Almost as cunningly simple in its title as ‘green drink’ – lemon water is quite blindingly straightforward in its makeup: it is water with lemon squeezed in. Could it be any easier?
The beauty of lemon water is that it is tasty, refreshing and best of all, alkalising. The lemon juice raises the alkalising effect of the water so even with standard tap water you can make your drink nice and alkalising.
However, for the full lemon water effect: distilled/ionised water with Alkalive’s pH booster (or Prime pH or another pH drop) and lemon creates the ultimate alkaline water. The trick however, is to have the water lukewarm. If the water is too hot or too cold then it will cause the body to expand energy in order to process it. Lukewarm water also has that comforting feeling to it…
I know a lot of you know about lemon water already, through reading/learning about alkalising or through Gillian McKeith (who also recommends lemon water on rising) – but it is always a good thing to reinforce the basics.
So What Are the Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water?
Apart from being an amazing body alkalizer/alkaliser, lemon water also gives the following health benefits:
- Lemons are antiseptic
- Lemon water has excellent digestive properties and can ease heartburn, bloating and other digestion problems
- Lemon water cleanses and stimulates the liver and kidneys
- Lemon juice contains calcium, magnesium and potassium
- Lemon juice has been known to relieve asthma
- Lemon water (hot) offers relief from cold and flu symptoms while providing some much needed Vitamin C
- Lemon juice is a great skin cleanser
So if you do not do anything else – start every single day with a glass of lovely lemon water!
PS – I have noticed that someone just found this page by googling: ‘do not leave lemon in lemon water’ and it reminded me of how true this is! Obviously if you are going to drink the water there and then by all means leave it in, but if you are making a batch up then the water can easily get too lemon-y if you leave the squeezed lemon chunks in.
Also, and more importantly, unless you have REALLY washed the lemons or have bought organic then the pesticides and chemicals could leach out of the rind and into your water if they are left soaking for too long.
PPS – yes, it is fine to add some cayenne (cayene) pepper to your lemon water for a bit of a kick, but PLEASE DO NOT ADD MAPLE SYRUP – this will make it have an acidic effect on the body!
NOTE/UPDATE: given the amount of comments that have been left all saying “I thought lemons are acidic” (or something slightly more forceful than that), I thought I should point out the following:
It is not the relative acidity/alkalinity of the food but rather the effect it has on the body that is important. Seemingly acidic foods such as lemons, limes and tomato are acidic in their basic state, but once metabolized by the body have an alkalising effect. The high alkaline mineral content of these foods means that once consumed and metabolized they increase the alkalinity of the cells of the body.
Here is a video with reknowned nutritionist and blood specialist Gareth Edwards where he explains that lemons are alkalising once consumed.
Further resources:
- Our Energise Alkaline Diet Resources
- Middle Path’s Benefits of Lemon Juice – lists ailments helped by lemon water!
- About.com’s lemon water article
- Mommylife gives some other lemon juice benefits here (about 2/3 of the way down!)
Note: This blog is only my opinion. It is not medical advice or diagnosis. Only opinions based upon our own personal experiences or information detailed in medical/academic journals or other publications is cited. WE DO NOT OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE or prescribe any treatments. Please consult with a medical professional before making any diet or nutrition changes. Refer to our full disclaimer for more information.
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Dave,
From what I have been reading it is best to squeeze the lemon juice into the water and drink within 30 minutes. Apparently after 30 minutes the molecules of the lemon juice change in such a way that,while not rendering it harmful, does not promote the healthy alkaliziing qualities we are all hoping to achieve. The following is a great site that explains further vitamin loss from lemons when exposed to air http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_lemon.htm
Hi Ross
I came across this forum while researching the benefits of Lemon Water and I have to say I learnt a fair bit from reading all your responses to the various questions – thanks!
I have acne prone skin and I am now dying to test out Lemon Water starting tomorrow morning! My question is – does drinking Lemon Water at night before going to bed have the same benefits as drinking it first thing in the morning?
Thanks in advance!
Laura,
There are distinct benefits to drinking lemon water both at night and first thing in the morning. Your body does most of it’s healing and repairing during the sleep cycle. The lemon juice you drink at night will be a valuable part of that healing, by putting your body closer to an alkaline state…thereby supplying your body’s cells with much needed oxygen and vitamins and anti oxidants. The lemon juice you drink in the morning will give your body the “boost” it needs to ward off bacteria and germs throughout the day as well as supply some essential vitamins and nutrients. Best advice…drink both times for maximum health benefit.
