Famous on the internet, lemon water has been gaining quite a few fans in recent times.
But do you know the benefits and risks of drinking?
Lemon is a fruit rich in vitamins and minerals, which facilitate biological processes, such as digestion.
In addition, the drink is considered an antioxidant and helps prevent colds and flu .
Are you curious to know more about the properties of lemon? Then check out the full text!
Contents
What is lemon juice for?
Lemon can be considered a superfood, not only for adding flavor to food, but also for the benefits it brings to health. The fruit has several nutrients that help the body to function properly. Among the utilities of lemon, we can mention the improvement of digestion and the elimination of toxins.
Lemon juice, then, can serve to add flavor to meals and other juices, add vitamins to the diet and strengthen the body.
Secondarily, it is used to help with weight loss, immune health and the maintenance of youthful skin.
Benefits of water with lemon
The lemon is considered a fruit rich in vitamin C and other substances capable of indirectly benefiting our organism.
However, there is no scientific consensus that guarantees that lemon water causes weight loss, only indirect benefits, as we will explain below.
Fight free radicals
Lemon is a food considered antioxidant, rich in flavonoids (components naturally present in plants, fruits and vegetables).
These substances inhibit the action of free radicals (responsible for damage to healthy cells, causing inflammation in the body) and, therefore, slow down the aging of cells.
Strengthens the immune system
Considered a fruit rich in vitamin C, the lemon has several phytonutrients (compounds that help improve immunity), considered antibacterial and antiviral.
In addition, the lemon has in its composition iron, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin and thiamine.
Together, these nutrients and substances help in the proper functioning of the organism, making the defenses stronger.
Improves blood circulation
The lemon is a fruit that has a high level of hesperidin (organic compound formed by sugar) in its composition.
This substance acts by strengthening the capillary walls (small blood vessels), in addition to increasing the elasticity of the arteries, acting as a natural anticoagulant.
Helps skin health
Known for being a fruit rich in flavonoids, lemon acts by fighting free radicals and, therefore, has antioxidant action.
This means that lemon has a great action to fight the aging of cells, improving the appearance of the skin, as well as the immunity of the body in general.
In addition, it is known to have high amounts of vitamin C, enabling the production of collagen and, consequently, generating more elasticity and firmness for the skin.
It is possible to notice in its composition a substance called kaempferol, known to be a highly antioxidant flavonoid.
Read more: Coconut water (boxed, natural): benefits, calories, fattening?
Has diuretic action
Known for its high content of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, lemon is considered a diuretic food, which favors the elimination of liquids and toxins present in the body.
Thus, food is recommended to detoxify the body.
Does lemon water lose weight?
No . The correct thing to say is that lemon favors the reduction of swelling, since when drinking water with lemon, your body will be stimulated to eliminate the retained fluids.
Read more: Tips to change habits and lose weight with health
In addition, lemon has important diuretic properties, which facilitate the elimination of toxins in the urine, improve digestion and reduce inflammatory processes.
However, weight loss is due to other good habits that the person will introduce into their daily lives, such as practicing physical activities and maintaining a good diet.
Read more: Detox juice: slimming, to lose belly, how to do, recipe
Does lemon water cause gastritis?
In general, it does not, but it can aggravate or generate symptoms in those who already suffer from the condition.
The gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach which can be acute or chronic. The stomach wall can be damaged due to gastric juices produced by the stomach, which weaken the tissue lining the organ, causing pain.
However, there are people who claim that the ideal is not to consume water with lemon, as it can worsen the acidity of the stomach. Other people say that the drink does not cause or worsen stomach problems.
Thus, the ideal is to seek a specialist, since each patient must be treated in a specific way.
Is it good to drink water with lemon on an empty stomach?
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Some people use fasting water with lemon in order to lose weight. It is recommended to use the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water (200mL), without sugar, about 30 minutes before breakfast.
However, when drinking fasting water with lemon, your body can be impacted by acidity, being more harmful than beneficial to some people.
That is, if you are going to introduce water with lemon in your day to day, the ideal is that it is done between or after meals, to avoid problems that may manifest themselves.
How long after drinking lemon water can I eat?
When choosing to consume lemon juice on an empty stomach, it is recommended to use the drink about 30 minutes before breakfast.
That way, it is possible to eat something after half an hour of drinking the water.
A tip is to always use fresh lemons, so as not to lose vitamin C.
If it is eaten between meals or throughout the day, food can occur normally, respecting a maximum period of 4 hours without eating food.
How to make?
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When preparing the drink, add the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water, it can be lukewarm or natural, with no added sugar or sweeteners.
The ideal, whenever using the lemon, is to squeeze the juice and use it at once.
That’s because the lemon oxidizes very fast, which causes it to lose its main benefits, such as vitamin C, leaving it with that darkened aspect.
So, if you choose the less acid drink and are going to use half a lemon, take the opportunity to use the other half in salad dressing or as a complement in other fruits.
It is recommended to use it once a day, for at least 1 month.
Water with lemon: cold or warm?
It is recommended to use warm water with lemon. This is because the warm temperature allows the extraction of flavonoids, that is, it is possible to have a better absorption of nutrients in this way.
However, when taking the drink with ice water, thermogenesis (caloric expenditure to maintain body temperature) will increase, causing an improvement in fat burning.
However, it is worth noting that this increase in thermogenesis is, in general, quite small.
Therefore, cold water with lemon is not enough to result in weight loss if it is not combined with other habits.
When is the best time to drink lemon water?
Regarding the time and form of consumption, water with lemon can be taken throughout the day, on an empty stomach or near meals.
In general, the most common and most beneficial times for consumption are:
Between or after meals
You can use the lemon between meals, since your stomach will be protected, avoiding the impact of acidity on the body.
Vitamin C is important in the absorption of iron, which makes the consumption of lemon between meals intensify the use of nutrients.
Daytime
The drink can be used during the day, as a substitute for industrialized juices and soft drinks.
The vitamins and nutrients present will be absorbed and assimilated by the body, in the same way as at other times.
At night or before bed
This can be an option for those who want to eliminate toxins accumulated during the day.
However, one drawback of consuming the drink at this time is that, as a diuretic, the desire to go to the bathroom during the night may increase, impairing your sleep.
Water with lemon and ginger
The ginger is a good additional option for water with lemon.
This is because ginger is considered a thermogenic food, which favors an increase in body temperature, resulting in the acceleration of metabolism. That is, favoring weight loss.
The preparation of water is the same as previously mentioned, however, when adding ginger, it is recommended to use between 10g to 30g, peeled and sliced or sliced.
However, it is recommended not to create miraculous expectations with the drink, although the 2 ingredients are rich in vitamins.
Read more: Ginger tea: what is it for, benefits, how to make it, lose weight?
Is lemon water bad for you?
According to nutritionist Marla Martins, from Marcelino Champagnat Hospital, water with lemon does not harm the body. In fact, the consumption of the drink can improve the immune system, digestion, in addition to deflating and acting as an anti-inflammatory in our body.
However, it is important to know how to distinguish the recommended amount of exaggeration. In addition, each organism is unique, which means that it is necessary to assess frequent intake individually.
