It’s nearly impossible to wake up from a long night’s sleep without feeling at least a little thirsty. And since you’re going to drink a glass of water anyways, why not add a dash of lemon to the mix? (July 20, 2022)

You’ll be wonderfully surprised at what this little trick will do for your health.

1. Improves Digestion

Drinking lemon juice first thing in the morning will kick start your digestive system to be ready to receive your first meal of the day. (1)

2. Boosts Immune System.

Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C, which helps strengthen the immune system and fights cold and flu. A study also found that citric acid may prevent the highly contagious norovirus from infecting humans (2). If that’s not enough, vitamin c actually boosts your body’s ability to absorb iron, which also helps your immune system.

3. Hydrates Your Body

It is important to stay hydrated, but many people choose flavorful drinks over plain water. If you’re looking for hydration, it’s always better to stick to the simple stuff. By adding the juice of half a lemon to your tall glass, you’ll find that drinking water isn’t such a hard thing to do after all.

4. Boosts Energy

Lemon water is a little sour, which can wake you up on groggy mornings. Also, dehydration often causes sleepiness, so a tall glass of water does just the trick!

5. Promotes Healthy Skin

Lemons are a rich sources of antioxidants that prevent free radical damage. Free radical age your whole body, skin included (4). By helping you stay hydrated, lemon water also keeps your skin looking bright, tight and less wrinkled. You can even apply lemon juice to acne and blemishes to keep your skin flawless.

6. Reduces Inflammation

Lemons have the ability to remove uric acid from your joints, which is one of the major causes of inflammation (5).

Additionally, “lemons are very high in bioflavonoids that destroy harmful free radicals that damage blood vessels and cause inflammation,” osteopath Vicky Vlachonis told Health magazine.

7. Supports Weight Loss

If you’re used to reaching for a sugary drink in the morning, opting for lemon water can help you significantly reduce your calorie intake. Lemon can also help you feel more full and satisfied than plain water alone.

8. Cleanses Your Body

It’s no secret that lemon water is a truly detoxifiying drink. Not only does it help your liver get rid of toxins, it also contains naringenin and eriocitrin, which protects the organ against inflammation and oxidative stress (7,8).

It also works as a diuretic to keep your kidneys and urinary tract free of toxins, kidney stones and bacteria.

9. Contains Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties

Lemons are naturally full of antibacterial and antiviral compounds. They can help disinfection cuts, help you fight the flu and even disinfect your kitchen.

10. Reduces Mucus And Phlegm

Warm lemon water helps wash down and dissolve extra mucus in your throat. If you take it hot, the steam will help loosen up any excess mucus you’re carrying in your sinuses. It’s no wonder that lemon tea is such a staple for the cold and flu!

11. Freshens Breath

Lemons freshen your breath by fighting bad mouth bacteria. Make sure to only use diluted lemon juice for this purpose as pure fruit juice can eat away at tooth enamel (10).

12. Boosts Brain Power

The high levels of potassium and magnesium show beneficial effects on your brain and nerve health. In fact, magnesium deficiency can even cause depression, headaches, trouble focusing and insomnia (11).

13. Prevents Tumors

When you prepare your hot lemon water, be sure to use organic lemons and let the dirnk infuse with the lemon peel and pulp after juicing. These structures contain more cancer-fighting (12, 13) antioxidants than the juice itself.

14. Kicks Caffeine To The Curb

Many people rely on caffeine to get them up in the morning and keep them energized throughout the day. Lemon water actually gives a similar energy boost, but without the mid-morning crash.

Drink Through a Stainless Straw

If you’d like to start incorporating lemon water into your morning routine, just be sure to drink it through a stainless steel straw and swish plain water around your mouth when you’re done. This will prevent the citric acid from coming into contact with your teeth and wearing down your enamel.