Best regards, Mike
Hi guys
WOW – there are a lot of questions to be answered! Sorry for the lack of response, I have been travelling a fair amount lately and have been preoccupied trying to sort out the spam issue on the forum (www.energiseforlife.com/phpbb2)
Right, here goes, I will work in chronological order so I may answer some stuff you have already answered between yourselves but here goes:
Mike: 1 whole lemon in 8oz is a fair amount and I can’t really answer whether there is a ‘maximum’ amount. Generally too much of any one thing runs the risk of having side effects, so I would urge a little caution. As a benchmark I sqeeze about half a lemon into about 500ml.
Pam: spring water is certainly better than tap – but it can vary from brand to brand. Some actually display the average pH of the water, so it is worth looking around. Someone posted on the forum about a great water brand a while back…ok – just found it – Gerolsteiner. Other methods of water purification that are effective are distillation, ionising, reverse osmosis and any of the above with pH drops.
Pam: re artificial sweeteners. As far as I am aware (and I’ll check with Giles our in-house food scientist) all artificial sweeteners are acidifying to the body. So while you would still be actually getting the hydration and vitamins etc, the alkalising effect would be negated (unless using stevia)
Pam: testing your pH levels on a one off basis can lead to random and bizarre results! I’ve done another post on pH testing here (http://www.energiseforlife.com/wordpress/1204/alkaline-test-how-to-test-your-ph-levels-saliva-urine) – and you will see there that to get accurate results you have to test regularly, at the same time (conditions) over a period of time in order to see progression and results.
jacques – reverse osmosis is a good way to purify your water mate, and I believe it is the preferred method of Dr Young who is Mr Alkalizer.
DT – Personally, I wouldn’t leave the lemon in the water unless the lemons are organic, grown by yourself and have been washed thoroughly. Modern farming, growing and storing (preserving) techniques use a lot of harmful chemicals that are not cleaned off before shipping to the supermarket. If you leave these in the water some may leach out into your water which is obviously not the best!
Mike – you said “lemon juice, when exposed outside the lemon for 30 minutes, loses it’s ability to become an alkaline solution in the body” and you’re spot on.
Pam – you said “I squeeze them on salad, fish, vegetables…lemon goes on almost anything! ” which is ace. I do that too and I love it!
Laura – I couldnt have put it better than Mike already has. Great answer!
Right, well I hope this helps! Do holler if you have any other questions whatsoever!
Have a great day
Ross
Hi-Can you substitute the “True Lemon crystallized lemon” packet for a real lemon if you are out?
Thanks!
Hi,
I’ve been drinking lemon water every morning for about six weeks now and I’m afraid that I’m not feeling the great energy benefits that people say that get from drinking lemon water. I take Oroxine every morning for an underactive thyroid and I also take the antidepressent Zoloft as well. I take my medications about an hour after the lemon water. My question to you is could the lemon water be affecting the absorption of my medications with the cleansing affect of the lemon water on the liver. I look forward to your reply as I feel I can feel the dark cloud of depression setting in again. Thank You, Julie.
I din’t know that adding “MAPLE SYRUP – this will make it have an acidic effect on the body”
For the last month I’ve been mixing lemon, water, cayenne paper, pure maple syrup. I think that made me sick, had a sore throat here and there.
Dear Ross,
I have been drinking a glass of luke warm water with a quarter of a lemon squeezed into it for about 4-5 days now but I have developed a bad case of gas. It starts soon after I drink my lemon water and lasts pretty much all day. This is very distressing and embarrassing too. Why is this happening? Am I allergic to lemon water?
Dear Ross,
I bought this “ReaLemon” brand at our grocery store here. I didn’t buy real lemon since it is quite expensive nowadays ($1.00 each). On the bottle it says, 3 tablespoons equal to 1 medium size lemon. And the ingredients:
Water, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Sulphite, Lemon Oil.
