Posted on October 10th, 2016

Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar have long be known for their assistance as digestive aids as they stimulate gastric juices in the gut to help breakdown food that we are about to consume. This occurs as they stimulate the liver to produce bile and as a result this helps to kick start your metabolism and assist the liver in detoxification. As a result this can reduce bloating, relieve constipation and boost the immune system.

I have seen clients who feel unwell and nauseous from consuming lemon juice or apple cider vinegar so this may not be your best option if you are solely drinking it for digestive reasons. Digestive enzymes may be a better solution for you.

Both lemon juice and apple cider vinegar have also be known to alkalise the body by reducing pH levels, however from experience with acid/alkaline balance in the body, these alone are not enough to alkalise our bodies. For starters we need to consume anywhere between 8-12 serves of vegetables per day to balance out the acidity that we get from everyday foods (i.e. animal proteins, grains and nuts/seeds) plus lifestyle factors (i.e. pollution, stress and exercise) and even this is quite often not enough without the assistance of a supplement.

Lemons contain vitamin C which can be useful in meeting your daily requirements, and lemon juice in water can also assist with calming an upset stomach and settling indigestion.

Proper organic apple cider vinegar is a fermented product and contains what is known as ‘the mother’. Acetic acid is the bacteria created during the fermentation process and is believed to be useful in controlling blood pressure, fat accumulation, reducing bad cholesterol and regulating blood glucose levels by also improving insulin sensitivity. It also appears to be effective in killing certain types of bacteria (i.e. E. Coli) and believed to have anti-tumour properties.

If you are not sensitive to drinking lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in water than I definitely recommend doing it first up in the morning and before sleep at night to support the liver. Please ensure that you buy fresh lemons and apple cider vinegar that still contains ‘the mother’ to get the maximum results. If you are unsure if this is something you should be doing or require further advice as to whether you should or should not be consuming lemon juice or apple cider vinegar please consult a registered health care practitioner.