As excessive heat continues this summer, it is crucial to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. While drinking water with lemon is not new, lemon water has become the new, trendy summer drink with powerful benefits. Adding lemon water to your diet as a way to stay hydrated is a refreshing alternative to plain water. And lemon water not only protects against dehydration, but also adds other health benefits. Mix up your daily routine by trying a hot or cold glass of lemon water every morning.
What Is Lemon Water?
Lemon water simply is the combination of water with juice from a squeezed lemon or lemon concentrate. Use half the juice of a lemon per glass. Lemon water can be served hot like tea or cold over ice, depending on personal preference. You can also add mint or other fresh fruit to change up the taste.
“Lemon water can be really helpful to encourage people to drink more. The reality is, a lot of us don’t get enough fluid during the day, especially in the summer months when it’s really hot and we are sweating a lot more,” says Debbie Petitpain, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and associate director of business development for Compass One Healthcare.
With about 60% of the human body made up of water, hydration — especially when the weather is warm — is essential. Along with its hydrating effects, lemon water provides vitamin C. Using the juice of a whole lemon throughout the day can help you meet half of your daily vitamin C goals.
[SEE: 8 Ways to Stay Hydrated Besides Drinking Water.]
6 Health Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water
Hydration
Most people do not consume enough water to stay fully hydrated. Lemon water can be used as a tool for those individuals who don’t enjoy drinking plain water.
“Some people get really fatigued from drinking plain water, some people even say it’s simply physically hard to swallow plain water, and by adding a little but of flavoring to it, like lemon, it makes it easier for them to drink,” says Petitpain.
Our bodies need to stay hydrated in order to properly function. Hydration directly correlates with cardiovascular health, kidney function and electrolyte balance. If you struggle drinking plain water, lemon water may be a great alternative to ensure you stay hydrated.
The energizing citrusy scent making it more enticing to drink.
“The refreshing scent and taste of lemon water can encourage people to drink more, similar to (adding) mint or cucumber or other fresh fruits to water. A lot of times it’s really just the smell that makes people excited to drink it,” adds Petitpain.
Helps to avoid sugary drinks
Drinking lemon water can be a satisfying way to replace unhealthy drinks that you may be overconsuming with a virtually calorie- and sugar-free alternative.
“We know Americans can consume too much sugar, and one of the top sources of added sugar in the American diet is beverages, things like fruit juices, sweet teas, coffee drinks and soda,” says Petitpain. “By swapping those out for lemon water, you can actually dramatically decrease the amount of added sugars in your diet.”
Lemon water can encourage people to stay hydrated by adding a bit of flavor, while also staying away from sugary alternatives.
Vitamin C
The primary nutrient found in lemon water is vitamin C. Vitamin C provides a wide range of benefits to the human body: It can boost tissue health, eye health, protect against oxidative stress and play a role in cold prevention. It’s important to boost vitamin C intake if you feel a cold coming on.
“Lemons themselves are an excellent source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, which can aid us in a variety of ways, including decreased risk of certain cancers, decreased risk of heart disease and it can help with our immune health,” says Keri Gans, dietitian, author of “The Small Change Diet” and podcast host of The Keri Report.
Adding lemon water into your diet increases vitamin C levels. Adult women need 70 mg of vitamin C a day, and adult men need 90 mg. One lemon contains 30.7 mg of vitamin C. A typical glass with the juice of half a lemon will have 15.35 mg of vitamin C. Use the juice of one full lemon throughout the day to maximize the benefits of lemon water.
[READ: Foods Rich in Vitamin C.]
Weight loss
Our bodies are not too adept in telling the difference between hunger and thirst cues.
“The first signs of hunger may actually be an indication that you’re dehydrated. We are not very sensitive at telling the difference between hunger and thirst cues. Sometimes when we get a craving for something, it’s really our body’s way of saying we need more fluid,” say Petitpain.
Since there is liquid in many foods, you may mistake your thirst as a cue to eat. Making sure you are drinking enough can keep you from excessive snacking and eating for the wrong reasons.
Having a glass of lemon water instead of eating when you feel a hunger cue may decrease the amount of unnecessary food eaten. If you are still hungry after drinking your lemon water, then your body actually may be craving food. Using this strategy with lemon water may increase weight loss by testing if your body is truly hungry or if you just needed to quench your thirst.
Digestion
Drinking lemon water may also aid and improve overall digestion and help regulate bowel movements.
“Constipation is actually one of America’s number one complaint and one of the reasons lemon water is really helpful for that is because when you eat all the different fibers and ruffage that your body needs to eliminate, you need to have adequate fluid in your system for it to stay soft enough that you can actually pass it,” says Petitpain.
A human body needs adequate fluid to keep systems regular and move your bowels. Drinking lemon water can help you stay hydrated and avoid constipation.
In a 2021 study, participants drink either a glass of plain water or lemon water prior to eating every meal for the duration of four weeks. The researchers found that having a glass of lemon water before eating a meal promoted peristalsis Þ the relaxation of the intestinal muscles necessary to move bowels. This wave-like contraction in the stomach helps food move through your digestive system.