I wonder if I can substitute this with real Lemon. How long does it take for me to bring my pH level back to 7 – 7.4? I am currently at around 6.0 – 6.5 I think. The pH papers I am using have one point increment so it is quite hard for me to tell the exact pH number. I am going purchase a 0.25increment one on eBay.
Thanks for putting up a Lemon Blog site!
Oh I forgot to tell you that I am drinking 4 glasses of lemon water a day with 1 teaspoon in a glass. So I think I am taking 1and 1/3 lemon a day. Thanks!
hi ross,
i hope you can help me with my questions.
1) lemon is acidic but lemon water is alkaline to our bodies. i still don’t get get that concept. Will drinking lemon water first thing in the morning (on an empty stomach) and not taking breakfast cause gastric? My sis had an apple for breakfast every morning which resulted in her getting gastric.
2) i take 1tbsp lemon juice to 250ml water daily. is this amt decent? would you recommend i take more?
3) since taking lemon water for about 3 weeks, i’ve developed halistosis. My breath is *extremely* bad and i have a bitter taste in the mouth. can lemon water be the cause of this? i’ve tried brushing my teeth and tongue more frequently – even in the middle of the night but nothing seems to help.
please help!
I would like to swap from size 14 to size 12 dso think mixture of lemon, hot water and vinegar would do the trick for me?
Pansy, Until Ross gets back with a better explanation I will see if I can help. Your first question was about how acid tasting lemons can become alkaline in the body.The effect of food stuffs upon the alkalinity of the blood depends upon their residue which they leave behind after undergoing oxidation in the body. It is an error to presume that because a food tastes acid, it has an acidic reaction in the blood. For instance, fruits and vegetables have organic acids in combination with soda and potash in the form of acid salts. When the acids are burnt or utilized in the body, the alkaline soda or potash is left behind. Hence the effect of the natural fruit acids is to increase the alkalinity of the blood rather than reduce it. Hope that helps. As for how much lemon to take I believe it varies, but Ross uses a benchmark of half a lemon squeezed into 500 ml of water. Now the halitosis problem. I find it hard to believe that the lemon juice has caused this however since you have only recently started drinking lemon juice it could be that toxins in your liver and kidneys have been stirred up and this is causeing bad breath.I have found that the lemon juice has actually made my breath much better although I do notice a “bitter” taste when ingesting certain beverages or foods ( eg. red wine). Bad breath can also be related to so many other health and oral conditions. If it were me and it persisted I would have a proffesional check it out so I would feel relaxed about it. When Ross is back from his far flung travels I am sure he will be able to respond in a much more sage fashion for you. In the meantime I think he would say to keep enjoying the health benefits of lemons!
hi I have been eating raw lemons since i was a kid. Crave them at times. I’m 52 now and eat on an average of 5 lemons a week. Try club soda and lemon juice.. excellent.. Anything wrong with this, in your opinion?
I have a few things to share since consuming lemon water regularly. It seems that if you want to alkalize your urine, you don’t have to do much else but drink a few glasses of this stuff a day. The rest of the diet doesn’t seem to matter. I generally eat low carb and you’d think this would be a problem. Shortly after I drink or use lemon juice in food, my urine pH is around 8 and stays alkaline for at least 6 hours. In fact, I’ve never seen it below a 6. I also think you can get too much lemon juice. I’ve had days where the only thing I’ve had to drink is lemon water. I can’t even count how many lemons I’ve used those days, definitely over 6 and my kidneys would hurt in the morning, especially if I drank more before bed.
Also, I need to respectfully disagree with Ross and Mike about lemon losing its alkalizing properties a half hour after being juiced. I’ve used lemon juice that has been sitting out for a few hours to a day, “Real Lemon” preserved with sulphites, and organic lemon juice with no preservatives (sealed but left outside the fridge for a few days after opening because I forgot). All of these worked equally as well each and every time. There is no logical reason lemon juice would change composition so drastically when “outside of the lemon” for a mere half hour. There will be a little oxidizing but not enough to change its general properties in that time frame. I’d be really interested in seeing a controlled study that says it does. I would encourage anyone curious to try testing this out themselves.
Sometimes I think claims are made just to make health rituals appear more complex than they really are and unfortunately, on the Internet, so many things get passed on as fact just because they’re in writing. Lately, I only believe it if I can dulpicate it myself, find it in PubMed or the source of the ‘fact’ can demonstrate that they conducted a proper study.
