Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water - Baptist Health (2024)

FAQs

What does lemon water do to your body if you drink it everyday? ›

Lemon contains minerals, such as calcium, iron, selenium, and potassium, which are essential for overall health. Regular consumption of lemon water may help strengthen bones, promote oral health, and prevent anemia and kidney stones due to its citrate content.

Fresh lemon juice mixed with water does not have a detoxifying effect, but it has a healthy vitamin C supplement effect. If you find it difficult to drink plain water, try adding some fresh lemon juice. The taste of lemon can make you feel better and enjoy drinking more water.

Lemons contain plenty of vitamin C. As you probably know, vitamin C is important for a robust immune system. The vitamin C in lemon water helps support cells to fight off pathogens, as well as promoting the oxidant-scavenging activity of the body. This protects us from oxidative stress and disease.

Drinking too much lemon water may lead to tooth erosion and heartburn over time, due to the acidic content of lemons. However, no side effects have been reported regarding drinking one cup of lemon water every day.

The best time to drink lemon water is in the morning, on an empty stomach. This practice jumpstarts your metabolism, aids digestion, and provides a burst of hydration.

If you are sensitive to tyramine, drinking lemon juice can trigger migraine headaches. Lemons can worsen heartburn symptoms in people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In high amounts, lemon juice can also irritate your stomach and cause nausea.

Lemon water contains high amounts of citrate. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, research suggests that drinking lemon water may help prevent kidney stones. Not drinking enough water can increase the risk of kidney stones.

Studies have shown that lemon juice or orange juice contains a fair amount of potassium, vitamin C, riboflavin, magnesium and other phytonutrients that have a good effect on people with high blood pressure. So, you can use lemon juice, orange juice.

The idea that a lemon water detox can “cleanse” your body is false, Dubost said. The body removes toxins through its gastrointestinal tract. For that, it needs fiber. Lemon water doesn't contain the fiber necessary for the body to “self-cleanse.”

It breaks down toxins or excess nutrients in the liver and eliminates those molecules via the kidneys and out into the toilet in your urine. There is no evidence vitamin C helps this. So any claims lemon water detoxes you are untrue. If you really need a detox, you probably need a liver transplant.

Does lemon purify the blood? ›

Lemon. Drinking lemon juice on an empty stomach is an ideal way to purify blood and detox the liver. As per Dr Alexander F. Beddoe, the liver makes more enzymes out of fresh lemon juice than any other food element that can boost liver functions.

Hot lemon water may induce relaxation before bed, which could help with sleep. It can also help with general hydration. Lemon contains vitamin C, which is important for several bodily functions. Hot lemon water may provide other benefits, but there is a lack of evidence behind most health claims.

In addition, doing it on an empty stomach favours the hydration of the body after having been many hours without hydrating during the night. "It improves intestinal transit and hydrates the colon," says Parada, which is why taking it on an empty stomach can help with constipation.

​​Side Effects of Lemons

Some people can have headaches or gastrointestinal distress. Lemon juice is high in the amino acid tyramine. If you are sensitive to tyramine, drinking lemon juice can trigger migraine headaches.

Can Lemon Water Help You Lose Weight? According to experts, all adding lemon to water really does is make your water taste like lemon. “It's not going to burn fat by any stretch of the imagination,” says Karen Ansel, R.D.N., author of Healing Superfoods for Anti-Aging.

Too much lemon water can upset your stomach.

Although lemon water's wide range of benefits often centers on gut health, according to Medical News Today, squeezing too much in your water can worsen common maladies like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux.

In addition, doing it on an empty stomach favours the hydration of the body after having been many hours without hydrating during the night. "It improves intestinal transit and hydrates the colon," says Parada, which is why taking it on an empty stomach can help with constipation.