Lemon Water: In a “detox” cure, with its thirty small calories, lemon is king. But what merits does this Mediterranean citrus fruit with its wrinkled peel, appreciated for its therapeutic virtues since the Middle Ages, really have? Dr. Alexandra Dalu, an anti-aging doctor and nutritionist in Paris, details its 10 health benefits.
It avoids cramps and fatigue during sports
Lemon-flavored water is very interesting during sports training. Because the body then naturally produces, in cells deprived of oxygen, lactic acid, which, by accumulating, can cause muscle cramps and a feeling of fatigue. Whatever your sporting level, Dr. Dalu, therefore, recommends “drinking, in small sips, throughout a sporting activity lasting more than 1.5 hours, lemon sparkling water with a little honey. This drink is energizing, detoxifying, and alkalizing. It rehydrates and protects the body against acidity and the loss of minerals linked to sweating during exercise.
A refreshing drink
Throw yourself in lemon water in case of a heatwave! Full of water (90%!), this plant allows you to rehydrate during high heat or intense exercise.
Improves digestion and body pH
The citrate contained in lemons restores the acid-base balance of the body. However, an acidic body is a body in poor health: acidity creates an environment conducive to the development of bacteria, diseases, and other yeasts. It is also the main cause of inflammation in cellular tissues, which is accentuated by pollution, stress, and poor diet.
A rebalanced pH, therefore, promotes digestion. The good tip, according to our nutritionist: drink lemon sparkling water during a protein meal. The bicarbonate of sparkling water and the citrate of lemon alkalize the pH, thus protecting the stomach from any attack.
Promotes weight loss
Lemon water can act as an appetite suppressant. Its bitterness “annihilates the excitement of the taste buds, thus reducing the appetite for a sweet snack,” explains Dr. Dalu. With only 30 calories per 100 grams of pulp, this drink also constitutes a healthy and tasty alternative to industrial fruit juices or sodas, which are often rich in sugar. Furthermore, it can replace vinegar or salt when you pay attention to your diet because it is low in calories and gives flavor to raw vegetables or fish.
An excellent diuretic
Citrus limon is a powerful diuretic; it stimulates the activity of the kidneys, therefore improving the elimination of toxins via urine.
Good advice for consuming lemon water
It is better to drink it during meals and not throughout the day. Be careful to avoid consumption on an empty stomach before breakfast; the acidity of lemon can attack tooth enamel. You must also be careful to prepare it at the last moment and consume it quickly because the vitamins in citrus fruits quickly lose their power. vitamin as soon as they are in contact with air and light.
In terms of quantity, there is no ideal dose, says Dr. Dalu, “it depends on your taste”. The fact remains that this drink is an excellent choice, inexpensive, and practical, for all those who do not like fruit, consume little of it, or even for those with a “salty tooth”. Knowing that vitamin C consumption should be around 100 mg per day, two lemons can provide you with energy for the day. Smokers will, however, need to be a little more generous in their proportions because tobacco oxidizes ascorbic acid.
Reduces blood pressure
Like any plant, lemon also contains a good dose of potassium, which helps reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure.
Promotes transit
Certainly, it is not the fruit richest in fiber … But still! The small yellow citrus fruit contains pectin, an organic plant substance that improves transit by acting on intestinal muscular functions.
Stock up on vitamins
There’s more to life than oranges and grapefruits! We often forget it, but lemon is also full of vitamins (53 milligrams): it therefore has antioxidant properties. Consuming two or three lemons per day helps stimulate immunity and thus defend the body against infections.
Helps fight aging
This is the other asset (and not the least), of vitamin C. It protects our skin by fighting against aging and improving the quality of collagen, this natural protein present in our body that ensures the cohesion, elasticity, and regeneration of all skin tissues. Be careful, however: if you smoke and/or drink, you can say goodbye to all these beautiful qualities…
Reduces inflammatory conditions
Another benefit linked to its anti-oxidant properties is that lemon is an excellent anti-inflammatory. Thus, it reduces low-grade inflammation (known as “silent inflammation”) which, recalls Alexandra Dalu, can trigger diseases ( cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, asthma, allergies, arthritis, and other joint conditions, etc.) in the long term.
Separating the wheat from the chaff
If lemon water has virtues, it is still necessary to distinguish the different versions of this tangy drink. Water “flavored” with lemon, which can be found ready-made in stores, or even lemonade and lemonade, does not have the properties of simple lemon juice freshly squeezed in a glass. of water. “Even if these drinks contain little sugar, they generally contain sweeteners or flavorings which give them a sweet flavor. However, the brain, genetically programmed to recognize the sweet flavor, is incapable of distinguishing its quality. It therefore reacts by stimulating the hormones that regulate sugar, thus making you gain weight.
This is what we call a “marketing lure!” warns Dr. Alexandra Dalu. Rest assured, this does not mean that we should ban these sweet waters, which are particularly appreciated as an aperitif. “Eating it sporadically is safe and pleasant; it’s fresh and refreshing!” recognizes Dr. Dalu. But if we are looking for nutritional qualities in lemon water, it is the purified version (water, sparkling, or still + squeezed lemon) that should be preferred.