I have been reading a lot about the benefits of drinking lemon water and would like to introduce it to my diet.. I am concerned however, because I am currently taking zoloft for depression and I am worried that the cleansing effects it has on the liver would disrupt the absorption of my zoloft. Should I be concerned about this? Thank you.
Pam
Dear Mike,
Thanks for helping me out
The bad breath is gone! Other than for the normal morning bad breath. I suspect the lemon water was doing a detox on my body. I also went for my routine dental checkup/cleaning and came out sound. The dentist suggested i like probiotics to help with the flora. Extremely relieved!
Now, i’ll just wait patiently for Ross to confirm that lemon water on an empty stomach will not cause gastric!
Thanks!
Hi somebody told me if you take half of lemon juice with 1 spoon of honey in lukewarm water it help to reduce your weight, but its empty stomach I won’t to know is it right ? please help me because I read some other people comments…. so I am confused now?
Pam,
I must respectfully disagree with some of your comments above. There have been many studies about the cationic and anionic properties of lemons, many of them published on the internet and requiring little effort to find. In these studies you WILL find they all say that lemon, when exposed to oxidation for (roughly) 30 minutes does begin to change properties. The lemon will retain many health benefits, however the alkalizing benefits become minimal. To keep it simple for you, take a drink from a glass of lemon juice and water that has been left out for 30 minutes and another sip from a fresh one…..you can actually TASTE the difference that the change has made in the lemon. To say that some ( I am assuming myself and Ross) make claims ‘just to make health rituals appear more complex than they really are’ is really quite unfair. I think that most statements published here are factual and simplified so as to NOT discourage people from enjoying the benefits of lemons, quite the opposite of what you unfortunately state. The bigger danger really lies in people like yourself OVERINDULGING in a good thing. 6 lemons a day is an aweful lot and I can find no place on this site that expouses that amount. No wonder your kidneys hurt the next day. Anything in excess is really not good for you. So lighten up Pam and enjoy lemons (in moderation) and know you are doing a great thing for yourself. Dont get so bogged down in the details.
Mike
Hey guys,
This indeed looks very promising. I sure as hell want to try drinking lemon water every morning. I would certainly like to improve my skin condition.
My question is, will the body undergo any detox when you begin drinking lemon first thing in the morning(for a few days?). And if so, will that result in acne/bad breath/bad skin condition?
More importantly, is it likely that it will go in a few days(once the detox process has completed perhaps)?
I would love to start drinking lemon juice, but I want to be sure that it wouldnt effect my skin/breath adversly(even temporarily).
Thanks,
NeO
Neo,
I think most people dont even notice the detox process, but keep in mind every one is different. I myself did not notice any bad breath…actually quite the opposite, however I did notice a bad “taste” when drinking certain liquids (especially red wine). When detoxing some people experience more gastrointestinal symptoms such as gas, bloating etc. Headaches are also not uncommon when detoxifying the body. Increased urination and diarrhea are also detox symptoms. All of these can be minimized by drinking plenty of fresh water throughout the day. You will begin to feel amazing quite quickly after starting your lemon regimen. ENJOY!!
Hi there,
I’ve been drinking lemon water for a few months in the hopes to relieve mild pain that I’ve had since December. The pain has gotten worse, I’ve gone for testing and the results show no stones. The pain is mostly on the right side, but has now also gone to the left. It’s worse at night and feels like a nagging sideache. I’ve lost 20 lbs since Christmas just by exercising and changing eating habits. Any ideas what could be causing the pain? I drink lemon water religiously every day. The only other thing I drink is regular water, I eat very healthy, almost no junk food, lots of fruits, veggies, etc. Thanx for your help.
Paula
… shut up Pam. PLEASE.
Hi all
Thanks for holding the fort Mike and friends!
I’ll try and answer a few questions from the last couple of weeks!
Kari – I would not recommend it to be honest, you really are better off going with fresh whenever you can. The process of crystalising/altering the lemon for storage will have removed much of the alkalising properties I’m afraid!
Julie – apologies for the delay Julie. Unfortunately I am legally restricted from answering any questions relating to medications as I am not an MD myself. You could try asking on the forum though as someone more qualified that me might be able to help : http://www.energiseforlife.com/phpbb2
Mia – yeah, unfortunately so. All sugars have a massively acidifying effect on the body whether they are natural or man made. So maple syrup really is bad news!
