Lemons vs. Apples?
Hot Lemon Water or Apple Cider Vinegar? Which is the better morning beverage to cleanse the body and heal the gut
It’s hard to keep up with all the latest trends in the wellness world. Most people get their advice from what they see other’s doing, and assume the same will work for them.
There is certainly nothing wrong with hopping on trends and testing things out for yourself, but you should still learn how everything works.
There is great importance in what we put in our bodies during those first few hours of waking up. Being gentle and cleansing on our digestive system is key for good gut and overall body health.
The first thing you put in your body will awaken your organs, start your internal processes, and spread wellness across your body. If you wake up and chug a coffee with creamer, or a coca cola, or orange juice, the opposite will occur. Those beverages only further exhaust your body, not awaken it.
Think of your body like a car that’s been low on oil for months. You can still turn the car on in the morning to get you to work but, it rattles and cracks as you do so. Every part of the car tries to adjust to not getting what it needs but eventually, it just won’t turn on. Similarly, your body becomes exhausted with your poor nutrition, and disease manifests.
Other than water, there have been a lot of different morning beverage suggestions that have circulated the internet.
Hot lemon water, apple cider vinegar shots, chlorophyll water, ginger shots, green juice, and more.
All of these things are healthy for you so if you pick one you can’t really lose, but maybe one is better for your bio-individuality than the other so doing your research on what each provides for the body is imperative.
By far, out of this list, apple cider vinegar and lemon water take the center stage in most morning beverage conversations. I find most people don’t know which one to choose or whether or not to do both?
We will be diving into the science-backed results of both of these drinks, and after viewing all the evidence I will conclude which morning beverage should reign on top.
The Hype of Lemon Water
Starting your day with water regardless of what’s inside it is extremely healthy for you. You become dehydrated overnight, so starting your day with water is ideal.
Drinking water can aid in weight management by supporting hydration, boosting energy, and helping to regulate metabolism and digestion.
Lemons, like other citrus fruits are high in Vitamin C, which is essential for the production of collagen. Collagen is responsible for the elasticity and strength of our skin which is why you have probably seen collagen added to protein powders and night creams to promote healthy skin. Lemons allow your body to naturally create its own collagen which is why so many people claim to see improvements in their skin after starting to drink lemon water in the morning.
Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals present in the skin that builds up from air pollution and UV rays from the sun. This vitamin also accounts for immune support in our body.
Lemons are detoxifiers. Our strongest detoxifying organ is our liver, and lemon juice contains citrus flavonoids that help the liver produce more enzymes, especially glutathione, which neutralizes toxins and stimulate, accelerate, and catalyze various biological reactions in our body.
Lemons are also loaded with other vitamin and minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, citric acid, and phosphorus.
Why Does it need to be Warm?
Drinking it warm "can loosen things up,”. Many people have reported that warm liquids help stimulate digestion and get things moving.
If you add the squeezed lemon juice to the water when it is too hot, this can offset several benefits including Vitamin C content so it is best to boil water and let it set for several minutes before adding the fresh lemon juice.
Why it’s Good for you Gut:
The vitamin C, phytonutrients, and active fiber pectin all support gut health.
Vitamin C as an antioxidant that helps lower gut inflammation and boost immune heath. Why is this important? 75% of the immune system lives in your gut!
Vitamin C is also a natural microbial so it helps balance the bacteria in our microbiome.
Fiber is also what feeds our good bacteria in our guts, so pectin acts as a prebiotic to promote healthy gut bacteria balance and growth.
All of these benefits are enhanced when you consume lemon first thing in the morning, especially with another natural cleanser like water. Squeezing some extra pulp into your mug also helps increase the fiber and phytonutrient content.
I typically use half of a fresh, organic, lemon. Make sure to wash your lemon thoroughly before cutting it.
The Hype of ACV:
What is apple cider vinegar? Fermented apple juice! It’s crazy how unhealthy apple juice is, but how healthy ACV is.
Apple cider vinegar is a natural laxative, so if you find it difficult going to the bathroom in the morning, a little ACV in the morning can do wonders for your intestinal health.
Apple cider vinegar has an amazing nutritional composition. It contains magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, and other antioxidants.
People claim that they shed pounds when taking ACV in the mornings and this can be due to both their laxative effects along with its ability to reduce craving and induce satiety.
Unfiltered, raw apple cider vinegar contains a significant amount of acetic acid. Various health studies show that people with obesity experienced decreased abdominal fat, waist circumference, and overall body weight when regularly consuming ACV. Besides weight loss, consumption of acetic acid also prevents fat buildup.
How do you Drink it?
Straight apple cider vinegar can damage tooth enamel and the throat. I find most people do well with around 1 to 2 tablespoons in 1 ounce of water in the morning. For this beverage you can consume it with regular cold water.
It is important to remember that in this case, a little goes a long way. Apple cider vinegar obviously can and should be diluted, but its potency can be too much for some people with sensitive systems.
Why its Good for your Gut:
Our gut is the physical manifestation of yin and yang. Within it exists a perfect balance of good and bad bacteria, however, when the bad bacteria are fed more than the good bacteria with bad substances, it overtakes the gut.
Apple cider vinegar helps lower this bad bacterium thereby reducing lipopolysaccharides. Higher levels of LPS are responsible for inflammatory health problems and leaky gut.
ACV also has anti-viral and anti-yeast and fungal effects that continue to support a healthy microbiome and strong immune function.
In addition, it has a natural antihistamine effect, which lowers the symptoms of allergies and immune problems like sneezing and clogged nose.
Another potential gut health benefit of apple cider vinegar is improving many cases of heartburn and indigestion. A common cause of heartburn in many people is low stomach acid or hypochlorhydria. Therefore, ACV doesn’t need to just be taken in the morning, you can take it with your meals if you suffer from heartburn, acid reflux, or other digestive problems.
ACV or Lemon Water? The Verdict:
It may not come as a surprise to you that my verdict is:
BOTH.
Of course, choosing one or the other, you can’t lose, but optimally you are double-fisting during your morning routine with a mug or lemon juice/pulp with warm water and a glass of 1 tbsp of ACV with cold water.
Both contain such stellar health benefits that why should we choose one over the other?
However, if you have a sensitive gut, it is advised to start with fresh lemon juice/pulp water first because it is a gentler approach.
I advocate for morning beverages because I find committing to a wellness habit that you start your day with sets the tone for your day, and gears it towards you wanting to make more healthy choices throughout your day.