Summer has arrived, and many people choose to drink lemon water. So how should you drink lemon water for health benefits in the summer? How should you prepare it? Let's find out. The chirping of cicadas in the morning, the croaking of frogs at night... the sounds of nature tell us—summer is here. In recent years, drinking lemon water has become a popular choice for many for health and beauty during the summer. However, does drinking lemon water really provide all the health benefits rumored in folk tales? How can you drink lemon water healthily? Let's hear what a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) expert has to say.
Summer is the season for sour foods, and lemon is the top choice
Sourness, the first of the five flavors, is indispensable in the summer. TCM also believes that the dietary principle for summer should be to "increase sourness, reduce bitterness, and nourish the stomach qi." This is because:
1. During the hot summer, we sweat a lot. Eating sour foods appropriately can promote the production of body fluids, quench thirst, reduce sweating, and stop diarrhea, preventing excessive sweating from depleting qi and damaging yin.
2. In the summer, people drink more water, which can dilute gastric juice and reduce the stomach's acid's ability to kill bacteria. Eating some sour foods can increase the acidity of gastric juice, strengthen the spleen and whet the appetite, and help with sterilization and digestion.
Besides whitening skin, lemon juice can also prevent kidney stones
Lemon is one of the fruits that is both medicinal and edible. The reason lemon is so famous in the world of dietetic therapy is its rich content of Vitamin C.
Lemon is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, citric acid, malic acid, hesperidin, naringin, coumarin, and other highly alkaline substances, which are very beneficial to the human body. It has effects such as antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-cancer, preventing and treating scurvy, promoting calcium absorption, promoting collagen synthesis, promoting intestinal peristalsis, and speeding up bowel movements.
In addition to modern medicine, our ancestors had already understood lemon long ago. The "Bencao Shiyi" (Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica) from the Qing Dynasty recorded the therapeutic effects of lemon, stating that when "preserved and eaten, it can lower qi and harmonize the stomach." The "Maiyao Lianzhu Yaoxing Shiwu Kao" (A Study of Medicinal Properties of Foods) also contains records about lemon, saying that its "juice can quench thirst and cure summer heat. It is suitable for pregnant women as it can calm the fetus."
Research has found that the citric acid and Vitamin C rich in lemon juice have strong antioxidant effects. Its superoxide dismutase activity is high, and it has a strong inhibitory effect on free radicals, which can promote skin metabolism and inhibit pigmentation. Drinking beverages containing lemon juice can increase the level of citrate in urine. This chemical substance can prevent minerals in urine from forming crystals in the kidneys, preventing and treating kidney stones. Due to its rich Vitamin C content, lemon can promote the absorption and deposition of calcium, which is beneficial for maintaining normal bone function.
In addition to the medicinal and edible value of its pulp, the lemon peel is also very useful. Limonin in the lemon peel, although the main source of its bitter taste, has been found to have antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-tumor effects. Hesperidin and eriocitrin are the main flavonoid components in lemon. The former has anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive effects, while the latter has antioxidant and blood lipid-regulating effects. The lemon peel also contains coumarin, which not only has the well-known anticoagulant effect but also has antiviral and anti-tumor effects. The lemon pectin in the peel is a good water-soluble dietary fiber, which has effects such as regulating blood sugar and blood lipids and promoting bowel movements.
Expert teaches you how to make DIY health lemon water
1. The lemon must be fresh
When making lemon water, it is best to choose fresh lemons, as dried lemons have lost some of their aroma and Vitamin C content.
2. Cut thin slices with the peel
Slicing the lemon for water is more conducive to the release of nutrients and aroma components, and it must be cut into thin slices with the peel. The lemon peel is rich in beneficial components such as hesperidin and naringin; lemon essential oil is also mainly found in the peel.
3. Brew with warm water
It is best to brew lemon water with water at 60°C~70°C. If the water is too cold, the lemon aroma is not easily released. If boiled water is used, it will dissolve more bitter substances.
Precautions for drinking lemon water
Be sure to drink it in moderation: you cannot drink too much lemon water; use only a few slices of lemon. People with poor digestion should be cautious. If you often drink lemon water on an empty stomach and it is too sour, it can easily cause nausea and may lead to gastric or duodenal ulcers.
Suggestion: For those who like to drink lemon water on an empty stomach in the morning, it is best to add a spoonful of honey. Use only a few slices of lemon, and the lemon water should be light. People with poor digestion should preferably not drink lemon water on an empty stomach in the morning, or drink very little. Cut the lemon into thin slices and soak them in water. It is best to use warm water for soaking, which helps to preserve more of the nutrients in the lemon. Of course, you can also add lemon slices when drinking black tea or other beverages.