Rachelle – I would have thought it unlikely. Have you tried removing or cutting down to see if this has any affect? The order in which we consume food and drinks can also effect us in gassy ways so you could try experimenting with the lemon water and other food consumption patterns.
Jeff – thanks for the thanks! Real Lemon (as above) is not the best substitute to be honest. While I know that lemons can fluctuate in price they really are best when fresh and natural. As for how long it would take you to shift your pH so that it is consistently in the right zone – it takes more than just lemon water. All aspects of your diet, exercise and lifestyle affect this. Post a typical day’s food and drink consumption and I’ll be able to give you a few pointers.
pansy – the distinction is between the ph of the food itself and the effect that it has on the ph of the body. Someone else here has described this really well. In fact it was mike and he has already done a great job!
As for how much lemon to use – there are no hard and fast rules, just go with what tastes good. I generally squeeze half a lemon in a pint, a whole lemon in a litre.
As for the halitosis – I would do as I have suggested for Rachelle above, but probiotics could def help.
Joy – from my perspective vinegar is highly acidic to the body so may not help with your goal. Weight management is all about a holistic approach. Food, drink, exercise, lifestyle – the whole package. Just lemon water on its own will not do a great deal for your goal Im afraid! Read my latest post for some more ideas…!
Pam – with respect to your comment
‘ Sometimes I think claims are made just to make health rituals appear more complex than they really are and unfortunately, on the Internet, so many things get passed on as fact just because they’re in writing.’
I wholeheartedly agree – and this is the ENTIRE reason behind why Callum and I set up the whole Energise site (not just the blog). We found this incredibly frustrating so we made it our mission to create a resource that did just the opposite. I really hope that if you have a browse around the site you will see this! If not then I am definitely doing something very wrong!
‘I would encourage anyone curious to try testing this out themselves.’
Hello Everyone,
I squeeze one whole lemon and a little bit of Apple Cider Vinegar into a cup of water. I love this drink and I use to drink it a couple times a day and more when I could. I am starting to drink this again but I had a few questions after reading this forum – would appreciate any help
Can drinking too much lemon water be bad? And, is it taking away from the effect of the lemon by putting the Apple Cider Vinegar in it? Also, I have been reading that it is good to use lukewarm water – is room temperature water okay?
Thanks for any help
Mike, I did express that I overindulged in the lemons and that’s why I said that I think a person can have “too much” of it. I would appreciate a link to a reputable study of some kind determining that lemon juice loses it’s alkalizing properties significantly after a half an hour. I did do a search and all I found was some guy posting what you said in a newsgroup or a message board a couple of years ago. I don’t consider that a good source and I think this idea is, for lack of a better word, nonsense. I realize that my experience is anecdotal but I’m positive a real study would support what I say because I’ve been able to duplicate it day after day, testing at regular times. It doesn’t take long to alkalize your urine. With dietary changes, I would think that most people (not just I) will have more alkaline urine in a few hours if they cared to test it.
Ross, I’ve browsed around the site (not just the blog) and I think it’s great. You and Callum obviously believe in your work and do this with a real passion. I think like most people, no one regimen fits me 100% so I get my health ideas from various places. It’s sites like this that give me fresh perspective and a launching pad to do more research if I choose to. I think you give a lot of sound advice that doesn’t need a very much looking into. It’s also teriffic that we can all interact, so thanks for keeping comments open.
By the way, Ross, I think Kerry’s IP address/identity might be worth cross checking.
PS Nice to see that you’ve cleaned up the message board. I’ve been meaning to register.
PAM,
Thanks for your comments. I was pleased to see you believe in Ross and Callum’s work here as much as I do. You state above that “I think you (Ross and Callum)give lots of sound advice that doesnt need very much looking into”. I agree with you Pam so let me source them about the lemon juice and 30 minute rule. Ross states above…in one of his replies to us all, “”Mike – you said “lemon juice, when exposed outside the lemon for 30 minutes, loses it’s ability to become an alkaline solution in the body†and you’re spot on.”". Ross confirmed what I have read on this and, unless he states otherwise, the matter is closed for me. You are right about it being very easy to make urine alkaline. When you first wake up urine often will tend towards the acid scale due to your body going into respiratory acidosis during sleep. However for the rest of the day your urine is more often than not alkaline in a normal person with a healthy diet.So Pam, you could drink lemons that have no alkalizing affect of the body and still have alkaline urine due to other foods or liquids you have ingested. Instead of testing only urine I often test saliva throughout the day, which gives me a better whole body reading. Isnt it great that we both care so much about our health and take such pro-active steps to ensure we treat our bodies well.
