Having citrus juice with a bit of added salt first thing in the morning is one of the best things you can do for your health. The type of citrus juice you choose depends on your goal:

If the goal is to gain muscle mass:

Drink a glass of orange juice with a quarter teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). This is my go-to “morning mimosa” when trying to put on size — and it boosts energy like no tomorrow! Follow it up with a breakfast high in protein (meat) and fiber (nuts) to sustain that energy throughout the morning and fuel your workout.

Sodium bicarbonate offers a host of health benefits and mixes well with orange juice. This little cocktail is not only tasty — it’s one of the best ways to hydrate your system. Each gram of carbohydrate carries three grams of water with it (after all, “hydrate” is part of the word carbohydrate), and when you take salt with a high-carb source like orange juice, it helps shuttle even more water into your cells. Just be sure to use a sodium bicarbonate that’s free of aluminum and gluten.

If the goal is to lose body fat:

Squeeze fresh lemon or lime into a tall glass of filtered water and add a quarter teaspoon of sea salt. This is a great way to alkalize your body and replace water lost during sleep. (You can lose up to a liter of water overnight just from breathing!)

Lemons and limes are very low in sugar and help alkalize the water, while the sea salt provides a wide spectrum of minerals to support absorption.

If you drink filtered water without salt, most of it will go straight through you. That’s why you tend to urinate more with plain “naked” water. Your body needs a delicate balance of electrolytes to function properly. Drinking too much water without any salt can actually dehydrate you and in extreme cases, even be fatal.

Bottom Line:

Drinking citrus juice with salt first thing in the morning is a simple and powerful way to support your health and performance — whether your goal is to gain muscle or shed fat.