The star of super foods lemon has been consumed since time immemorial. From being added as a flavoring agent to being consumed raw, lemon has always had the spotlight. Does lemon water help you burn extra calories? No. Should you be consuming lemon water if you wish to lose weight? Yes. Confused? Read on to find out how and why lemon water could be your friend if you intend to cut down a few inches.
Lemon water in itself has no properties of burning down calories but here are a few reasons why you should be swapping your drinks with it:
- Lemon has diuretic characteristics – which might make you run to the toilet more often, but in return will help with bloating issues. This more you pee or poop, the more water weight you lose.
- Lemon water will fasten your metabolism – Lemon water has been observed as a catalyst for metabolism. Water also has properties of accelerating metabolism and inducing thermo-genesis which is a metabolic process where body calories get burnt and produce heat.
- Lemon water is the lowest on calorie count – As people generally consume one half of a lemon with water the total calories in the drink comes up to only six calories! Whereas other common drinks like fresh fruit juices or sweetened soda drinks can have 20-30 times more the calorie.
- Lemon water and the magic of pectin – Pectin is a dietary fiber which is water soluble and slows down the digestion process which in return kills the unwanted hunger pangs. It also increases body’s capacity to absorb glucose and leads to lesser cravings.
These were some direct ways in which lemon helps in weight loss. Here are a few indirect and holistic ways in which lemon leads to maintenance and reduction of body weight:
- Cut down on the slack with an immunity boost – Vitamin C is a core content in lemon juice and is famous for its immunity building properties. One of the main things that helps in weight loss is consistency in exercise. The increased levels of vitamin C will assure a surge of energy even in stressful and dull days and will help regulate your weight more effectively.
- Lemon juice helps in digestion – A lot of people are now suffering from gas, heartburn and acidity. The medicines that the above said consume contain unwanted sweeteners and lead to not just an unhealthy dependence on medicines but also dull and lethargic attitude. Consumption of lemon juice will help improve digestion naturally by breaking the food down.
- Lemon water helps reduce body inflammation – Daily consumption of lemon water can help reduce the levels of acids in body. The deposition and build up of uric acid leads to inflammation in joints and can be easily reduced by regular intake of lemon juice.
- Lemon water can help fight viral infections and kidney stones – Lemon is filled with antioxidant properties and can fight the strongest viral diseases by building the immunity and fighting the disease causing virus. Solid mineral formation in kidneys AKA kidney stones can be fought with lemon as the citrate in lemon juice helps to prevent some compounds from combining with calcium and hence preventing stones.
A word of caution – People with severe acidity and reflux issues should monitor the intake of lemon as it can sometimes aggravate the acid formation leading to more frequent bouts of acidity and acid reflux.
Lemon water might not be the magic potion to burning calories but is definitely an effective companion for weight loss enthusiasts.
Author Bio
Hello Readers !! Natalie and Caitlyn Bell are the founders of Healtholine, They started Healtholine to provide a platform where they could share informative articles related to health, fitness, beauty, weight loss etc Natalie is a featured author at various authoritative blogs in the health and fitness industry. Connect with both sisters to know more.
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