Lemon is not only used in cuisines, home remedies, or household chores, but it can also be made into a fully functional battery – one that is good enough to power an LED. One of the oldest cultivated trees of the world, lemon is known for its wide range of benefits, one of the prime ones being, its diuretic properties.
Natural Diuretics
Talk about a refreshing icy drink on a hot day, or an inexpensive homemade disinfectant, lemon is always the first thing that comes to your mind. Apart from lemon, some other natural diuretics include apple cider vinegar, artichoke, cucumber, cranberry juice, carrot, cabbage, dandelion, fennel, green tea, nettle, tomato, watercress, and watermelon.
Lemon As A Diuretic
Lemon is attributed as a natural diuretic, because it increases the rate of urination, especially when taken with warm or hot water. Given this property, an important benefit that lemon has is helping with water retention. Many people with edema have found relief by drinking lemon juice. Furthermore, by inducing diuresis, lemon helps flush out toxins and harmful bacteria from the body.
Lemon-Cranberry Diuretic Juice Recipe
Mix 1 tablespoon of concentrated cranberry juice with 8 ounces of warm distilled water. Pour 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice in the solution after getting rid of the seeds. Add some sugar for taste, pour into a bottle, and shake well. Voila! Unlike a normal ‘flavored water’, this natural diuretic lemon juice is flavored, dietetic, and rich in vitamin C.
Tip to Remember
Lemon, as a diuretic, may help the body get rid of a few pounds of water and reduce the water weight, it does not stimulate weight loss in the real sense. So, people are advised not to rely on diuretics (natural or otherwise) if they are aiming for long-term weight loss.
Cons of Lemon Overuse
Lemon is highly beneficial for the body, but, it must only be used when the need arises, and not on a regular basis. Although the side effects of drinking excess lemon juice are not known, many people have experienced enamel erosion, which may later cause problems, like tooth sensitivity and tooth decay.
A Word of Caution Regarding Diuretics
As a note of caution, know that long-term use of any kind of diuretics should be avoided, as it may result in side effects, such as arrhythmia, extreme fatigue, weakness, muscle cramps, dehydration, and poor appetite.