All the Best, Mike
Mike, I said that Ross gives a lot of sound advice, I didn’t say that everything was correct. I disagree with this and I couldn’t make that clearer. I don’t see this ‘30 minute rule’ mentioned anywhere else on the site in articles. It wouldn’t matter anyway, since there appears to be no controlled studies (or any kind of study) on this so called ‘fact.’ You don’t seem to be able to provide a source for one either. I think if you were able to find one, you’d have posted it already.
The matter might be closed to you but I don’t consider causal postings as proof of anything, no matter who says it, especially if what’s being said doesn’t make sense to me (this is where the springboard for additional research comes in handy). In my opinion too many people get their health information from message board postings and sales websites and I think this is dangerous because the information, even if it starts out correct, eventually gets distorted ‘telephone-game’ style. Of course, in this case, consuming your lemons quickly after slicing is pretty harmless.
I would hate to see people throwing out perfectly good lemons, thinking they were useless because they ‘read it somewhere.’
As I said in my other posts, though I consider my diet to be healthy and nutritious, I’m not eating a particularly alkaline inducing diet except for the lemon juice. I go pretty heavy on the protein and fat. I have coffee or tea in the morning. If I don’t drink the lemon juice, my urine is about a 6, with lemon juice, within an hour, it’s over an 8, even if I all I had previously is a cup of coffee and a hunk of cheese. Sometimes I even have a burger for breakfast(organic grass fed preferably) – same results.
Anyway, there is no reason to believe lemon juice has a drastically different chemical composition within 30 minutes of being outside a lemon. None whatsoever.
I don’t test saliva as often because I’m always eating or drinking something but so far it supports the urine numbers. There’s never been a disparity there.
Have a great day. Wishing you the freshest lemons!
Pam,
.
You go heavy on the protien and fat? Hunks of cheese and burgers for breakfast? I thought I was carrying on this discussion with someone of similar health goals. Good luck with that, my end of the discussion is now complete
I consider cheese and meat healthy foods. I tend toward a lower carb/ paleo style diet. This doesn’t mean I don’t eat lots of vegetables and some fruit, because I do. You could have ended (or even avoided) the discussion much earlier if you had noticed that I mentioned low carb, way in the beginning.
My goal is to be healthy. Just because I don’t eat the same way as you doesn’t mean my goal is different. Does that really need to be said? Wow.
Good luck and all that.
Pam,
In your words I quote “I’m not eating a particularly alkaline inducing diet except for the lemon juice. I go pretty heavy on the protein and fat”. And in your last posting. “I tend toward a lower carb/ paleo style diet”. Based on what you said above I can only conclude that we have a very different perspective on healthy eating. I am quite familiar with the low carb diet and it definitely does not fit in with my health goals or those expoused on this site, which is to tend towards an alkaline diet. So to answer your question, YES, it did need to be said. I am not condemning your choices, even if they do not fit with the spirit of this forum. As I said above I merely thought I was conversing with someone who had a similar health philosophy. Wow.
All the best to you, Mike
I had posted this once before and had yet to haer a response. I have been reading a lot about the benefits of drinking lemon water and would like to introduce it to my diet. I am concerned however, because I am currently taking zoloft for depression and I am worried that the cleansing effects it has on the liver would disrupt the absorption of my zoloft. Should I be concerned about this? Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Pam
Mike,
You seem to have a problem saying what you actually mean, the first time you try to say it. I mentioned my way of eating months ago, it can’t possibly be a surprise to you all of a sudden.
Anyway, what I eat or don’t eat has nothing to do with the facts. The lemon will do the job well after a 30 minutes of being squeezed. Your ‘point’ in your last two posts is totally ad hominem.
I think we need to make way for more interesting conversation about lemon water at this point. Take care.
