Any benefit to adding fresh lemon juice to water?

I like the banter going on here. 

Lol. Jeff does add necessary wit to the forums.

On a more serious note, I had/have been including a bit of lemon juice to a glass of water in the morning, but usually only one glass  and then drinking water the rest of the day. Any ill effects to come from that? Any net benefits? Or is it just snake oil?  Anywhere to read up on why it's bad and/or good for health. I like to try understand why I should do something before I should do it (and given that people with reputable certifications greater than I are saying it's could be a no-go, I'm curious as to why or where I could look to understand that since the internet has thus far told me otherwise: that I should be having a bit of lemon in water upon waking in the morning). 

Daniel,

Good point you are making with this question. I think it applies far more to just "lemons in water"

Not to be nit picky but how much lemon? Do you squeeze a full myer lemon into a 8oz glass of water or just a wedge? Im asking just out of curiosity.

As for the facts and fallacies or the magical healing power of lemon water. I think lemon water like all other marketed nutritional remedies are extremely over exaggerated. Don't get me wrong there is value in adding a lemon to water. But, its not going cure cancer. 

The alleged benefits that made it so popular was the PH balancing effect and the morning is when you need your PH to drop.

I add lemon or lime to my sparking water for flavor mainly but it does add nutrients to your drink. I would say you have to use 1/2 a lemon or you are getting such a small dose its probably not worth the effort. I think more of the value is changing the flavor of your drink while adding nutrients, if you can create a number of drinks for yourself that are all high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and drink those and avoid "bad" drinks then that is the real value. 

1) Sparkling water w/ lemon or lime

2) Tea - green or black. My favorite is matcha

3) Coffee

Thanks for the response Jeff. What I had read from various sources (their authority on the topic to be determined) was to add half a lemon or about 1/4-1/2tsp of lemon juice to water in the morning. Said it was good for the health, so I did so. Aside from that, I don't drink much else. (Given a previously unhealthy relationship with alcohol I don't drink much of that stuff unless there's cause for celebration and coffee and I don't get along) So, besides this glass of lemon water in the morning all's I ever really drink is water or tea if I'm a bit slow going that morning. Thanks for the clarification, I've been adding and refining things over the past two years of what works, doesn't work, or is snake oil. Your input is appreciated. 

I drink my pure 1 liter a day of water and in addition through out the day add Cellfood Supplement drops to my water (which does not count towards my water goal). I won't get into details about Cellfood. But for any nerds here is a study on athletes. In case anyone was curious... No promo

http://www.cellfood.com/Cellfood_SA_Study_long.pdf

Uh oh.

Im pretty sure Superman didn't take Cellfood. 

Id be very skeptical of anything that openly measures its effectiveness against placebo. Thats like saying I can get better at doing push ups by doing push ups vs. sitting on the couch.

Somalie, why that of all supplements? Its targeted audience is "aerobic capacity" crowd. The limiting factor of your GST is more than likely not aerobic in nature. Just chorus? 

Zach,

That is a Wolfgang Unsold thing not a Charles thing. It is just posted on his site. 

The concept behind it is to reset your biorhythm. Reset your cortisol curve in this case. If you work a 9-5 job(not a shift worker) and wake up in-between 6am and 8am on your own your cortisol levels are normal and need no optimization.

If that is not the case for you well them Im sorry lime and salt isn't going to do it for you. Setting up a heathy nutrition plan and getting the correct amount of sleep will. 

No one wants to believe or accept the fact there is no short cuts. There is just focused hard work. Zach I know your a hard worker, this is not pointed at you it's just my general point of view. 

With that said this is not a level 1 thing to talk about. But, I wanted to give ya' an answer before saying that. 

On January 10, 2016 at 6:52 PM, Jeff Serven said:

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

Jesus this is hilarious!!! Little late to the party but better than never.

Sean! Do you just join us or have you been a lurker? Either way, good to have ya' 

38 minutes ago, Jeff Serven said:

Sean! Do you just join us or have you been a lurker? Either way, good to have ya' 

I think "creep'in" is what the kids on Facebook call it now'a'days, ha ha...

but no I just signed up. I'm glad too, I'm lovin the darker humour, a necessary evil at times to save one's sanity. Just cashed in on some unnecessary home gym equipment and then joined.

Had been using an app to track meals, calories, nutrients etc, a sort of "diary" if you take the hint. But Being here adds more accountability for me, plus anything here has been quality. 

Risking a B-slap for asking but if this "guy" I know tries to put some kind of "vitamin powder" in my quota water should I respond immediatly with an atomic wedgie? Other than he may think my eating habits aren't entirely sound at this point I'm not sure why he would do this to me. I really need to find better people to hang with. 

