Its various vitamin and mineral content is the reason why lemon is the favorite fruit for juice making. One of the most famous benefits of lemon is to increase the immune system. But is that actually true?

Lemons are rich in vitamin C, a major antioxidant that helps protect cells from free radical damage which automatically boosts the immune system.

Launching from Healthline, vitamin C is effective in preventing or limiting the duration of the common cold in some people. Vitamin C is also known to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and lower blood pressure.

Even though lemons are not at the top of the list of citrus fruits, which are also rich in vitamin C, they are still a good source of vitamin C. 18.6 milligrams of vitamin C can be found within a glass of lemon juice. The needed amount for daily intake is 65 – 90 mg. This means that lemons already contribute 30 percent of the daily amount of vitamin C for adults.

Lemon fruit fiber, called pectin, helps nourish the microbiome bacteria, which strengthens the immune system. Pectin can also increase the production of digestive enzymes, improve bowel function regularly, and help eliminate toxins in the body.

Apart from that, the vitamin C contained in lemons can also reduce the duration and severity of upper respiratory infections. We recommend that you consume lemons while they are still fresh so that you can get maximum benefits. For this reason, we highly advise that you always wash and peel the skin, before squeezing the lemon into the water.

Nutritionist Julie Hefner states that the best time to eat lemons is in the morning. According to her, lemon has recovery benefits. Lemon juice has an effect to enhance your natural look, making the skin smoother and tighter.

But aside to be a natural immune system increaser, lemon juice has other special benefits to support your health, such as :

1. Prevents Dehydration

Lemon juice can highly prevent dehydration.

Most people would feel reluctant to drink water once they wake up, despite its importance. Rehydration of the body after sleeping at night is important to maintain fluids in the body.

Instead of choosing caffeinated or sugary drinks that have health effects, try drinking refreshing lemon water. Apart from being refreshing, lemon water can help you drink more water.

2. Rich in antioxidants

Lemons are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. This substance is important for protecting the skin from sun exposure, to increase collagen production. Plus, consuming lemon juice is one of the most pleasant ways to take a good amount of antioxidants.

Not only that, these two substances are also important in maintaining immune system and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke to heart disease. Besides being healthy, the skin of people who consume lemon water is also said to be more cared for.

3. Enhance your natural look

As said above, lemon juice can make you look more beautiful. Drinking warm lemon water in the morning is good for the skin, because it is believed to keep skin moisturized, helps skin look fresh, and reduces wrinkles. All these things are possible due to the contents of Vitamin C in lemons.

Another benefit, the vitamin C in lemon can prevent skin wrinkles, skin drying, skin aging and sun damage. Lemon detoxifies your body and keeps skin glowing. Include lemon water in your diet and you will feel refreshed.

4. Supports digestion function

Drinking lemon juice in the morning can also help improve digestion. Think of it as a natural laxative for your stomach problems.

The acid contained in lemons can help the body to digest food more easily. Leftovers can come out faster. However, those of you who have a history of indigestion should be careful when drinking lemon in the morning.

The reason is, drinking lemon juice on an empty stomach can cause irritation and trigger digestive disorders in sufferers. Patients with indigestion, it is better to consult a doctor first before starting the lemon juice consuming routine.

5. Prevents the formation of kidney stones

Drinking lemon juice is also said to prevent kidney stone formation. This goodness comes from the citric acid content in lemons.

Increased levels of citric acid in the urine can block the formation of kidney stones. Indeed, the citrate content in lemon juice is not as potent as the potassium citrate medicine prescribed by doctors.

But for those of you who want to minimize the use of drugs to prevent kidney stones, regular consumption of lemon juice can be an alternative way to try. Keep in mind, make sure to consult a doctor first to determine whether this step is suitable for you or not.

6. Overcoming bad breath

The main problem when you wake up in the morning is bad breath. You can drink lemon juice or water in the morning to fix it. The reason is, lemon water stimulates saliva production, so that bad breath problems can be minimized.

It also helps to reduce dryness in your mouth. When your mouth is dry, bacteria can build up and thus trigger bad breath.