Here are ten dreamy reasons to wake up to lemon water…

1. Promotes Healthy Hydration

Water is essential for health and energy. However, many people don’t appreciate the taste of plain old H20. Try squeezing a small sliver of lemon in your water—and voila—the tangy citrus takes the flavor up a notch without adding calories from sugar. In fact, you can slice a few lemon wedges to toss into your water bottle to promote healthy hydration all day long!

If lemon isn’t enough, you can also add sprigs of fresh herbs, think fresh mint or fresh basil. A few slices of scored cucumber will also add a bit of crispness to plain old water without adding any calories, refined sugars, or fake flavors. If you don’t favor the taste of lemon, you can also add some sass with other types of citrus. Try wedges of lime, mandarin oranges, or pink grapefruit.

2. Glowing Skin

Antioxidants are plentiful in beauty products, particularly moisturizers, for their ability to ward off free radical damage, which causing premature aging (i.e., age spots, crow’s feet, and fine lines). Luckily, lemon is rich in an essential antioxidant, vitamin C, which wards off wrinkles and blemishes, and promotes skin elasticity.

Research from the University of Maryland Medical Center, suggests that the natural citric acids found in lemons (or the Alpha hydroxy acids, or AHAs) have been linked to stimulating fresh elastin and collagen production as well as encoring the shedding of dead skin cells.
Findings link lemons to curing all sorts of problems related to skin–from healing sun burn, acne, and eczema to lemon’s effectiveness as an anti ageing, wrinkle-preventing natural wonder.

3. Enhances Immunity

Another use for foods high in vitamin C, like lemons, is their immune-boosting ability in the face of colds and flu. That means, a daily dose of lemon water will keep germs and viruses at bay, even when those around you have the sneezes and sniffles. And starting off the day with a boost of Vitamin C is a great way to ward off all sorts of germs, viruses, as well as preventing you from catching that cold that’s circulating the office.

Research published in the National Institutes of Health links drinking lemon water daily to boosting the effectiveness of the lymphatic system. Vitamin C is necessary to help the immune system operate at peak proportions, and squeezing a little lemon in your H20 first thing in the morning is the best, natural way to help your body absorb a good portion of vitamin C right off the bat.

Read the full report here.