claiming that lemon water—especially warm or hot lemon water—can help with digestion and cut down on bloat. And experts do say that the citric acid in lemons can supplement your natural stomach acids to help you break down food. I also learned that lemon water is a surprisingly decent source of potassium, a mineral that helps keep sodium levels in check. (Not that I was drinking it straight, but half a cup of lemon juice has about 125 mg of potassium compared to about 211 mg in a banana.) So maybe it would also combat salt-related fluid retention? At first I wasn't sure if my lemon water habit was doing anything, but after a few days I noticed I was less bloated. 

 

Cold fighter?

Citrus fruits like lemons are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that research suggests may help ward off colds and reduce inflammation throughout the body. You would probably have to drink a lot of lemon water for a long period of time to really notice a difference in inflammation, and it's tough to gauge the impact of lemon water on your immune system over a short period of time. That said, I didn't get sick during my two-week experiment. (If you're looking to boost your vitamin C intake, add this immune-boosting smoothie from Prevention Premium to your daily meal plan.)

 

Weight-loss aid?

A study in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition found that polyphenols in lemon peel prevented mice from putting on extra fat during a 12-week period. In two weeks I lost a single pound, which may or may not have been due to the lemon water. In my case, I suspect it mostly helped with motivation. After starting my day with something as healthy as lemon water, I felt more inclined to stick with workouts, eat clean foods, and pass on caloric drinks like orange juice and soda. 

 

Mood booster?

In addition to all of the physical benefits, lemon water has been touted as a balm for lifting your spirits—a claim that brought out my inner sceptic. If lemon water could truly pull you out of a funk, they would bottle it and sell it for about 200 times the price. That said, maybe it was the pound I lost or just the confidence that came from sticking to a health-focused plan for two weeks, but I did feel, mentally, just a little bit lighter. 

 

As for my internal organs, it's a bit of a mystery. I have no way to gauge whether or not my liver was "detoxified" or my digestive system really improved. But here’s hoping that any change it had on my body was a positive one. 

 

Edited February 23, 2017 by Ethan_Oleh

[Uclover]

Lemon water ? Just put slice of lemon in the water...???

[EasleyLim]

Or it could simply be that you drank more water.

 

You should do a doubleblind test to make sure lemon is the real cause.

[Ethan_Oleh]

22 hours ago, Uclover said:

Lemon water ? Just put slice of lemon in the water...???

Recommended to used warm water and add a slice of lemon.

Edited February 24, 2017 by Ethan_Oleh

[upshot]

23 hours ago, EasleyLim said:

Or it could simply be that you drank more water.

 

You should do a doubleblind test to make sure lemon is the real cause.

 

It warms me each time I see another person who know how to use proper test measure method to test something to ensure the least amount of bias findings

 

Anyway to do test like this on a person is not conclusive as one's biological anatomy function differ some what from another and this non clinical testing is just too inaccurate. You need to control for all condition to be CONSTANT each day to detect differences. Meaning eating the same food, same amount, same time each day, doing the same activities each day, sleep the same time, same duration...etc. Thus the best way to do this is at the cellular level  with instruments that check your blood,  tissue ..etc.

 

Problem is human tend to get caught up in confirmation bias most of the time and their belief system is more about, so long they see more people talking about it, it must be true. I prefer to always go check especially matters that concern health, money and anything that can make a drastic change to your life. Nothing upsets me more then to do something over years or spend money to only find out, it was all for nothing. heheh. I am anal like that...but it keeps me occupied on boring days heeee.

[upshot]

Btw... for those who take supplements... You get more adsorption of vitamins and minerals if taken from food items that contain them THAN SUPPLEMENT PILLS heh.. And also depending on which vitamins or minerals and the process they pack the nutrients into the pill.

 

I still take supplements though but I make sure I also eat and drink the appropriate food. As you age your body will start as earlier as late 30s to lack certain nutrient and you need to add more to compensate. Absorption slows and your digestive system starts to digest certain food items not as well as it use to. By the time you are late 40 to 50.. supplements and vitamin are important if you are especially wanting a healthy lifestyle. By even older age some people might have problem digesting certain vegetable and even meat. I have a auntie in her 60s who will get sick if there is bean sprouts and a few other greens for example. 

 

As we age and staying alone being gay or someone who just prefer not to marry. We need to learn a bit more about all these to help make our life as we get into the 50s to 70s or longer less complicated. And this might mean sacrificing certain food items from our regular diet.

[Kimochi]

Can try cum test?  One tea spoon to a liter of water every day. Don't take any other supplements or vitamins.  2 weeks trial ~ and report outcome .

[intspec51]

the lemon water sounds miraculous... haha

[Ethan_Oleh]

11 minutes ago, intspec51 said:

the lemon water sounds miraculous... haha

Many restaurants in singapore are serving water with lemon. Sometimes you can see a jar of water inside theres some lemon inside.

Even in bangkok, hong kong, seoul, tokyo and many others cities also serve water with lemon especially their cafe.

Edited February 25, 2017 by Ethan_Oleh

[intspec51]

Just now, Ethan_Oleh said:

Many restaurants in singapore are serving water with lemon. Sometimes you can see a jar of water inside theres some lemon inside.

Even in bangkok, hong kong, seoul, tokyo and many others cities also serve water with lemon especially their cafe.

Yeah, that's pretty true.

[NYBlue]

!

Edited March 8, 2019 by NYBlue

[upshot]

11 hours ago, Ethan_Oleh said:

Many restaurants in singapore are serving water with lemon. Sometimes you can see a jar of water inside theres some lemon inside.

Even in bangkok, hong kong, seoul, tokyo and many others cities also serve water with lemon especially their cafe.

 

Lemon in water is also provided for another reason besides drinking. It is for washing your fingers as lemon help to tackle food smell from your fingers especially if you use your fingers to hold food. Lemon scent helps a lot to mask smell. The thing is to ask them first if it is for drinking or not in case you end up drinking a cup heheh