Are you looking to improve your health and lose a few pounds? Look no further than lemon water, a straightforward, pleasant, and potent beverage. Because of claims that it may help people lose weight (1), this tangy elixir has swept the health industry by storm. You may activate a wealth of organic chemicals that can jump-start your metabolism, suppress cravings, and help your search for a more petite, healthier you with just a squeeze of lemon in your water. So take a glass, cut some lemon into slices, and get ready to learn the enticing truth about lemon water and weight loss.
Let’s get started!
So, how well does this work? We’ll look at this issue and see how lemon may help you keep healthy, hydrated, and on track to reach your weight reduction goals. According to studies, including lemon in your diet can improve digestion, enhance metabolism, protect you from getting ill, and provide you with the energy you need to get through the day.
What Is Lemon Water?
Lemon water is made by squeezing lemon juice into the water. It can be consumed hot or cold, strong or weak, and with or without the addition of different other ingredients.
Power Of Lemon Water
Lemon water is just fresh lemon juice mixed with water. Lemons are high in vitamin C, antioxidants, and plant components, making them a nutrient-dense addition to any diet. Many lemon water users claim that it assists weight loss by increasing metabolism, improving digestion, and decreasing hunger. Let’s take a look at each of these claims and their scientific support.
It Is Low In Calories
Lemon water contains far fewer calories than other juices and drinks. Half a medium lemon squeezed into a glass of water contains around 8 calories (2), whereas a glass of orange juice contains approximately 113 calories, and a can of soda contains approximately 160 calories (3). Taking lemon water instead of juice or soda can help you lose weight by lowering your daily calorie consumption. You might save the equivalent of 10-16 pounds of weight gain every year if you replaced one glass of juice or a can of soda with a glass of lemon water every day for a year.
It Can Increase Fullness
A glass of lemon water with your meals will make you feel fuller, allowing you to consume fewer calories (4). Drinking water with your meals has been demonstrated in studies to help reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness during and after a meal. Lemon water has the same satiating effects as drinking ordinary water with your meals.
It Boosts The Metabolism
There is no doubt that drinking water is a crucial aspect of any diet, and it aids in metabolism. A similar impact may be enhanced by adding lemon to your water. Start your day with lemon water to boost your metabolism and get your body ready to burn calories (5). Drinking lemon water throughout the day can keep you fuller for longer and help you avoid overeating on high-calorie items.
It Keeps You Hydrated
Drinking enough water to stay hydrated is a vital component of good health. It is essential for transferring nutrients to our cells. Water aids our bodies in flushing out poisons and waste that accumulate in our systems. It also gives us energy, regulates our body temperature, lubricates our joints, and relieves physical discomfort. According to research, staying hydrated might help you lose weight (6). The advantages listed above can be easily obtained by drinking lemon water, which is mostly water.
It Helps Detoxifying
Water is essential in any detoxification routine, and adding lemons may increase the effects! Lemon water assists our systems in clearing out toxins and improving liver function. To be effective as a detoxifier, lemon water should be consumed on a daily basis and made with fresh lemon juice in warm water. The simplest technique to detox with lemons is to take entire lemons, cut them into slices, and add them to your water bottle. Drink it according to your needs. This will also help you lose weight (7).
It Improves The Digestion
While acidic, lemon juice has an alkalizing impact on the body when mixed with water. The risk of constipation can be decreased by increasing water intake, and the lemon will aid in promoting good digestion and waste removal (8). Additionally, the acid in lemon juice will aid in the faster digestion of your meals, enabling your body to absorb the most nutrients possible from everything you eat on a daily basis.
It Avoids Getting Sick
Nobody loves getting sick. It makes it difficult to carry out daily tasks such as going to work, cooking, and going to the gym. A glass of lemon juice or water every day may keep you away from becoming ill. One lemon has 30.7 milligrams of vitamin C, which is the daily recommended dosage. Lemons include naturally occurring vitamin C, which stimulates your immune system and can help you stay healthy and fight off infections (9).
It Gives A Lot Of Energy In The Morning
The use of lemon water in the morning might be advantageous. While we sleep, our bodies perform restorative activities. Many of these processes need the nutrients contained in water. A glass of lemon water in the morning will not only rehydrate your body but will also give you a surge of energy to get your day started (10). It will assist in flushing out any toxins that your body labored overnight to remove from your system. The majority of us also wake up hungry. Lemon water might help to alleviate some of those hungry feelings!
Side Effects Of Drinking Lemon Water Daily
Though drinking lemon water every morning is generally considered healthful. But, overuse may be harmful due to its high acidic content. Here are a few side effects of Lemon water:
- Excessive vitamin C use may result in nausea and stomach pain (11).
- Lemons contain the amino acid tyramine, which has been linked to migraines (12).
- Lemons and lemon juice, when drunk in excess, can cause excessive urination, which can lead to dehydration (13).
- Lemon juice and other acidic liquids may worsen pre-existing mouth sores. So, you should always drink lemon water with a straw (14).
- Citrus fruits can also aggravate heartburn or gastroesophageal disease, so if you have heartburn, you should avoid lemon water (15).
Conclusion
Firstly you need to know that there is no magic medication that can be consumed to help you with instant weight loss. Even drinking lemon water isn’t a sure thing. With a balanced diet, an exercise program, and the choice to substitute sugary beverages with lemon water, you will decrease calories each day and see a beneficial difference in your health and fitness level over time. Don’t count on lemon water alone as a magic weight reduction cure, even if it may be a hydrating and healthy supplement to your daily routine.
Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2581754/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25912765/
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174852/nutrients
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6209729/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6431442/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4901052/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25912765/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35013789/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/389665/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21813913/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6364356/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563197/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17382731/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20569032/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31252646/