Pam,
No t sure why every post of yours comes off as defensive but your bitterness is somewhat ironic since this forum is about lemons. And you ARE wrong about the 30 minute rule…but since you dont take my word for it ask Ross…not just lil ol me.
Mike, I don’t take scientific information with no backing, especially when it contradicts what I’ve experienced firsthand. It doesn’t look like you’ve done any experimenting of your own.
There is nothing on this site saying anything about a 30 minute lemon juice rule, so tell us where you got this ‘fact’ from because Ross had nothing to say about it before you mentioned it so you didn’t get it here.
And obviously, this is one thing I think Ross might have made a mistake about (nobody is immune to making mistakes). This is something I already said long ago. Excuse me if you’re interpreting my disposition as bitter but I don’t remember the last time I had to repeat myself so much, especially when I everything I said can be referenced on the very same page.
Hi guys
Glad to see you’re still getting along! Seriously though there have been some great and interesting points raised in your discussion. The only part about it I would change would be that you would have been chatting in the forum!!! Heh, not to worry though.
On the 30 minute rule -while I don’t think that there are any hard and fast rules I DO think that as soon as fruits and vegetables have been cut open then start to lose their goodness. For instance Dr Young recommends drinking fresh juice wihin 10 minutes of juicing it.
With lemon water this is slightly less important than say with a juice as the squeezed lemon is only in small quantities, but I still definitely think it would be better to consume it sooner rather than later.
Now I am personally very open to be proven wrong (Dr Young might not be though!) as I love learning and finding out new things – so if there are papers out there which disprove the above thinking then definitely let me know!!!
Hope this helps and that I have made some sense!
Have a great day all (and I think you two should join the forum – see link at the top – as you’d both be great additions to the conversations in there!)
Ross
Hi pam m.
While I would really love to give you a quick and simple answer I really, really can’t. Literally – the law prevents it! I’m not allowed to comment on anything that involves prescribed drugs or a medically diagnosed illness.
I would definitely recommend asking a trained pro though as lemon water can be both very tasty and very beneficial.
Sorry I cant be more help!
Ross
Ross,
Thanks for coming to the rescue!!! Nice to have that monkey off my back.
Hello!
Why is the lemon water to be consumed in the morning before eating? Can it be consumed throughout the day and before bedtime?
Thanks!
Julie
Hi Julie
You can consume it any time you like! It is just extra good first thing because it helps to revitalise and gets your day off to a good, hydrated start!
So feel free to drink up!
I would like to thank you for your response. I will speak with my doctor further concerning this. I would like to add that I think that your dedication and belief in the positive effects of lemon water is, in and of itself, “refreshing”. Thank you.
I recently started drinking water with lemon slices and love it!! I was wondering what your thoughts on this were – I usually wash the lemon, cut a few slices and then place them in a 32 oz water bottle re-filling the bottle with warer 2 or 3 times a day (with the lemon slices still inside.) Is this okay? Your comment about pesticides worries me. Also, I drink the water cold – must the water be warm/hot to achieve the full benefits of this drink?
Hello c
There is no hiding from the fact that modern farming, storage and our environment can lead to some damaging bits n pieces still being on left on the peel or skin of shop bought fruit and vegetables. The degree of severity is debatable and without testing everything you buy it is impossible to know whether the food you eat is 100% safe. We just have to trust.
I trust enough that I think by thoroughly washing (and sometimes scrubbing) the food I buy there will be little to no damage to my health from consuming the peel/skin of the food I buy. To be honest, I very rarely eat the skin/peel anyway.
With the example here of lemons, I would be a little bit retiscent to leave the lemon in all day because one of the most thorough peel cleaning techniques I have read about is to soak the fruit in water before you cut it to help extract any pesticides/chemicals.
Personally, I would try to stick with just squeezing the juice into the lemon rather than brewing it (so to speak) – but I can appreciate the convenience of the way you are doing things (i.e. you dont have to have a chopping board, knife and lemon handy all day).
I can’t say for sure to be honest, but those are my thoughts!
With regards to temperature – the body prefers drinks to be room temperature, and slightly warm is supposedly more cleansing. But to me the warmth is a comfort thing psychologically as much as anything else.
Hope this all helps and makes sense – if not let me know!
