Alternative remedies for ailments such as constipation, liver disease, gallbladder disease and kidney stones suggest using a combination of olive oil and either lemon or lime juice to "flush" the digestive system. However, while both olive oil and citrus drinks can be beneficial, no clinical support exists for their claims to heal or cure any disease or condition.
Unsubstantiated Benefits
Several Internet sites, many selling supplements or other "flush" ingredients, claim that drinking water mixed with lemon juice and olive oil can clean the liver, kidneys, gallbladder and other organs as well as help relieve digestive issues, lower cholesterol and aid in weight loss. Some suggest that the concoction mixed with Epsom salts can dissolve kidney or gall stones.
Benefits of Citrus Juice
According to a 2010 study conducted by Mario Ferruzzi, assistant professor of food science at Purdue University, lemon juice added to green tea can increase the amount of antioxidants available to your body. Catechins, antioxidants found in green tea, tend to lose their ability to be absorbed once they reach the intestines. The addition of citrus juice, such as lemon or lime juice, left 80 percent of the tea's catechins available for absorption in a simulated model.
Citrus juices contain large amounts of vitamin C, a water-soluble nutrient necessary for the formation of collagen, bones, muscles, blood and cartilage. Vitamin C also helps your body absorb iron.
Benefits of Olive Oil
Olive oil contains antioxidants that can protect you from heart attacks and stroke. Polyphenols, especially those found in virgin olive oil, have the ability to fight some of the conditions that come with aging, including weight gain, arthritis and high cholesterol. Free radicals released as by-products of natural metabolism and from some environmental pollutants damage cells and contribute to degenerative diseases. A scientific study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research shows that the antioxidants in olive oil can help neutralize free radicals and limit or prevent their detrimental effects, thereby protecting red blood cells. According to the Mayo Clinic, the monounsaturated fats in olive oil can help normalize your blood's ability to clot and benefit your insulin and blood sugar levels, along with fighting cholesterol.
Because bile from the gallbladder is released when you eat food containing fat, drinking water with lemon juice and olive oil may help you expel gallstones.
Olive oil is high in calories; drinking it can contribute to weight gain.
Warning
While drinking water with lemon juice and olive oil is usually safe for healthy individuals, see your doctor immediately if you experience pain associated with meals or unexplained abdominal pain.
References
- ABC New/Health; Citrus Juice Gives Boost to Green Tea Antioxidants; Robert Preidt; Nov. 20, 2007
- MayoClinic.com; Kidney Stones; Alternative Medicine; Jan. 30, 2010
- Quackwatch; The Truth About Gallbladder and Liver "Flushes"; Peter Moran; March 9, 2007
- Electroherbalism: Liver Flush Regimen
- American Cancer Society; Citrus Juice, Vitamin C Give Staying Power to Green Tea Antioxidants; Mario Feruzzi; May 21, 2010
- Dr-Pablo.com; Liver Detoxification; Philip Maffetone, et al.; 2007
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