Last updated on August 12th, 2023 at 05:55 pm
What benefits does drinking lemon water offer?
The health benefits of drinking lemon water are endless. From detoxifying your body to improving digestion, from reducing inflammation to boosting energy levels, lemon water has something for everyone.
Drinking lemon water helps improve overall health because it contains high amounts of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphorus, sodium, and chloride. These minerals are essential for maintaining good health.
For centuries, lemons were highly regarded for treating scurvy, a now rare condition that can develop through a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Vitamin C is often claimed to support the immune system however, studies remain inconclusive.
Benefits of Lemon Water: Nutrition
Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. In fact, one squeezed lemon provides around 21% of a person’s daily value (DV).
Like other citrus fruits — including oranges, grapefruit, and limes — lemons are rich in flavonoids. These are compounds that help boost health and fight disease.
Although a single glass does not seem to provide a lot of nutrients, lemon water is a healthful, low calorie, and low sugar beverage that can boost a person’s vitamin C intake.
For comparison, replacing the lemon with the juice of half an orange
The nutritional value of each glass of lemon water depends on how much lemon juice it contains, as well as any other ingredients.
Benefits of Lemon Water
Helps you stay hydrated
Most of us don’t drink enough water. A daily lemon water habit is an easy way to get your day off on the right foot. How do you know if you’re drinking enough? Your urine is almost clear.
Aids in digestion
Lemon juice not only encourages healthy digestion by loosening toxins in your digestive tract, but it also helps to relieve symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, burping, and bloating.
The acid helps break down food. That’s why there’s so much of it in our stomachs. The acid in lemons may be especially helpful in supplementing stomach acid levels, which tend to decline as we age.
Healthy dose of vitamin C
Juice half a lemon into your water and you’ll add a mere 6 calories to your diet. Plus you’ll get more than a sixth of your daily vitamin C, which is needed to protect us from cell damage and repair injury.
Prevents oxidation
Like all produce, lemons contain phytonutrients, which protect your body against disease. These phytonutrients have powerful antioxidant properties, which prevent cell damage from oxidation, the same mechanism that causes rust.
Helps prevent kidney stones
Lemon water helps prevent painful stones in those deficient in urinary citrate (a form of citric acid). More importantly, increased fluids help prevent dehydration — a common cause of kidney stones.
Provides a potassium boost
Your body can’t function without potassium. It’s necessary for nerve-muscle communication, transporting nutrients and waste, and blood pressure regulation. Fruits and vegetables are important sources of potassium.
May support weight loss
Drinking lemon water may help you increase your water intake, which is often recommended
When participants drank water before eating a test meal, they did not feel significantly less satiated, despite eating less food.
The study’s authors concluded that pre-meal water consumption may be an effective weight-loss strategy, although the mechanism of action is unknown.
Alternative to sugary drinks
Sugar-sweetened beverages — like juice, soda, sports drinks, sweetened water, and energy drinks — are the leading added sugars in the American diet.
Regularly drinking these beverages is associated with a range of health conditions, including:
If you regularly reach for sweetened, fruit-flavored beverages to quench your thirst, switching to lemon water could help you cut back on sugar without sacrificing flavor.
Are there negative side effects to drinking lemon water?
Side effects of lemon water
The acid in lemons may be a problem for teeth. Lemons contain citric acid, and too much acid can wear away tooth enamel. If you regularly consume lemon water, consider drinking it with a straw. For some people, consuming an acidic beverage on an empty stomach first thing in the morning may lead to GI discomfort. Otherwise, drinking a glass of lemon water does not pose any major risks.
Source & Credits (benefits of lemon water):
Lemon water can be a great addition to your morning routine! It not only hydrates but also provides a good dose of vitamin C, which is great for your immune system. Plus, the flavor might make it easier to drink more water throughout the day!