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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