Cool, refreshing, and sweet and sour, lemon water is one of the most popular drinks for many people. So, what are the things to keep in mind when drinking lemon water?
Soaking with the peel is more nutritious
Associate Professor Fan Zhihong from the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Sciences at China Agricultural University said that lemons must be used with the peel, and the slices must be thin, because the peel part contains more flavonoids and is more worth steeping than the lemon pulp. Lemon essential oil is also mainly in the peel. Thin slicing allows the aromatic components in the lemon peel to be easily steeped out. Lemon peels, including other citrus peels, contain some bitter flavonoid substances, which are also beneficial ingredients. With a light bitterness that complements the sourness, it is more thirst-quenching when consumed in hot weather.
Steeping with hot water is more aromatic
Some people say that lemons cannot be steeped in hot water, for fear of vitamin C loss. Fan Zhihong said that in fact, if the water for steeping the lemon is too cold, the aroma is not easy to steep out. Due to the strong acidity of lemons, vitamin C has better heat resistance under acidic conditions and is not as easily lost as one might imagine. It is perfectly fine to use water with a temperature above 60°C to steep the lemon slices.
As the temperature rises, the sourness of food becomes more pronounced, so hot lemon water will also taste more sour.
People with stomach problems can also enjoy it
Some people say that people with stomach problems cannot drink lemon water because the strong acidity will irritate the stomach. To this, Fan Zhihong said that using one slice of lemon to steep a large bottle of water results in very mild lemon water, which is not enough to cause a stomach ulcer—unlike drinking pure lemon juice (which has a pH of around 2.5). People with excessive stomach acid can drink it as long as they make the lemon water as dilute as possible. A small amount of citric acid is beneficial for repairing the gastric mucosa.
Westerners like to squeeze lemon juice on various foods. For those with indigestion, adding a thin slice of ginger to dilute lemon water to accompany a meal can also help promote the secretion of digestive juices.
Sealed storage can extend its shelf life
Fan Zhihong said that lemons have quite good storability. The main problem with storing lemons for a long time is that the surface dries out, but after drying, they can still be used as the inside remains juicy and can be stored for a month. Applying some honey to the cut surface of a sliced lemon to retain moisture, then wrapping it in plastic wrap and storing it in an airtight container for two to three days is fine.
Dried lemon can also be used to make lemon water, but because the peel's aroma is lost and the vitamin C content is reduced, the flavor of the lemon water will be significantly diminished. However, it can still be used to make lemon tea, providing some citric acid and potassium.
Adding sugar and drinking excessively is not good for your health
Dilute lemon water is a great drink, with very low sugar content, so it won't cause weight gain.
However, lemon water with added sugar or honey is different. Both the fructose in honey and the sucrose in sugar provide energy. Calculated at 5% sugar, a paper cup (200g) of sweetened honey water contains 40 kcal. Drinking two cups is equivalent to eating a quarter bowl of rice. Therefore, people who need to control their weight should still limit their intake; you can't just drink it excessively just because honey lemon water is delicious.