It doesn’t get much easier than this: When you need help combating the ill effects of certain foods or drinks, pollution, stress, smoking, and more, just open the fridge! Yes, one of our most powerful allies is something we commonly cook with—the tart and zesty lemon has been used for centuries as a potent detoxifier. But what makes it so helpful? Find out the surprising science behind lemon for detox, and get our most popular lemony detox tea formula here.

An overly acidic system has been linked to a host of health woes, so anything that helps us to alkalize is a good thing. That’s where lemon comes in. But according to Daniel Reid’s The Tao of Detox, lemon is also the only food in the world that carries a negative molecular charge, making it “anionic,” just like the digestive enzymes in our bodies (such as hydrochloric acid). Surprisingly, other citrus fruits aren’t anionic—only fresh lemon.

Lemon’s negative ionic charge, combined with its strongly alkalizing effects, makes it a terrific detoxifier. Dr. Carey A. Reams, in his Biological Theory of Ionization, says that, “All the foods we eat are cationic with the exception of lemon … when it goes into the system it can be converted into some 6 billion different enzymes with less chemical change than any other natural substance known to man.”

Lemon helps to produce the bile necessary to properly digest food and assimilate nutrients, so it rebuilds the liver.

It is important to remember that the juice must be consumed fresh; The Tao of Detox recommends drinking it mixed with water on an empty stomach. Or you could try this delicious Zesty Lemon Detox Tea.

It may seem counterintuitive that such a highly acidic fruit could have an alkalizing effect on the body, but it does. For more information on acid and alkaline foods, check out these helpful web sites:

A good general list of acidic and alkalizing foods.

More information on the acid/alkaline balance in the body.