Hangover prevention
Adding in a glass of lemon water after every alcoholic beverage consumed can not only counter the dehydrating effects of alcohol, but also may reduce the amount of alcohol that you are consuming in total. Having one alcoholic drink and then a glass of lemon water will help your body dilute toxic metabolites from alcohol. Diluting these metabolites with lemon water will have you feeling less hungover or heavy from a night of drinking the next day.
How to Prepare Lemon Water
Use the juice from a fresh lemon or lemon concentrate. Lemon concentrate is an affordable way for you to always have lemon on hand. If you are using the concentrated lemon juice, you will only need a few drops. Find the amount of lemon that feels right to you.
“Find an amount to feel fresh and energizing, but not too sour or overpowering that sweetener is needed,” says Petitpain.
Lemon water is also an easy drink to prepare ahead. Keep a pitcher of freshly made lemon water in your fridge to enjoy throughout the day.
Drinking it hot vs. cold
The benefits of drinking lemon water are the same whether you choose to drink it warm or cold. The temperature should be based on personal preference, which may change by season, or even the time of day. It may be beneficial to try both warm and cool lemon water to see which you enjoy more.
“There is some evidence that warm beverages can help move your bowels,” says Petitpain.
If you are drinking lemon water to aid digestion, drinking it warm may be the better option.
[READ: Worst Foods to Eat Before Bedtime]
When to Drink Lemon Water?
Starting your day off with a glass of lemon water is the best way to incorporate it in your daily routine, as most people wake up dehydrated. Lemon water can pose a beneficial substitute for those who struggle to drink plain water, especially early in the morning. Adding morning lemon water to your daily routine will start your day off on a great note and continuing to drink lemon water throughout your day will maximize its benefits.
Lemon water will have its benefits no matter the time of day it’s consumed. However, Petitpain suggests not drinking any liquids a couple of hours before bed. Chronically, most people do not get enough sleep and waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom contributes to that. Stop drinking any liquid a couple hours before bed and you may be able to sleep throughout the night. Additionally, if you start your day with lemon water, you may feel more hydrated and not as thirsty before bed.
Risks of Lemon Water
There are little to no risks while drinking lemon water. A popular concern is the acidity of lemons potentially damaging the enamel on teeth.
“You would have to drink a very strong, highly lemony version of it over a very prolonged period of time for that to be a problem,” says Petitpain.
Peitipain recommends brushing your teeth after drinking lemon water to make sure no acidic lemon water is left on your teeth overnight.
One extreme version of drinking lemon water is the Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet, which most experts do not recommend following.
[SEE: Foods That Stop Bloating.]
What Is the Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet?
The Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet is an extreme form of a juice cleanse. When following this liquid diet, you do not eat. Instead, for 10 or more days, you drink a specific lemonade recipe, which includes lemon juice, maple syrup, water and cayenne pepper. You’ll also drink salt water and herbal tea.
Proponents of the lemonade diet claim your mood will be boosted and you’ll feel more energized. The diet also promises you’ll lose weight and detox your body of all harmful toxins. However, most experts do not agree.
“The body has a lot of natural processes in place that help your body cleanse itself and detox itself on a daily basis,” says Petitpain. She notes that your liver and your kidneys do a great job of detoxifying the body without the help of any cleanse. Unless you have kidney or liver disease, your body is fully effective in clearing any potentially harmful toxins or bacteria.
This highly restrictive diet is not sustainable to stick with long term for the health and safety of your bodily functions. This diet can also cause extreme nutrient deficiencies.
“Our brains, our hearts and our breathing systems all require a lot of calories on a daily basis to operate, and when we restrict our intake to below that threshold, our body has to tap into its emergency stores of energy in order to keep those vital systems running,” says Petitpain.
Additionally, not getting proper nutrition like vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein that your body depends on for optimal performance can harm your body’s repair system.
If you’re considering participating in an extreme and restrictive diet like this, it’s important to first discuss your plan with a health care professional.
Is it easy to follow?
Even though it’s only meant to be followed for 10 days, the Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet is not an easy diet. When most people cut calories this significantly, they will start to feel a strong sense of hunger and general feeling of malaise.
“We are not meant to starve ourselves,” says Gans. “An individual who wants to make healthy choices or perhaps lose weight or cleanse their body, what they should be doing is eating a well-balanced healthy diet that is packed with healthy fiber,” suggests Gans.
You will not be able to participate in normal, everyday activities during the diet due to lack of energy. You may have headaches and feel weak, fatigued, nauseous, anxious and tired.
Can the diet help me lose weight?
This diet will initially help you lose weight, mostly water weight, but it is likely that you will begin to gain back weight once you resume eating solid foods. It is also likely you’ll experience extreme bloating once you ease your way back into solid foods.
“The reason you’re going to lose weight is because you’re basically starving yourself,” says Gans. “Once you resume any kind of normality in your diet, you will gain it all back.”
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Lemon Water: Health Benefits originally appeared on usnews.com
