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— Albert Einstein
Whats The Deal With Drinking Lemon Water

Whats The Deal With Drinking Lemon Water

Taya Bregant
Nutriton

Lemon water has now, for a long time, been touted as some sort of all-purpose superfood, posing claims to improve digestion, benefit skin health, and being an effective tool for weight loss, among other things.

With the help of modern-day media and various celebrity endorsements, the acclaimed benefits of hot lemon water grew exponentially more believable and accessible to the common public, which is why I wanted to provide a bit of a fact check and see what the science really has to say about hot lemon water and if it's actually got something to offer to us.

I hope you can get some useful and interesting information out of this 😊

NUTRITION FACTS OF A LEMON

A roughly 50 gram lemon which has had its juice squeezed contains:

  • 20 calories

  • 21% of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C

  • Smaller percentages of: Folate, potassium, vitamin B1, B5 and B2

Lemons contain in general very little macronutrients like proteins, fats and carbs, however they do have a high percentage of water

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF DRINKING LEMON WATER

Promotes Hydration

  • Lemons can be a great addition to water or sparkling beverages and can make such drinks more appealing to people who may have difficulty drinking enough water or find that water tastes too boring.

  • Additionally, lemonade can also be a great substitute for other more processed and sugary drinks that contain ample sugar and additives, not to mention unnecessary added calories contributing to the world's obesity problem. You can add different flavors to your lemonade, sweeten it to your liking, and even add sparkling water to it, making it a great replacement for fizzy drinks.

Source Of Vitamin C

  • Many people know lemons as a fruit that is rich in vitamin C, which is true, as an average lemon can supply you with around 20% of your daily vitamin C needs. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is crucial for preventing the not-so-common condition of scurvy today and acts as a potent antioxidant, helping to protect our bodies' cells from free radicals and oxidative stress. If you are further interested in the topic of antioxidants, I have written about it HERE.

  • Vitamin C has many other key roles in your body, such as:

    • Synthesizing collagen in your skin

    • Being important for protein metabolism

    • Regenerating other antioxidants

    • Helping to delay certain cancers and cardiovascular disease

    • Aiding in the absorption of iron

    • Assisting in the production of certain hormones

Can Support Weight Loss

  • It is recommended to stray away from any food-related advice claiming that any food has the magic ability to help with weight loss. However, there is some minor research suggesting that drinking lemon water can aid in weight loss.

  • Overall, drinking lemon water is beneficial because it provides you with additional water and hydration, boosting energy levels and regulating metabolism and digestion. Additionally, drinking water before a meal can make you feel fuller in the moment and less likely to overeat. Participants in such studies reported feeling the same level of satiety even though they theoretically ate less food due to having consumed more water.

  • In summary, the lemon itself doesn't have much of an ability to increase fat or calorie burning; however, water itself can be a great way to help in your weight loss journey.

Beneficial For Skin Health

  • Lemons mainly have two benefits when it comes to good skin health: Firstly, as mentioned before, they contain vitamin C, which helps stimulate collagen production in our skin, ensuring healthier and more elastic skin. Additionally, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that accumulate due to various environmental stressors such as air pollution or UV radiation.

  • Furthermore, when drinking lemon water, you are also taking in ample water, which further boosts skin health and plumpness, as dry skin is much more prone to breakage and a loss in elasticity. Your skin is an organ, and just like all other organs in your system, it requires water.

May Prevent Kidney Stones

  • There are some studies pointing out that the citric acid found in lemons may help in preventing kidney stones, thanks to the citrate compound found within citric acid.

  • However, more research is needed on this before any major claims can be made.

Can Help With Digestion

  • It has been found that drinking lemon water, especially warm lemon water on an empty stomach, can promote good and regular digestion.

  • A study from 2022 found that the citric acid found in lemon juice helps boost gastric acid secretion, a fluid that your stomach uses during the digestion and breaking down of food.

  • In general, other acidic foods such as coffee or apple cider vinegar are also known to stimulate digestion and bowel movements, so warm lemon water can be a genuinely good tool for increasing your bowel movements if you struggle with that.

SIDE EFFECTS


Lemon water is considered to be generally safe to drink however it is good to be aware of the following things:

  • The citric acid that is found in lemon juice can over time erode tooth enamel which is why it is best to not over do it with drinking lemon water and when drinking it, using a straw if possible. Additionally, it is good to rinse out your mouth afterwards with plain water.

  • Citrus fruits like lemon can for some people increase gastric acid production and cause heart burn.

Apart from this there is no major issue or down side associated with drinking lemon water.

TO KEEP IN MIND

Now that you are aware of the potential benefits behind drinking lemon water and also some associated side effects, it is worth asking some more practical questions:

How often should you drink lemon water?

  • As discussed before, drinking lemon water can help you prevent added sugar consumption from sweetened beverages, increase your hydration as well as vitamin C intake. However it is important to be aware that drinking lemon water every day can promote tooth enamel erosion so its best to either rink your lemon water through a straw or to not drink it every day.

When should you drink it?

  • Although it is common practice in the world of social media, to consume lemon water in the morning on an empty stomach, lemon water is suitable to drink at any point in the day, depending on your preferences.

  • Drinking it in the morning on an empty stomach can have more of an impact on your bowel movements and digestion however drinking it during meals or other times of the day is also fine.

Drinking it hot or cold?

  • Overall the difference is not major, with most sources claiming that drinking it warm will provide you with more of the associated health benefits as otherwise your body expends additonal energy trying to heat up the water.

KEY POINTS

In todays blog post we have looked at the social media fueled trend of drinking lemon water to see what the science behind it has to say and if it really does have beneficial effects.

REFERENCES

The Power Behind Adaptogens

The Power Behind Adaptogens
Making 2024 Your Best Year Yet

Making 2024 Your Best Year Yet

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