Lemon water first thing in the morning is a well-established wellness habit and is said to assist weight loss, digestion and many other health benefits. How much of it is endorsed by nutrition science?
Lemon water is a good addition to the daily routine, but not the miracle drink that social media likes to make it seem like, said Sweedal Trinidade, Chief Dietician at PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mahim. Its most basic benefit is hydration plus the nutrients provided by fresh lemon juice.
What is Lemon Water?
Lemons are rich in vitamin C and bioactive compounds like flavonoids, carotenoids, essential oils and limonoids. A medium lemon contains around 30 mg of vitamin C, according to the expert cited by Hindustan Times. It also has potassium, but lemon is not considered a significant source of iron or calcium. Lemon juice can help with non-heme iron absorption but citric acid can help in calcium availability.
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Vitamin C has many functions in the body. It promotes collagen production, which is crucial for healthy skin and connective tissues. It also helps with wound healing and maintains cartilage, tendons and other connective tissues.
The vitamin is also an antioxidant and shields the collagen from damage from free radicals and the environment, pollution and UV exposure.
Lemon’s citric acid has also been associated with benefits of kidney stones. Lemon can enhance the production of bile, and its citric acid content can also prevent kidney stones, he says. But these benefits should not be considered as lemon water treatments in a clinical context of a disease.
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Is morning the best time to drink it?
Lemon water should be consumed first thing in the morning is mainly linked to wellness trends rather than a biological need.
If a few hours after not drinking fluids during sleep, hydration is the first benefit of drinking water after waking up, the most obvious and most obvious would be hydration. Freshly squeezed lemon adds flavor and vitamin C and could help people stay on track.
Trinidade said fresh lemon juice retains more nutrients than pasteurised juice and can provide a quick nutrient boost along with hydration.
And there is no evidence that lemon water at a certain time of day suddenly makes it more powerful. What is really important is the whole diet and lifestyle, not one morning drink.
Does lemon water burn belly fat?
In this respect, the popular claims about lemon water should be treated very carefully.
Lemon water is often promoted online as a drink that can “melt away” body fat or boost weight loss. But the expert says no single food or drink can provide all the health benefits sometimes attributed to it.
Lemon water is a good low-calorie beverage in addition to sugar-laden ones. It can also help with fluid intake. But adding lemon to water will not have any special fat-burning effect.
The right diet, physical activity, and lifestyle should be part of eating and drinking. Lemon water shouldn’t be viewed as a weight-loss strategy.
Are there risks?
Lemon water is easy to add to a diet, but daily drinking lemon juice can have some negative effects.
Lemon can erode tooth enamel because of its acidity. Heartburn or acid reflux can also occur when people are sensitive to acidic foods.
To mitigate the risks, the expert recommends lemon water in diluted form. Drinking it through a straw can also reduce contact between the acidic drink and the teeth.
Does lemon water taste good at all (as a whole) to drink every morning? If you drink it to stay hydrated and have vitamin C every day to supplement your diet and not to burn calories, it is. But it’s not a detox drink or a quick way to lose weight.
But for most people, for the most part, it is all a lot of water to drink, lemon flavor, and nutrients, and a balanced diet for the bigger picture.
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