What drink is insanely inexpensive to make, keeps skin glowing, aids in digestion, can help you lose weight and is packed with vitamin C? No, it’s not an elixir sold on late-night infomercials. It’s lemon water.

While those in the know have been chugging down the citrus-flavored water for ages (think since ancient Rome), some lemon water benefits have just begun making the rounds on the health and fitness circuit in recent months. But is lemon water really the cure-all it’s purported to be or just another health fad? Let’s dig in.

Lemons are loaded with healthy benefits, and particularly, they’re a great vitamin C food source. One cup of fresh lemon juice provides 187 percent of your daily recommended serving of vitamin C — take that, oranges! Lemon juice also offers up a healthy serving of potassium, magnesium and copper.

5 Benefits of Lemon Water

For such a simple drink, the list of lemon water benefits is impressive. Even if you’re not a big H2O drinker, you might find yourself reaching for a glass when you check out how awesome it is for your body and mind.!

1. Aids in digestion and detoxification

Because lemon juice’s atomic structure is similar to the digestive juices found in the stomach, it tricks the liver into producing bile, which helps keep food moving through your body and gastrointestinal tract smoothly. Lemon water also helps relieve indigestion or ease an upset stomach.
The acids found in lemon juice also encourage your body to process the good stuff in foods more slowly. This drawn-out absorption means insulin levels remain steady and you get more nutrients out of the foods you consume. Better nutrient absorption means less bloating. Lemon water benefits the enzyme functions in your body, stimulating the liver and flushing out toxins. Because it’s a mild diuretic, you might find yourself using the bathroom more often, helping the urinary tract get rid of any unwanted elements. All of this helps detox body & skin.

2. Bumps up the Vitamin C Quotient

Because your body does not make vitamin c on its own, its important to get enough of it from the foods and drinks you ingest, like lemon water. Vitamin C stimulates white blood cells [WBC’s] production vital for your immune system to function properly, and also protects cells from the oxidative damage.

3. Rejuvenates skin & Body Healing

The antioxidants in lemon water fight damage caused by free radicals,keeping your skin looking fresh.It also helps the body produce collagen, essential in smoothing out lines in the face.

4. Helps Shed Pounds

Regularly snipping on lemon water can help you lose those last pounds. That’s because lemon contain pectin, a type of fiber commonly found in fruits Pectin helps you feel full longer.

5. Boosts Energy and Mood

Skip the morning cup of coffee–lemon can boost energy levels without the caffeine crash. When negative-charged ions,like those found in lemons, enter your digestive tract, the result is an increase in energy levels.