 Lovin the premise of this program. kinda like the work I do with my clients. Start small, build on the success and rewards that come from them. I think sometimes it's under estimated the payback one gets from stackin the deck with small success and the impact it can have their self worth. So I'm here for my cognitive behavioural therapy in better nutrition, giddy up...

Thank you for the welcome! 

Welcome, Sean. Word of advice. Try your best not to forget to mark off tasks. I've done that two weeks in a row now, forgetting to mark off a wide swath of tasks. Same day each week, freaking Saturday. In the home stretch and I'm sabotaging myself. Oh well, more time to cement those habits at least.

I recommend putting a daily reminder in your phone, at 9 or 10pm. That helped me a lot

I have an alarm on my phone as well! Haven't missed a day since doing that (knock on wood!).

As to vitamin powder, no. You (I mean, your friend) can't add that to your water and count it toward your water goal.

Once you've met your water goal, you theoretically could add the powder. But should you? That's another question. Are there any sweeteners in this powder?

I'm skeptical of the quality of vitamins in a powder for drinks, and many vitamins aren't absorbed by our body without accompanying fat. So adding vitamins to a glass of water and drinking it apart from a meal wouldn't probably net much.

Thats my two cents!

Haha! Good sense of humor Sean. 

For your vitamin powder. Julia is right on both points. You cant add anything to your water to count it towards your water goal and generally there is some sweetener in stuff like that  as well as the quality is questionable. Supplements are a very tricky thing because the profit margins are so high. People see "Vitamin E" and think its all the same but there is different tocopherols like A, B, G and D. The A form is cheep and is what you get in most multi vitamins but its the G form that has the most bang for the buck when it comes to stoping free radical damage. The supplement industry is one of the most dishonest out there and requires a high level of knowledge to get what you pay for. I am defiantly a fan but to make a boxing related term; you need to learn how to jab and move your head before you try a spinning back fist. 

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated. Stay active and don't be creeper. 

Thanks guys for the useful tips and support. I'll do them. I'm on simailar page with most on the topic of supplements.  I'm all my years for trying them actually only creatine ever made any positive feed back in my lifting days, to me anyways. When you look at old timey lifters back in the day it was all done through nutrition and dedication. Can't see why that can't be the same for us less Olympic hopefuls.

Jeff- I thought as much, all I can say is that guy is gunna look like a real dumbass with his only good set of undies stretched over his head next time he sees himself in the mirror. Thought given how cozy Coach and Rob Wolf seem to be that he'd be running the show here, buuuuut I've been following your blog posts and responses to people, you "seem" to know your stuff too. I guess you'll do ....oh no you di'in't...now where is that black girl waving her finger emoticon?

i think I've found my new home.aaahhhhh, now to chug my first 500mls 

Haha

I've just joined and this thread was the first I read. Fell in love with water immediately

Dovile,

Good to have ya'

Ask as many questions as you need to get the concepts crystal clear and don't be afraid to tell a joke or two. 

What is the science behind the "water and water alone" rule?

I have no problem drinking the liter of plain water every day, but would love to understand what this is based on (vs. adding lemon, or drinking green tea, etc.)

Has this been answered already? Thanks!

On July 1, 2016 at 0:40 PM, Mike Lee said:

What is the science behind the "water and water alone" rule?

Because I said so.

No, just kidding. Because once you add something where does it end? A lemon wedge is okay but is it okay to add a whole lemon? What about adding some stevia to it to make it taste better? Or how about some iced green tea with a "touch" of honey[read: 1/2 cup of honey]. Save yourself from yourself. You will go down this road of convoluted thinking of turning water into a vehicle for sugar. Have disciple and keep it straight water. 

On 7/3/2016 at 6:34 PM, Jeff Serven said:

Because I said so.

No, just kidding. Because once you add something where does it end? A lemon wedge is okay but is it okay to add a whole lemon? What about adding some stevia to it to make it taste better? Or how about some iced green tea with a "touch" of honey[read: 1/2 cup of honey]. Save yourself from yourself. You will go down this road of convoluted thinking of turning water into a vehicle for sugar. Have disciple and keep it straight water. 

god, finally!  I had to read the whole dang thread to get to "why" on the very last post!  LOL

Hi all,  just started my Thrive journey today and so far so good...

I'm looking forward to seeing what other challenges are on the way because water is probably the one and only thing on this trip that I already have sorted.  I think the format of this program is going to help a lot.  Can't wait to see how it goes.

59 minutes ago, Helen O'Sullivan said:

Hi all,  just started my Thrive journey today and so far so good...

I'm looking forward to seeing what other challenges are on the way because water is probably the one and only thing on this trip that I already have sorted.  I think the format of this program is going to help a lot.  Can't wait to see how it goes.

Welcome to the program! Keep us posted on your progress and challenges.