Lemon water has become one of those “health habits” that always pops up. You’ll often see claims that drinking lemon water first thing in the morning can detox your body, improve digestion, boost your metabolism, support weight loss, improve your skin and even “balance” your body’s pH. But is lemon water really the health powerhouse it’s made out to be?
What does lemon water actually provide?
Lemon water is simply water with lemon juice added, usually enjoyed hot or cold and often first thing in the morning.
The main nutritional benefit you get from adding lemon is vitamin C. A big squeeze of lemon (around 50 mL of juice) provides approximately 20 mg of vitamin C. Vitamin C plays an important role in the body, including supporting the immune system and helping with collagen production, which is important for skin, bones and connective tissue.
However, lemon water isn’t a significant source of much else nutritionally. If you’re looking to increase your vitamin C intake, whole fruits and vegetables will give you much more. For example, an orange or kiwi fruit can provide several times more vitamin C than a glass of lemon water, while also providing fibre and other important nutrients.
What about detoxing and digestion?
Despite the claims you might see online, lemon water doesn’t “detox” your body. Your liver and kidneys already do a very good job of processing and removing waste from the body.
There also isn’t strong evidence that lemon water has a special effect on digestion compared with drinking regular water. That said, some people may find that having a warm drink in the morning helps them feel more comfortable or get into a regular morning routine.
Can lemon water help with weight loss?
Lemon itself isn’t a magic weight-loss ingredient and it doesn’t increase fat burning.
However, what you replace with lemon water can make a difference. If adding lemon encourages you to drink more water instead of soft drinks, juice or other sugary drinks, you’re naturally reducing your intake of added sugar and calories. Drinking water before meals may also help with fullness in the short term.
So, should you drink it?
If you enjoy lemon water, go for it! It’s a refreshing way to increase your fluid intake and adds a small amount of vitamin C. Just don’t feel like you need to drink it first thing in the morning or on an empty stomach to get the “benefits”. Regular water is still doing the job, and your overall diet matters much more than one glass of lemon water.
Written by Maddy Raymond, Accredited Practicing Dietitian
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