The large temperature difference between day and night in autumn can easily lead to a cold if you're not careful. At this time, a glass of lemon water is a good choice.
Autumn is a very suitable season for drinking lemon water. Due to the large temperature difference between day and night, the body's immunity is relatively weak, making it easy to catch a cold. Lemon water is rich in vitamin C and has multiple benefits such as antibacterial properties, boosting immunity, and assisting in collagen production. Drinking lemon water regularly can supplement your vitamin C intake. When you have a cold, drinking 500 to 1000 ml of lemon water a day can reduce a runny nose and help the cold dissipate faster. This is especially true at the very onset of a cold, as it might even lead to a recovery without medication. Additionally, lemon water can also expel phlegm, and its effect is stronger than that of oranges and tangerines. By mixing lemon juice with warm water and salt and drinking it, you can help cough up the thick phlegm that accumulates in your throat. When a cold is just beginning, you can try drinking lemon water mixed with honey to relieve a sore throat and reduce throat dryness.
Lemon water is best consumed after a meal to aid digestion. Experts suggest drinking it 1.5 to 2 hours after a meal. It should be mixed with a little honey in the evening and should not be consumed too late or in excessive amounts. Drinking a glass of lemon water before bed can help replenish the fluids lost during sleep, leaving your skin feeling soft and supple in the morning.
Expert advice: Drink it 15-20 minutes before breakfast in the morning to cleanse the stomach and intestines, which is also good for the skin. Then, have another glass between 3-4 PM, and exercise for an hour between 5-6 PM. To achieve a slimming effect, you must drink lemon water daily and combine it with 3 to 4 exercise sessions per week, each lasting at least one hour.
The correct way to make lemon water
1. Clean the lemons: The lemons we buy often have a layer of wax on them. First, you need to clean it off. The method is to repeatedly scrub the lemon peel with edible salt until you can feel the roughness of the peel with your hands.
2. Slice the lemons: Cut the washed lemons into slices about 5mm thick. Note that the knife used to cut the lemons must be very sharp; otherwise, it will easily squeeze out the juice, causing waste.
3. Prepare the lemons: Soak the sliced lemons in saltwater for 50 minutes, then remove them. Keep the amount you need for the day and store the rest in the refrigerator.
4. Brew the lemon water: It's best to use purified water. Bring it to a boil and let it cool to about 50°C. Place the prepared lemon slices in the water and let them steep for at least 2 hours.
5. Add sweetener: There are two ways to add sugar. One is to add rock candy during the steeping process and let it dissolve naturally before drinking. The other is to add granulated sugar just before drinking and stir well.