Seven Zesty Reasons To Make Lemon Water Your Go-To Morning Drink

Health professionals have touted the benefits of downing a glass of water as soon as you wake up for decades. Countless studies have proven that starting your system with a nice eight-ounce glass has tremendous short and long-term benefits. Energy and metabolic levels ramp up as pains and aches fade away in the short term. Otherwise, you can expect clearer skin and weight loss in the long haul.

But what if we told you those benefits could be multiplied by turning that plain glass of water into one saturated with lemon? Not to be too forward with the pun, but you know what they say, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. However, with these benefits, no sugar is needed.

The following are just seven benefits of drinking lemon water as your first-morning beverage.

1. Aid Your Digestion Processes

As the name implies, Citric acid is a naturally occurring substance found in citrus fruits. This acid gives the fruit its tart and sour taste. By drinking a glass of lemon water in the morning, you are lending the power of Citric acid to supplant your body's naturally occurring stomach acid levels. In short, Citric acid will enhance the digestion process for the food from the night before and for the day ahead.

2. An Easy Way to Increase Your Water Intake

We won't lie to you; consuming plain water can be a dull, flavorless experience. That's where the magic of the lemon comes into play. Add in some lemon juice or slices for those who dislike tap water's natural taste. The addition of flavor will make you more inclined to drink more throughout the day, thus helping you reach the daily recommended water consumption for adults.

3. Replace Drinks With An Even Better Alternative

Continuing with the benefit above, consider replacing your sugary morning breakfast drinks with this two-ingredient super drink. As orange juice and lemon have similar vitamin and mineral benefits, exclusively switching to lemon water will save you nearly 3,000 calories per month. A glass of OJ is over 100 calories, after all. Over time, that number will undoubtedly be noticeable as you thin down.

4. Crossing Paths with Antioxidants

Lemon water contains plenty of vitamin C, and because of this, your body is receiving an influx of antioxidants. Antioxidants assist the body's cells from negating damage caused by naturally-occurring free radicals. Due to this surplus of antioxidants, these free radicals are gathered and flushed from the body. If you're curious, free radicals can cause diseases like cancer and Alzheimers.

5. Keep Your System Running Tight

Along with vitamin C, lemons are an excellent source of potassium. Potassium, which is occasionally considered an electrolyte, is a positively charged mineral that helps muscles contract, move nutrients into cells, remove waste, and maintain a strong network of electrical impulses between nerve cells.

6. Avoiding A Fate with Kidney Stones

If you’ve been lucky enough to avoid them thus far, kidney stones are excessive deposits of salts and minerals that form together within the interior of the kidney. One out of ten Americans will develop kidney stones throughout their lives. While these stones do not leave any long-lasting damage, women that have passed kidney stones have said that it was even more painful than childbirth. Thankfully, Citrate, a salt in Citric acid, helps prevent these stones from forming.

7. Start Your Day Off Fresh

Last and certainly not least, lemon water can help you begin your daily freshening process. If you sleep with your mouth open, your mouth tends to be dry upon waking. When the mouth is dry, bacteria are allowed to prosper and multiply. Unfortunately, their waste products produce that terrible smell known as "bad breath." Thankfully, lemon will dissipate the bad-breath smell but also stimulate saliva production. Saliva will keep the mouth moist and avoid the space drying out.

From a cure for bad breath to the prevention of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's disease, the daily inclusion of lemon water in your morning routine will do you and your body wonders.

Lastly, squeeze half a lemon (or add the slice equivalent) into hot or cold water to make this wonderful concoction. Enjoy!