The Health Benefits of Warm Lemon & Cayenne Pepper Water
Detoxification Nutrition Real Food Recipes
Warm lemon and cayenne pepper water is touted as a detoxifying and metabolism-boosting natural remedy. Why? Does it actually work? And do you need to do some drastic “cleanse” to get all of the benefits? (Spoiler: NOPE!) Let’s take a closer look…
I want to be clear upfront: no, this is absolutely NOT a post about a cleanse where all you drink is lemon and cayenne pepper water for a week in the name of detoxification or to achieve drastic weight loss.
Eek, does that thought make me cringe!
While I’m all about detox, I believe in gentle boosting your body’s detox pathways and with a food-based approach. Yes, you can still eat and detox! (And eat and lose weight, for that matter.) YUM!
However, drinking a warm glass of water with fresh-squeezed lemon juice and cayenne pepper is something I do every morning to give my body’s detoxification pathways and metabolism a little boost.
So how does it work?
Lemon and cayenne pepper are one powerhouse duo with serious health benefits.
Both are great at giving the body’s detox pathways, digestion, and metabolism a boost.
Lemon
The vitamin C in lemon transforms toxins into digestible material. Lemons are also packed with antioxidants and electrolytes like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. This tart fruit is also known to stimulate the liver’s natural enzymes by helping to oxygenate the body.
Lemon also stimulates the secretion of gastric juices, aiding the digestion of your breakfast that will follow. Since proper digestion is absolutely critical to a healthy body, this drink is a great way to set the stage for a day of healthy digestion.
To boot, lemons, though acidic, helps neutralize the body’s pH by making it more alkaline. pH imbalance has been attributed to numerous disorders as well as chronic illness.
Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper stimulates the circulatory system by opening the capillaries, aids digestion, and helps regulate blood sugar. It can also increase your body temperature and speed up your metabolism.
NOTE: Be sure to always buy non-irradiated cayenne pepper (and all spices) since irradiation can reduce the health benefits!
I like to start each morning with a glass of warm water with lemon and cayenne pepper to get these benefits.
Though lemon and cayenne pepper have achieved quite a bit of fame thanks to “The Master Cleanse” — a protocol that involves drinking water, lemon, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup for a few days to detox and achieve quick weight loss (no, it doesn’t sound very pleasant to me either!) — you don’t need to do this drastic cleanse in order to reap the rewards.
I do a “mini master cleanse” each morning.
It’s such a super simple addition to your health and wellness routine and a great way to start the day off on the right foot.
So here’s what I do: sometime after waking but before eating breakfast, I warm a pint of water (slightly warmer than body temperature but not hot), juice half a lemon directly in the glass using a wooden citrus reamer, and top it off with a few sprinkles of non-irradiated cayenne pepper (since, again, the process of irradiation reduces the nutritional profile and natural medicinal properties of herbs and spices, and we don’t want that!). Lastly, I mix everything together and chug*. I follow this with about a half glass of plain water, and wait 15-30 minutes before eating breakfast to let the drink work its magic.
*Note: I use a glass drinking straw with this drink to keep the acidic lemon from wearing away my tooth enamel. If you choose to try or adopt this practice, I highly suggest investing in these straws. Unlike plastic straws, they will not leech any harmful chemicals.
Interested in holistic health and natural remedies?
Yes? Well then you’re in the right place!
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Noha
I Was looking for it for a long time here in dubai and i finally found it in carre four in mirdiff city center and got myself a handfull coz dont when next it will be available.
I truthfully have no idea and would ask your doctor before trying it.
Would this drink be ok for people with colitis?
Why does it have to be warm?
Someone recommended I try this when I go skiing to warm my hands and feet, but it sounds like a great every day drink, too! What’s your opinion on using pre-made lemon juice, whether store bought or juiced by me say, at the beginning of the week? Thanks!
I’ve done this for 3 days so far (and will pretty much make it a daily routine from now on) and my sinus’ feel so much better!! I’ve been struggling with chronic sinusitis for years and wake up super congested every morning and hate having to take OTC drugs for it. It has been less than 5 minutes and I can breath out of both nostrils clearly!! Another bonus. : ) Yay!! Thank you for sharing this.
-Meg
I’m drinking lemon and cayenne pepper every morning, it’s beneficial because I don’t get much time to work out, and finds that is burns belly fat. Shedding some pounds without any effort! I just love this drink.
Van we cut up a small chili pepper instead of the cayenne pepper?? I can’t find it anywhere in dubai! And can we add apple cider vinegar and honey to that? Thanks Nadia 🙂
Thanks for sharing that link, Robert! I watched the whole series – very interesting.
Yes, some people drink lemon and cayenne pepper water to a detox – that’s all they consume for a set period of time! I personally do not think that is a good idea and would not do it myself! Drinking it in the morning has so many benefits, though, and helps stimulate your detox systems after sleep.
Hello,
For a while now I’ve been drinking lemon juice with the zest diluted with water (be sure to use an organic lemon, otherwise you will consume some sort of wax). I drink this just because I think it is a very refreshing and healthy drink in the morning. Then I read that cayenne had all sorts of health benefits, so I added cayenne to my morning drink and I still enjoy it. Wondering what others had to say about it, I searched the internet and realized that this combination is mostly consumed for cleansing or detox reasons. That reminded me of the following documentary: The Truth aboud Food, by the BBC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_0spCGvvNI
This episode is, among other things, about detoxing and it is rather revealing. If you are into detoxing cures, the ‘eek’ and the ‘juck’ way, and you hate it – be sure to watch it. You can quite without feeling guilty.
This is not to say that we shouldn’t drink our lemon cayenne, for it is still very nutritious and healthy. Even more so when consumed with the zest (the richest part of the lemon in nutrients).
The Truth about Food consists of six episodes, all avaible on youtube.
Enjoy.
Robert
Raw honey is great for you – I don’t see why not! It would certainly sweeten it up a bit 🙂
can we add raw honey as well? will it alter the composition in anyway? or will it work just as well? thanks!
Wow – just by drinking it in the morning?? That’s great!
My friend has been doing this and lost 5 kg’s without any additional effort… I am sold.
Can I substitute apple cider vinegar for the lemon juice and get the same results? Lemon juice of any kind has a tendency to cause stomach burn but ACV does not.
Hm, is this kind of detox safe and gentle enough for pregnancy and breastfeeding? Or should that be avoided?
Now you tell me! lol I’m just finishing up a two week detox and yuck am I tired of the monotony of one meal and shake replacements. I’ll remember this next time I feel I need a cleansing.