Health and Hydration

Benefits Of Re-Hydrating With Lemon/Lime Water

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The human body is composed of over 70% water, and water plays a vital role in the smooth functioning of the different organs and cells in the body. Water is needed to lubricate the eyes, transport blood, transport nutrients, regulate body temperature and easing the function of the kidneys. We lose water in normal everyday processes like breathing, sweating, urinating, and passing out feces. It is therefore vital to always replenish the lost water or body functions maybe impaired.  For this reason, we are encouraged to consume an estimated 3L of water per day, which seems burdensome to many. For this reason, people consume other fluids like drinks and beverages to increase their water intake in a more pleasurable manner, though some of these may cause more harm than good to the body especially due to high sugar content (1). Re-Hydrating With Lemon/Lime Water can be a good alternative.

However, adding citrus fruits to your water can be a great way to improve taste and encourage bulk drinking. Limes and lemons (Citrus spp.) are great citrus fruit whose addition to your water comes with numerous health benefits.

Benefits

  1. Helps regulate blood sugar levels. They are very low in carbohydrate content (10.5g/100g) as such they do not spike blood sugar levels. Re-Hydrating With Lemon/Lime Water makes a great substitute to sodas and sugar rich drinks for diabetics (2). Limes/lemons also contain significant amounts of vitamin C which has been proven to reduce blood sugar levels in many research studies. In one of such studies, the daily dietary supplementation of 500 mg to1000 mg of vitamin C for six weeks was effective in reducing blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes (3).
  2. Prevents kidney stones. Kidney stones are hard mineral and acid salt deposits formed inside the kidneys. Their formation occurs when urine is highly concentrated, causing minerals to crystallize and glue together. The passing of kidney stones from the kidneys to the urinary tract produces pain in the lower abdomen and during urination (4). Re-Hydrating With Lemon/Lime Water contain good amounts of citrate (55.6g in 1kg of lime juice) that prevent the formation of kidney stones by raising urine citrate concentrations (5). Research has demonstrated that people who consume more citrus fruits decrease their risk of developing kidney stones. Besides vitamin C present in limes also helps to prevent kidney stone formation or break up kidney stones in affected persons (6).
  3. Enhances heart health. The Vitamin C in limes acts as a diuretic (water pill), aiding the kidneys to eliminate more water and sodium from the body. This causes relaxation of the walls of the blood vessels, consequently reducing blood pressure (7). Besides, limes and lemons contain flavonoids which possess power antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities which inhibit oxidative stress that damages cells. Oxidative stress is a well-known risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Lime consumption has been reported to also reduce blood lipid concentration, decreases the likelihood of lipid build up in the arteries, which is the onset of atherosclerosis, another risk factor for cardiovascular disease (8).
  4. Increases the absorption of iron. Vitamin C increases the bioavailability of iron by seizing non-heme iron and storing it in a form that the body can easily absorb (9). Thus, drinking lime water during meals can be very beneficial for anemic persons. Research studies have reported that consuming a citrus drink alongside a plant-based meal increases the absorption of iron b about 70% (10).
  5. Enhances healthy skin. Vitamin C is crucial to produce collagen which is the main protein in the connective tissues of the skin. Collagen gives skin its elasticity, toughness, and bounce.  Collagen depletion leads to wrinkling and sagging of the skin as seen in aged people and slows down the healing of wounds (11).
  6. Boosts overall body immunity. Re-Hydrating With Lemon/Lime Water gives your body Vitamin C which improves the production of white blood cells, which act as the body’s first line of defense, protecting the body from infection by microbes (12).

Adding limes or lemon to your water is sure great way to make water a super beverage for drinking. You can make lime/lemon water by simply cutting open the fruits and squeezing the juice into your cup or bottle of water. You can also you a juicer to extract the juice and then add to your cup of water.

REFERENCES

  1. Liska, D., Mah, E., Brisbois, T., Barrios, P. L., Baker, L. B., & Spriet, L. L. (2019). Narrative review of hydration and selected health outcomes in the general population. Nutrients, 11(1), 70. doi:10.3390/nu11010070
  2. FoodData central. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2022, from Usda.gov website: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168155/nutrients
  3. Afkhami-Ardekani, M., & Shojaoddiny-Ardekani, A. (2007). Effect of vitamin C on blood glucose, serum lipids & serum insulin in type 2 diabetes patients. The Indian Journal of Medical Research, 126(5), 471–474. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18160753/
  4. Kidney stones. (2020, May 5). Retrieved May 30, 2022, from Mayo Clinic website: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-stones/symptoms-causes/syc-20355755
  5. Lime juice to prevent kidney stones. (2001, October 12). Retrieved May 30, 2022, from foodnavigator.com website: https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2001/10/12/Lime-juice-to-prevent-kidney-stones
  6. Gul, Z., & Monga, M. (2014). Medical and dietary therapy for kidney stone prevention. Korean Journal of Urology, 55(12), 775–779. doi:10.4111/kju.2014.55.12.775
  7. Big doses of vitamin C may lower blood pressure – 04/18/2012. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2022, from Hopkinsmedicine.org website: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/big_doses_of_vitamin_c_may_lower_blood_pressure
  8. Mahmoud, A. M., Hernández Bautista, R. J., Sandhu, M. A., & Hussein, O. E. (2019). Beneficial effects of citrus flavonoids on cardiovascular and metabolic health. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2019, 5484138. doi:10.1155/2019/5484138
  9. Lynch, S. R., & Cook, J. D. (1980). Interaction of vitamin C and iron. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 355(1 Micronutrient), 32–44. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1980.tb21325.x
  10. Singh, A., Bains, K., & Kaur, H. (2016). Effect of inclusion of key foods on in vitro iron bioaccessibility in composite meals. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 53(4), 2033–2039. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-2154-z
  11. DePhillipo, N. N., Aman, Z. S., Kennedy, M. I., Begley, J. P., Moatshe, G., & LaPrade, R. F. (2018). Efficacy of vitamin C supplementation on collagen synthesis and oxidative stress after musculoskeletal injuries: A systematic review. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 6(10), 2325967118804544. doi:10.1177/2325967118804544
  12. van Gorkom, G. N. Y., Klein Wolterink, R. G. J., Van Elssen, C. H. M. J., Wieten, L., Germeraad, W. T. V., & Bos, G. M. J. (2018). Influence of vitamin C on lymphocytes: An overview. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 7(3). doi:10.3390/antiox7030041