Lemon detox drinks are never far from the news with the likes of celebs like Beyoncé and Jennifer Aniston regularly swearing by a tall glass of one or other of these elixirs. Lemon water – Just your regular summer drink? Nope, there’s a lot more to this so-called fat-loss-causing magic potion as mentioned by many fitness experts. But do you know why?
Unsurprisingly, you can pamper your taste buds and make your everyday drink more appealing by squeezing some lemons. Especially if you are someone who does not like drinking water or that drinking water seems like a task, you will enjoy drinking up some lemon detox instead! But what is the story of Lemon Detox Drinks? Do you need them? Are they suitable for your body?
Related reading: The Health Benefits of Drinking Infused Water
All You Need to Know About Lemon Detox Drinks
Effective doses of vitamin C in your diet can lift the flavors of any recipe in seconds. But will drinking it regularly help flush out the toxins accumulated in your body? This concoction has been rated as one of the go-to drinks of style icons and wellness experts, but does the morning drink live up to its hype? Do Lemon Detox Drinks live up to your expectations? Let us dig deep to find out!
Perks Of Lemon Detox
If you are here, you already know that lemon water has been stealing the show with its long line of claimed benefits that will make everything in your world go back to normal and better. But what are they? The benefits of Lemon Water And Detox, as laid down by the experts, are as follows.
- It helps you drink more water and elevates your body’s hydration levels.
- Boosts the health of your digestive system and can help with constipation
- The d-limonene in the juice, and especially the rind, induces Phase 1 & 2 liver detox enzymes
- It gives a splurge of vitamin C
- Rich in antioxidants that promote clarifying skin tone
- May help to prevent kidney stones from occurring
- An intake of lemon detox water helps in revamping your lost appetite.
- Diminishes chances of dehydration, which prevents brain fog
- Keeps your bloating in check
- Other perks of lemon water are vitamin C which helps in protecting your cells and aid in nutrition.
More on D-Limonene
I should mention here that you may see articles that say that lemon detox drinks do not detoxify the body. The fact is that d-limonene which is contained mostly in the rind of citrus fruit but also in the juice is said by a number of health experts to be an inducer of Phase 1 & 2 liver detoxification enzymes.
However, as there is not a lot of this monoterpene contained in the lemon juice you would have to drink an excessive amount of it to have an effect. It would be more beneficial to add some lemon rind to any of the blended drinks. Make sure the lemons are organic as you don’t want to be adding pesticide residue to the drink.
Byron Richards, a Clinical Nutritionist, maintains that d-limonen’s greatest detoxification effect is its ability to clear fat sludge from the body.
Whether or not it helps support liver detox or dissolves fat sludge it does have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, and disease-preventing properties.
Myths surrounding Lemon Water Detox
A reliable source has revealed a lot of myths revolving around Lemon Detox Drinks that have no truth. Let us unveil them all!
- No, your blemishes will not vanish if you drink buckets of lemon water.
- If you believe that lemon water detox will make your skin look youthful, you are in for some monumental disappointment!
- You will be surprised to know, but lemon water does not help in fat loss! So we suggest if you are trying to shred those extra calories, don’t make this citrusy fruit your partner in crime! Some trusted reports have revealed that the iconic duo contains no chemical compound that claims to melt your adipose fat tissue.
- Lemon water detox does not make a difference to your pH levels
- It does not help boost your body’s metabolism, which is short-lived.
Few Recipes for Lemon Detox Drinks
Apart from these two options mentioned below, there are other drinks. But these two are quite the rage in showbiz regarding sipping lemon detox water. Scroll down for a drink!
Detox Drink with Lemon and Honey
Put 12 to 16 ounces of filtered water in a bowl, and warm it. Add a generous two tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar to the water. Take ½ to 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Mix them all into an exotic blend. In the end, add two tablespoons of organic lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of raw organic honey to sweeten the flavor. There, your detox sesh is all set!
Detox Drink with Lemon, Ginger, and Turmeric
Take some filtered water and bring to the boil. Slice some lemon and ginger neatly. When the water has come to a boil, turn off the heat and add the slices. Also, add some good quality turmeric and a pinch of black pepper. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes, after which you can strain it. Sip at room temperature.
Related reading: Spice Up Your Liver Detox With Turmeric
The Morning Lemon Detox Drink
This drink is reputed to help cleanse the liver. It is often used on detox retreats. Drink it every morning on an empty stomach for 5 days. To make it you need to blend the juice of 1 medium sized organic lemon with 8 oz filtered water, 1 tablespoon organic virgin olive oil, 1 small clove of garlic and grated root ginger to taste. Blend well until smooth. Pour into your serving glass and sip slowly. You can follow it with a small glass of pure water or diluted fruit juice to cleanse the mouth of the oily taste.
Related reading: 15 Top Liver Cleansing Foods For Good Health
Lemonade Diet
You may have heard of this one as the Lemon Fast, the Lemon Detox Fast or the Master Cleanse. This drink was created by Stanley Borroughs, a Naturopath, and was included it in his book The Master Cleanser which was first published in 1976.
It became popular again in 2007 when Beyoncé revealed that she used the cleanse to lose weight before making a movie. You can learn more about this detox drink in a previous article I wrote titled The Lemon Detox Diet.
Lemon Water Detox Side Effects
We understand one glass of fresh lime juice is said to give your soul an excellent shot and prepares it for the rest of the day. But, as we say, everything is good, but up to a specific limit. So, can you drink too much lemon detox water? Yes. Does it have any side effects? Yes. Lets us take a peek at them!
- As lemons are highly acidic, overdrinking can cause demineralization of the tooth enamel, in other words, tooth decay.
- Too much addiction to lemon water may excite severe conditions like heartburn. Surveys have found that people who complain more of gastrointestinal symptoms are seen to consume more citrus fruits.
- If you are troubled 24/7 with canker sores and nasty mouth ulcers, lemon detox water or citrus lemons could be the culprit.
- It may cause reflux-related symptoms. Lemon juice activates pepsin, breaking down proteins in your body.
- Lemon Detox Drinks are responsible for reducing the effectiveness of the lower esophageal sphincter muscle. This causes the stomach acid to splash up the esophagus.
- Drinking this water daily might cause frequent urination.
- It might also provoke migraine in patients.
Final Thoughts
Users cannot deny the benefits of Lemon Detox Drinks, but if you want to lose calories, it will be a fad! Modern nutritional studies warn against incorrect or improper consumption of lemon detox water and advise a person should play by the rules when indulging in his activity.
Careless or excessive consumption might do more harm than good, and no one wants to feel betrayed. So, we suggest, if life gives your lemons, make some lemonade, or in this case, some Lemon Detox Drinks! Slurp slurp.
