Any benefit to adding fresh lemon juice to water?

I've been told that adding fresh-squeezed lemon juice to water is beneficial due to its alkalinity.

Is this a good idea to add to my daily water, or should I just stick with regular water?

Thanks,

Cam

Where do you buy alkaline lemons?

Cam - Strike 2!

Vinca - Borrow Cam's gun. 

All - Water and water alone counts towards your water goal. Adding lemon or lime is great but it does not count. And, just for clarity, do not buy a bottle of lime juice. The only suitable lime or lemon to put in your beverage is a fresh squeezed (by you). If you are looking to try something new try a 1/2 spoonful of Matcha and half a lime in a glass of water. 

What is in store for someone when they get 3 strikes Jeff? Do you have an alternative nutrition plan for those who have struck out?
I have to admit I haven't had this much of a laugh reading the GB forums for a long time till you came along Jeff! Nutrition advice and comedy rolled into one. Bargain price at 99 dollars.

Oh come on Jeff! This is a step up from the spreadable cheddar question

For the hassle, I'll just stick with normal water. I had read that there was an added benefit to adding fresh squeezed lemon juice, but it sounds like it's negligible.

Vinca - fresh lemon juice alkalizes water (that's my understanding anyways).

If you find these "alkaline lemons", let me know! ;p

El chino - strike 3 means a diet of flax seeds and water for a week

If so Cam I dare you to ask another question!

Cam: lemon juice is acidic. It does the opposite of alkalizing.

Vinca - I'm no rocket surgeon, so I don't know how this shit works, but apparently lemon water is absorbed in the body as an alkaline liquid, despite the fact that lemons are acidic.

A quick Google search will tell you this, or click here: http://life.gaiam.com/article/how-increase-alkalinity-your-water

El Chino - I was thinking something along the lines of "Can I use chocolate milk to kill two birds with one stone for the water and the healthy fat?"

Cameron Williams said:

El Chino - I was thinking something along the lines of "Can I use chocolate milk to kill two birds with one stone for the water and the healthy fat?"

Love it Cam! Wonder what Jeff's response to that would be? I suspect worse than shooting oneself in the face anyway!

Cam, I highly recommend avoiding diet websites that use the word "toxins" regularly. There's usually a lot of pseudoscience in them, and they're probably trying to sell you something.

Lemon is acidic in the mouth, obviously, but when digested/metabolized, has an alkalyzing effect on the blood/ tissues. The best description I could find on why is this: Lemon contains various components to it, citric acid, but also has some positive ions as well. Namely, calcium and potassium (Ca+2, K+) which are in high enough quantity that the pH contribution nets as an increase in pH despite the acidic citric acid. Conversely in an orange, which is very sweet from all the sugars, the citric acid + the sugars, overrides the cations and nets in an increase in acidity.

Therefore, lemon raises pH, and orange decreases pH.

However, literally none of this matters if you eat enough green vegetables as they are highly alkaline and adequately buffer the pH towards being alkaline.

I haven't studied metabolism pathways in awhile so I may not be right, but as far as I know, off the top of my head.  it is correct.

Vinca - you could be right!

I just read this article: http://www.livestrong.com/article/498141-can-adding-lemon-juice-water-make-water-alkaline/

It says that the whole lemon water alkaline thing isn't upheld by science. I've heard and read so many things that say that it does make it alkaline, despite its acidic nature. And lemon juice feels slippery on the hands when mixed with water, which indicates that it is indeed basic when mixed with water.

Go figure.

Anyways, good to know. Less reading shit online and more listening to Jeff.

Onward with the water train.

Cam

More info here: http://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/14164/is-lemon-water-an-alkalizing-agent-in-the-body

Basically, your body is going to work really hard to maintain its pH, and you're in a bad state when it doesn't. Some lemon juice in your water isn't going to change it.

but it does taste good, and masks the flavor of chlorine.

Like I said, I'm no rocket surgeon.

Thanks for pointing out the error

Glad to help.

Vinca - You were working' on strike 2 then you totally redeemed yourself! The whole PH diet is bunk. The benefit of adding a lemon, lime, orange slice or any other circus to water is the actual nutrients not the PH effects. 

Cam - You are on the watch list. Im going to see if Cory can change your user name to "Suspect 001" 

Hahaha

Ha, uh oh, you may be on to my strategy...

Using Gaiam Life as a source of info about anything (including yoga) should be another strike. 

Alright then, it's official... 3 strikes. Jeff, what happens now?

You have to drink 1L of squeezed lemon juice every day.

Actual lol

Boki said:

You have to drink 1L of squeezed lemon juice every day.

You have to pour it over your eyes then let it roll into your mouth 

Wasn't Jeff's original title for Thrive going to be  "The Abu Ghraib Nutrition Program"?