When life gives you lemons, squeeze them in your water… and enjoy!
Are you trying to improve your health? Maybe lose weight? Well this is a trick that I have incorporated into my routine that I find can make a big difference. And it is probably one of the easiest tricks you’ll read about!
Now, we all know we need to drink more water. We hear it all the time! But what happens you add a bit of lemon to it? And no, not the lemon you garnish your vodka-soda with on Thursday evenings… nice try! I mean, squeezing an entire half a lemon into your Nalgene water bottle! Cause guess what! That’s exactly what I do!
TIP #1
If you don’t have a large 30 oz+ hefty water bottle that you can carry with you throughout your work day, and basically spend more time with than some of your loved ones? Get one! Even a Starbucks Tumblr! I kid you not! Having water easily accessible in that way can make all the difference. I find when I travel and forget my Nalgene, I don’t drink 1/3 of what I do when I have it with me. So go to Target! Get a fancy one! A cheap one! Anything!
TIP #2
Buy 10 organic lemons from the grocery store. you know, those big guys! Not the teeny ones in those bulk bags that you get to decorate your bar cart. Although… that is a great decor tip 🙂 These big lemons can give you SO much more juice! I sometimes keep the already-squeezed halves because you never know how much more life you can get out of them. And lemons are so inexpensive, that a huge benefit is how far these will go. 10 can last you 2+ weeks!!
So why are we doing this? What on earth is Keegan talking about!?
Lemons have some surprising health benefits! And drinking them in water is a great way to incorporate those beauties into your health routine. What are those benefits?
Your Immune System Gets a Buddy!
The vitamin C in lemons is often overlooked because the orange seems to be more marketable. And there aren’t many ways people can “eat” lemons. But guess what? 1 lemon has 139% of the daily recommended vitamin C. So you can get over 70% of your daily recommended vitamin C just by drinking water. Plus? It has less than half the calories of oranges AND…. drumroll please… 1/9th the amount of sugar of an orange.
Balances pH Levels
When I think of a lemon, I think of an acidic food! But when your body breaks it down, it actually have an incredibly alkaline effect. What does that mean? It means the pH levels are on the “basic” side which reduces your overall acidic levels in your body. Why is this a good thing? When your body’s pH level is more acidic, it is more prone to disease.
Helps Digestions
Because of the minerals in lemons and limes, it aids your liver to produce the necessary components to benefit your digestion. The minerals help release toxins and loosen them within the digestion tract which makes that process smoother.
Weight Loss
Along with the minerals that aid in digestions, its pectin fiber helps fight hunger cravings. I know that for me, personally if I have a sweet tooth, it disappears completely after I down just a few sips of my lemon-water. So not only is your body getting the necessary nutrients to help with this process, your taste buds are too! Less sugar can help everyone.
Skin + Breath
Breath? Well… duh! Before it is digested, the acidic form of lemon juice helps eliminate odor-causing bacteria. So it’s basically the most natural, sugar-free gum that’s not on the market! Going back to the high concentration of vitamin C, this and its other antioxidants help rude the appearance of wrinkles and the overall complexion of your skin.
