It’s no secret that drinking lemon water can have miraculous effects on the body. But depending where you get your information, it can be a bit confusing on when the best time to drink lemon water may be.
There are so many benefits to drinking lemon water. But, believe it or not, the time of day you drink it might make a difference in the effect it has on the body.
Let’s take a look!
Simple Lemon Water Recipe
- A big mug of warm water
- 1-2 tbs of fresh squeezed lemon juice
- squeeze of honey (optional)
Tip: For an easier no muss, no fuss lemon water routine, Use a citrus juicer to juice lemons ahead of time and freeze perfect portions in an ice cube tray. Drop a cube in your water and you’re done! No cutting board to clean or knives to clean, etc.
FAQ – Can I use Lemon Essential Oil in my water? While Lemon Essential oil is useful in so many ways, this is not one way I would recommend using it. Lemon essential oil is made from the peel, not the juice, so the nutrient profile is completely different. Additionally, as a certified aromatherapist and herbalist, I do not recommend ingestion essential oils unless you are supervised by a qualified, certified professional and are using it for a specific health purpose for a very limited amount of time.
Drinking Lemon Water In The Morning
For many reasons, a mug of warm lemon water is highly recommended in the morning, before you consume anything else. When you sleep, you go (hopefully) 8 hours or more without water, which can sometimes make the body feel dehydrated. Naturally, water will break that fast.
Lemon water first thing in the morning will help to begin the rehydration process and boost your metabolism(very important for those that are trying to drop a few pounds). Citruses have always been very popular to help wake the body up and are considered energizing, both in smell and in nutrients.
Of course, I can’t leave out the number one reason lemon water is famous. Weight loss. When you drink lemon water first thing in the morning, you stimulate your digestive system. However weight loss benefits aren’t only to be had in the morning. I’ll get to that in just a minute.
First thing in the morning it will freshen the mouth (but tastes terrible after toothpaste….just in case you haven’t experienced that yet) Lemon also alkalizes the body which helps keep the body energized, healthy, and fights cancer too! In addition it can boost your brain power and reduce inflammation.
Drinking Lemon Water Before Bed
A cup of warm lemon water can absolutely be part of your nightly routine. Citruses, especially lemon, are powerful detoxifying agents and can help you detox while you sleep.
Drinking a glass of lemon water can also help for those suffering from constipation (I know, no one wants to talk about it, but it’s true!) According to the Gut Health Project, depending on a person’s size, your colon can be holding up to 20 pounds of impacted, toxic, fecal matter. That could be up to 8 (or more) undigested meals! How disgusting is that??
Remember that bit about weight loss? Before healthy weight loss can happen, the body has to start functioning properly. Lemon water helps with this by cleaning out your intestines which will help drop those pounds. Also, according to Ann Louise Gittleman, many toxins are stored in your fat. Get rid of the toxins and that will also aid shedding unnecessary pounds.
During cold and flu season, it could give that virus a real kick in the pants, particularly if you get a sore throat thanks to lemon’s high levels of vitamin C.
Ever get heartburn? Lemon water can help with that too! I can personally vouch for that attribute. When I was pregnant I had horrible heartburn and a glass of lemon water took care of that much faster than heartburn medications.
What if I don’t like lemon?
If you don’t like lemons, then limes are a good substitute. If you aren’t a fan of limes either then truth be told, about half (maybe less) the benefits are more because of the hydrating aspects of drinking water as opposed to the addition of citrus juices.
So, as you can see, there are plenty of reasons why adding lemon water to either your morning or bedtime routine would be helpful. Personally I love having this as part of my daily routine no matter what time of the day it happens, especially with a little local honey, and perhaps some fresh ginger for an extra naturally medicinal boost.
Sources:
http://www.lemonwaterguide.com/can-you-drink-lemon-water-before-bed/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/324017-body-toxins-from-weight-loss/
https://www.guthealthproject.com/20-pounds-of-poop/
