Drinking this beverage first thing in the morning has become one of the most popular morning routines in recent years, and rightly so.
Water with lemon juice helps the liver detoxify and gently kick-starts digestion. Some people drink lemon water in the morning to help prevent constipation.
It is rich in vitamin C, which helps protect cells from free radicals, and can help prevent or limit the duration of colds in some people. It is loaded with minerals and flavonoids, supposedly linked to a reduction in weight gain.
But let’s not forget that everyone is different, and that a food that is beneficial for some may be less good for others. The simple lemon water is no exception to this rule.
Lemon is acidic to the taste, but alkalizing in the body. This is a general rule. For some people, however, lemon can be acidifying, and therefore demineralizing. This is the case for a large number of individuals classified in the “neuro-arthritic” naturopathic category and who have a thin morphology, a sensitivity to cold, a hypersensitive temperament. This constitution is predisposed to demineralization. The acids contained in citrus fruits will have a greater tendency to stagnate in their organism which does not always have sufficient metabolic potential to eliminate them. Consequently, the body will have to draw alkaline minerals from its tissues (hair, nails, bones, joints).
Lemons contain citric acid, which can erode tooth enamel. To limit the risk, brush your teeth after drinking it, or rinse your mouth with clear water.
Also remember that vitamin C is heat sensitive, which means it is not heat resistant, so when you squeeze your lemon juice into water that is too hot, much of the health benefit is destroyed.
When it comes to the stomach, lemon water can have conflicting effects. Citric acid can cause heartburn in some people (neuro-arthritics basically) while others will find their heartburn relieved. It is by experimenting and listening to your body that you will know what effect it has on you.
It is better to squeeze only a quarter of a lemon rather than a whole lemon, and to take breaks, on weekends for example, or one week a month.
