Touted as a wonderful aid for detox and weight loss by fitness enthusiasts around the world, lemon juice offers benefits that go way beyond.
Loaded with vitamin C, lemon juice possesses all the wonderful benefits of lemon including immune-boosting capabilities. So, let’s delve deeper and see how lemon juice can boost your immune system.
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Health Benefits Of Lemons
Lemons are a wonderful source of vitamin C and flavonoids. One lemon weighing 58 grams can provide more than 30 mg of vitamin C. The flavonoids in the lemons have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
The antioxidants help to protect the cells in the body from being damaged by removing the free radicals. Free radicals are harmful compounds produced in the body because of oxidative stress that cause various diseases.
And, by doing this, the antioxidants can help to reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and obesity while improving your overall health and well-being.
The flavonoids in lemons can also help to reduce chronic inflammation in the body, which is linked to increased oxidative stress and risk of health conditions such as autoimmune conditions, diabetes, arthritis and cancer.
Studies show that the vitamin C in the lemon can help the optimal functioning of the immune system, helps in better iron absorption and wound healing.
The vitamin C in the lemon stimulates the immune system to produce more WBCs (white blood cells) that are essential to combat infections. While people believe that the vitamin C in the lemon can help to prevent colds.
Research shows that in reality, vitamin C cannot prevent colds; however, it can help to reduce the severity and shorten the duration of a cold.
A 2006 study revealed that vitamin C along with the zinc in lemons improve the function of natural killer cells in the body that help antimicrobial activity and combat infections.
It helps the body’s lymphocytes and also helps the cells of the body to maintain their integrity while fighting oxidative damage. Both the vitamin C and zinc together aid the body in resisting infectious diseases, reducing the severity and length of infections.
Does Lemon Juice Boost The Immune System?
Apart from being a highly refreshing and hydrating drink, especially the first thing in the morning, lemon juice also has all the beneficial properties of lemons, offers great health benefits and helps to boost the immune system.
Lemon water has antibacterial and antiviral properties and the antioxidants in the lemon can help to boost the immune system. Also, drinking lemon water with a teaspoonful of honey is an excellent way to boost your immune system and enhance the capability of the body to fight diseases.
What Is the Best Time To Have Lemon Water?
While lemon water can be an “anytime” refreshing and hydrating beverage, experts believe that drinking lemon water the first thing in the morning as you wake up can be excellent for your immune system.
Having lemon water on an empty stomach allows the cells and tissues of the body to absorb all the beneficial nutrients of the lemon better. Although lemon juice is acidic, drinking it along with warm water makes the pH of the body alkaline, which helps to combat diseases because diseases cannot survive in an alkaline state.
Further, drinking lemon juice in the morning can help detoxify your liver by purging all the toxins collected overnight and eliminating them from the body. The lemon water also helps to jumpstart your digestive system, aiding in better digestion.
How Many Times A Day Can You Drink Lemon Water?
Lemon water offers plenty of health benefits and experts recommend that you can drink lemon water 2-3 or more times a day.
When it comes to drinking lemon water more than once a day, people are concerned that because lemon juice is acidic, it may corrode the tooth enamel.
However, this is a misconception and in fact, lemon juice is rich in calcium and minerals that may be good for your teeth and also kill tooth decay-causing bacteria. And so, drinking lemon juice several times a day can be beneficial to your health and also your immune system.
Other Health Benefits Of Drinking Lemon Water
Apart from giving your immune system a boost, the vitamin C in lemon juice helps to combat sore throat, viral infection and reduce stress. The lemon juice contains lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which are beneficial for eye health. Lemon water has natural diuretic properties that help to flush out the toxins from the body and reduces bloating.
The potassium in the lemon juice is beneficial to nerve and brain function and heart health. Drinking lemon water can help to reduce inflammation in the body, clean your system, reduce acidity and remove uric acid from your joints.
It boosts the enzyme function and stimulates the liver, activates the flow of bile that helps to emulsify the fat-soluble toxins in the body and flush them out. Drinking lemon juice 10-15 minutes before your meals helps to boost the production of enzymes and aids digestion. The vitamin C and other nutrients in lemon juice improve skin health.
How To Make Lemon Water?
Making lemon water is very easy. It is simply lemon juice mixed with water. You can add as much lemon water as you want according to your preference and you can drink it hot or cold. To make lemon water, boil 2 cups of water and allow it to cool for around 3-5 minutes until it is warm.
Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into the warm water. You can also make lemon water at room temperature or cold water. Use fresh lemons to make the lemon juice and not store-bought or frozen lemon juice for the lemon water.
To make it a healthy drink, avoid using sugar. You can add honey, ginger, turmeric, mint leaves, and lemon rind to add flavor to the lemon water. Adding a teaspoonful of honey and freshly grated ginger can help to stimulate your liver to flush out the toxins better.
Does Lemon Juice Boost Your Immune System? Summing Up
In conclusion, just like the fruit, lemon water also offers the same health benefits. It helps to boost the immune system, giving an extra boost when you’re suffering from an infection or cold, keeping you healthy.