Cheers
Ross
Pam M
thanks for the kind words – your post is really very appreciated!
have a great weekend
Ross
Hi Ross,
I do agree that vegetable juices should be consumed shortly after juicing. A lot of vegetables start to oxidize and lose their nutritional content very quickly. I also believe that lemon juice is more nutritious the sooner you get to it but the issue here is whether or not it will alkalize you after a certain time, and it seems that it will for quite awhile after being squeezed. Ability to alkalize is my only point. Almost everything in nature is more nutritious the sooner you get to it, I’d never dispute that.
Also, an interesting fact about lemon juice is, it’s commonly used to preserve other fruits and vegetables. It’s widely known that putting it on a cut apple will keep the apple from browning much longer. It’s apparently pretty stable stuff, this lemon juice.
Awhile back I was talking about a bottled juice but I had forgotten the name of it but I know it now. It’s called Volcano Lemon Burst, which is organic lemon juice with no preservatives. It’s pretty popular and I can’t get my hands on any right now. Whole Foods has been sold out of it for over a month. It’s kept in a yellow plastic bottle to protect the juice from light and has a little reservoir at the spout which holds a small amount of lemon oil that gets mixed in when you squeeze it (but it does not make the juice oily). This is the best tasting bottled lemon juice I’ve ever had. It also works very well as an alkalizer. Earlier in the day and sometimes eating nothing but ‘acid forming’ foods, my pH will be kind of low (around 6), then I have a glass of spring water with this lemon juice mixed in and my pH will be over 8 fairly quickly. And yes, I know 8 might be too high. In my experience the other commercial juices will alkalize but the additives probably make it a bad choice for routine consumption.
I’ve written way more than I meant to, again.
Anyway, Ross, you’re a good natured diplomat! Who knew that lemon could be so controversial?!
And Mike, seriously, the only monkey on your back is the fact that you could not cite a source for your information.
Pam,
Seriously, I’ll decide what monkeys are on my back….and with every remark you make it continues to be you. By the way….you state above”an interesting fact about lemon juice is, it’s commonly used to preserve other fruits and vegetables. It’s widely known that putting it on a cut apple will keep the apple from browning much longer. It’s apparently pretty stable stuff, this lemon juice.” Sorry Pammy, wrong again. Lemon will, as you say, keep a vegetable from developing that brown appearance…but lemon is NOT stable, especially as a preservative…thats why sulphites must be added to it to keep it from going bad in those platic juicers.
So Pam when you say “it’s commonly used to preserve other fruits and vegetables” you are being misleading. Lemon juice has never been used to preserve vegetables…only prevent discoloration. I expect better from someone like yourself who is so anal about fact checking.
Mike
This article takes me back. I can’t quite remember why, but when I was a student I got into the habit of drinking a glass of lemon juice a day (the bottled variety). I can’t really say if I noticed any benefits – the experiment was confused by sleep deprivation, lots of wine and all the other things students do as a matter of course! However, now I can see the reasons why lemon juice is a great thing to include in your diet, along with other natural nutritious foods. it’s interesting how one of the most acidic of foods has the effect of increasing blood pH – a very unintuitive result that shows how hazardous it is to jump to obvious conclusions concerning nutrition and health.
Mike,
If something is browning,/discolored, that’s oxidation. That small amount may not hurt you but it’s an indication of chemical changes. The more oxidation, the more spoilage. Preventing oxidation is the main (but not the only) goal of preservatives. Oxidation = going bad.
Lemon juice will keep things from oxidizing faster and recipes often call for soaking fruits and vegetables in lemon juice. That effect works longer than 1/2 hour, which is the issue here. No, lemon juice isn’t used too much commercially for preserving but citric acid is and that’s what’s helping the lemon preserve the fruit when people use it at home.
When I don’t have fresh lemons I use organic, preservative free lemon juice in a plastic bottle and it sends my pH through the roof.
Still waiting for the source of your “1/2 hour” information. Feel free to post that anytime you’re ready, Mike.
Hi, I have just started the lemon juice and water. I have been doing it for about 6 days. First started with 2 lemons a day and now up to 4 a day. Well, my face is breaking out and I have a rash on my neck! Do you know what is up with that? I am hoping it is just part of the detox process. Please help.
Thanks
Sandy
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