5min Recipe: Detoxifying Lemon Water

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Starting the day with a cleansing, refreshing drink of lemon water does wonders for the system. Besides ensuring optimum hydration, lemon water has multiple benefits for the body and mind. Add in ginger, cucumber and mint and you have an incredible detoxifying solution to keep you at your best all day.

Lemon is well known for its pH balancing properties. Although it has quite an acidic taste, it is inherently alkaline and helps the body maintain its balance. It is a powerful disinfectant and antibacterial compound, aiding in the treatment many conditions from bad breath to cholera, and has 22 anti-cancer properties. The high concentration of vitamin C in lemons helps to fight flu and neutralizes the free radicals, absorbed in the modern day lifestyle, that lead to aging and disease. Your liver, colon, skin and even your eyes will benefit from a daily dose of lemon juice.

Cucumber, made from over 90% water, is deeply hydrating and cooling. It helps to relieve heartburn, lowers the uric acid levels in the kidneys, creates smooth hair and nails and reduces bad cholesterol. Cucumber is full of vitamins, which boost your immune system and energy levels. It is packed with fiber, which aids in digestion and weight loss. The normalizing effect that cucumber has on blood pressure has helped relieve the symptoms of both high and low blood pressure in many studies. Taken daily, cucumber can also help dissolve kidney stones and is a natural diuretic.

The super-food ginger improves the absorption of nutrients into the body, reduces inflammation and helps eliminate sinus congestion. It relieves stomach aches, gas and nausea and is even said to have aphrodisiacal properties. A 2010 study, on the consumption of two grams of ginger for eleven days, showed that it dramatically reduced exercise- induced muscle pain. Ginger provides chromium, magnesium and zinc, which promote proper blood circulation.

The last ingredient of this health cocktail is revitalizing mint. Commonly used to refresh your breath, mint is also extremely useful for the rest of your body. As with the ingredients above, it improves digestion, respiratory disorders and skin conditions. Mint is also used to improve cognitive functions, such as memory, and alleviate depression and anxiety. The herb is a natural stimulant and, if you use it every day, it can restore you from an exhausted, sluggish state to your highest mental capacity.

To create this delicious, nutritious drink, use the following ingredients:

  • 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 1/4 ginger root
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves

Peel a small amount of ginger before you cut it. Be wary of using too much ginger, as its flavor can be overwhelming.  Slice up all the ingredients and add it to a jug of water. If you want to get the most out of the ingredients, do not throw them out after one use. Generally, they will last around three days if you keep adding new water.

This exquisite detoxifying drink is a great addition to your diet at any time of the day, but is best first thing in the morning for optimum results.

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Liu Jiao
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