One of the most important parts of my morning routine it drinking a large glass of warm lemon water. It’s an ancient Ayurvedic ritual that is so easy, quick, and can be done anywhere, whether at home or traveling.
For most of my life, when eating out at restaurants, a glass of water with lemon has been my drink of choice. It’s refreshing, it’s thirst quenching, and hey, it’s free to order. But having a glass of warm water with lemon in the morning on an empty stomach takes it to another level. It’s more than refreshing and thirst quenching… it’s awakening, energizing, and it’s great for the body. It gets things flowing.
I’m sure you’ve heard of this wellness “hack” before. So many people have touted the health benefits of drinking warm lemon water on an empty stomach. I’m definitely not the first, and won’t be the last, but I’m here to share why it’s a necessity in my morning routine.
The benefits of drinking warm lemon water in the morning
1. It’s hydrating
This one has more to do with the water than the lemon – it’s hydrating. When you wake up in the morning, your body is already dehydrated. You went all night without taking in any liquid, and while you didn’t take any in, your body was still expelling liquid out through your breath, and if you have them, night sweats. It’s so important to re-hydrate. Your muscles, cells, and every part of your body needs that H2O to function properly. For me, the warm water goes down smoother than cold water (it took a little while to get to this point). It isn’t such a shock to my system as drinking cold water early in the morning.
2. It kick starts digestion
According to Ayurveda, warm water in the morning activates digestion and helps stimulate blood flow. The juice of the lemon can help activate stomach acid and bile production.
3. It supports the immune system
Lemons are a great source of Vitamin C. One medium size lemon has about 30 mg of Vitamin C. I use 1/4 of a lemon each morning for my water, so I get approximately 7.5 mg of Vitamin C first thing in the morning. Not a huge amount, considering adult women should aim for 75 mg a day, and adult men should aim for 90 mg, but it’s a great start for the day.
4. It’s energizing
I feel awake and energized immediately after drinking warm water with lemon in the morning. Maybe it’s to do with proper hydration, or maybe it’s the energizing tantalizing lemon, but I love this effect. It’s nice to not have to go straight to the coffee in the morning.
5. It’s so good for your skin
Proper hydration alone is so important for your skin, but adding lemon to your water is very beneficial for it as well. The antioxidants in lemons fight free radical damage, helping to slow the aging process and promote healthy skin. Higher Vitamin C consumption has even been linked to fewer wrinkles.
6. It helps keep fresh breath
Lemons are antibacterial, so they’re great at fighting bacteria in the mouth that cause bad breath.
When I first started drinking warm lemon water in the mornings, it wasn’t easy. The warm temperature of the water made me feel nauseas immediately after drinking it. You may find this happens to you too. I had to work myself up to it, sip by sip. Now, it sits so much better in my stomach, and in the winter time, I actually prefer it over cold water any time of day.
Quit possibly the only drawback of drinking lemon water every day is that it may cause erosion of tooth enamel, so it’s recommended that you swish plain water around in your mouth afterwards. The same goes for coffee or any acidic beverage.
Sources:
https://wellnessmama.com/35192/lemon-water/
https://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/warm-water-vs-cold-water-which-is-better-to-drink-288884/