Many people don't know how many calories they take in daily from beverages, states the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC website shows how three cold drinks and a whole milk latte can add up to 796 calories, and suggests substituting cold drinks with low-calorie alternatives, such as water with lemon.
Hot lemon water helps stimulate bowel movements, according to the American Cancer Society. Maintaining regularity supports your health and weight loss efforts.
Hot Lemon Water
Step 1
Heat water as though to make tea. It doesn't have to be boiling, only a comfortable drinking temperature.
Step 2
Pour hot water into a mug.
Step 3
Wash a lemon. Cut the lemon in half.
Step 4
Remove visible seeds carefully with the point of a knife.
Step 5
Squeeze the lemon into the hot water. Start with a brief squeeze and increase the amount as you become accustomed to the taste of lemon water. Alternatively, use a juicer to prepare lemon juice and add the resulting juice to the hot water.
Cold Lemon Water
Step 1
Cut a lemon into eighth-inch slices.
Step 2
Pour water into a glass pitcher.
Step 3
Squeeze the lemon slices gently into the water and drop all the slices into the pitcher. Keep the lemon water in the refrigerator and drink it in place of sodas and caffeinated beverages.
Tips and Warnings
- Make lemon water your first beverage of the day and drink plenty of water throughout the day. Avoid using sugar or honey as these stimulate the appetite and raise blood sugar. Try drinking a full glass of lemon water a half hour before meals and snacks to reduce appetite. Avoid putting lemon water in plastic, lead crystal, pottery or aluminum. The acid in lemon can leach contaminants out of the container.
- In a review of a detoxifying diet of lemon water and whole foods, the American Dietetic Association (see References), concluded that a prolonged detoxifying diet could cause nutritional deficiencies, and that there isn't much scientific evidence in support of such diets.
Things You'll Need
- Juicer (optional)
- Glass pitcher
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