https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-of-lemon-water
Lemon water is all the rage these days.
 Many restaurants serve it routinely, and some people start their day with lemon water instead of coffee or tea. Thereâs no doubt lemons are delicious, but does adding them to water make you healthier?
Much of the evidence supporting lemon waterâs health benefits is anecdotal. Little scientific research has been done specifically on lemon water, but research exists on the benefits of lemon and water separately.
Here are seven ways your body may benefit from lemon water.
According to the Food and Nutrition Board, general guidelines say that women should get at least 91 ounces per day and men should get at least 125 ounces. This includes water from food and drinks.
Water is the best beverage for hydration, but some people donât like the taste of it on its own. Adding lemon enhances waterâs flavor, which may help you drink more.
2. Itâs a good source of vitamin C
Citrus fruits like lemons are high in vitamin C, a primary antioxidant that helps protect cells from damaging free radicals. Youâve probably heard that vitamin C may help prevent or limit the duration of the common cold in some people, but studies are conflicting.
Vitamin C may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and lower blood pressure.
While lemons donât top the list of citrus fruits high in vitamin C, theyâre still a good source. According to the United States Department of AgricultureTrusted Source, the juice of one lemon provides about 18.6 milligrams of vitamin C. The recommended daily amount for adults is 65 to 90 milligrams.
3. It supports weight loss
Research has shown that polyphenol antioxidants found in lemons significantly reduces weight gain in mice that are overfed in order to induce obesity.
In these mice studies, the antioxidant compounds also offset the negative effects on blood glucose levels and improved insulin resistance, the two main factors in the development of type 2 diabetes.
While the same results need to be proven in humans, anecdotal evidence is strong that lemon water supports weight loss. Whether this is due to people simply drinking more water and feeling full or the lemon juice itself is unclear.
4. It improves your skin quality
Vitamin C found in lemons may help reduce skin wrinkling, dry skin from aging, and damage from the sun. How water improves skin is controversial, but one thing is certain. If your skin loses moisture, it becomes dry and prone to wrinkles. A 2016 laboratory study showed that a citrus-based drink helped prevent the development of wrinkles in hairless mice.
Some people drink lemon water as a daily morning laxative to help prevent constipation. Drinking warm or hot lemon water when you wake up may help get your digestive system moving.
Ayurvedic medicine says the sour lemon taste helps stimulate your âagni.â In ayurvedic medicine, a strong agni jump-starts the digestive system, allowing you to digest food more easily and helping to prevent the buildup of toxins.
Have you ever rubbed a lemon on your hands to get rid of the smell of garlic or some other strong odor? The same folk remedy may apply to bad breath caused by eating foods with strong smells such as garlic, onions, or fish.
You might avoid bad breath by drinking a glass of lemon water after meals and first thing in the morning. Lemon is thought to stimulate saliva and water also helps prevent a dry mouth, which can lead to bad breath caused by bacteria.
7. It helps prevent kidney stones
The citric acid in lemons may help prevent kidney stones. Citrate, a component of citric acid, paradoxically makes urine less acidic and may even break up small stones. Drinking lemon water not only gets you citrate, but also the water you need to help prevent or flush out stones.
In order to reap any health benefits of lemon water, you need drink it consistently, and you need more than just a single wedge of lemon in your mug.
When making lemon water, always use fresh lemons rather than artificial lemon from a bottle.
To make lemon water, squeeze half a lemon into 8 ounces of warm or cold water. To make the drink as healthy as possible, use filtered water and organic lemons.
Infuse more flavor or add a health boost to lemon water by adding:
a teaspoon of maple syrup or raw honey
You can also add slices of other fresh citrus fruits such as limes and oranges, or cucumber slices. Always wash the produce well before slicing and using.
Having lemon ice cubes on hand is a great way to add lemon to your water fast. Simply squeeze fresh lemon juice into ice cube trays and freeze. Drop a few cubes into a glass of cold or hot water as needed.
You can start your morning with a mug of warm lemon water, and keep a pitcher of water infused with a few sliced lemons in your refrigerator to drink throughout the day.
Side effects of lemon water
Lemon water is generally safe to drink, but there are a few potential side effects to be aware of.
Lemon contains citric acid, which may erode tooth enamel. To limit the risk, drink lemon water through a straw, and rinse your mouth with plain water afterwards.
When it comes to heartburn, lemon water can go either way. The citric acid may cause heartburn in some people. Others experience relief from heartburn, as lemon juice becomes alkaline, reducing acidity in digestion. Only experimenting can tell its effect on you.
Some people report more frequent trips to the bathroom when drinking lemon water. Although vitamin C is often believed to be a diuretic, something that increases the amount of urine you produce, evidence doesnât show that vitamin C from natural sources like lemons has diuretic effects.
If you experience the need for extra bathroom breaks while drinking lemon water, itâs more than likely caused by increased water intake.
Research shows lemon water has many potential health benefits. Aside from those, adding lemon to your water may help you drink more throughout the day and keep you hydrated. Staying hydrated is critical to good health, so lemon water is pretty much a win-win.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-lemon-health-benefits#section7
6 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Lemons
Lemons are high in vitamin C, fiber, and various beneficial plant compounds.
These nutrients are responsible for several health benefits.
In fact, lemons may support heart health, weight control, and digestive health.
Here are 6 evidence-based health benefits of lemons.
Lemons are a good source of vitamin C.
One lemon provides about 31 mg of vitamin C, which is 51% of the reference daily intake (RDI).
Research shows that eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).
However, it's not only the vitamin C that is thought to be good for your heart. The fiber and plant compounds in lemons could also significantly lower some risk factors for heart disease (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).
For instance, one study revealed that eating 24 grams of citrus fiber extract daily for a month reduced total blood cholesterol levels (6).
Plant compounds found in lemons â namely hesperidin and diosmin â have also been found to lower cholesterol (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9).
SUMMARY Lemons are high in heart-healthy vitamin C and several beneficial plant compounds that may lower cholesterol.
Lemons are often promoted as a weight loss food, and there are a few theories as to why this is.
One common theory is that the soluble pectin fiber in them expands in your stomach, helping you feel full for longer.
That said, not many people eat lemons whole. And because lemon juice contains no pectin, lemon juice drinks will not promote fullness in the same way.
Another theory suggests that drinking hot water with lemon will help you lose weight.
However, drinking water is known to temporarily increase the number of calories you burn, so it may be the water itself that is helping with weight loss â not the lemon (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
Other theories suggest that the plant compounds in lemons may aid weight loss.
Research shows that plant compounds in lemon extracts may help prevent or reduce weight gain in a number of ways (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).
In one study, mice on a fattening diet were given lemon polyphenols extracted from the peel. They gained less weight and body fat than other mice (14Trusted Source).
However, no studies confirm the weight loss effects of lemon compounds in humans.
SUMMARY Animal studies show that lemon extract and plant compounds may promote weight loss, but the effects in humans are unknown.
Kidney stones are small lumps that form when waste products crystallize and build up in your kidneys.
They are quite common, and people who get them often get them repeatedly.
Citric acid may help prevent kidney stones by increasing urine volume and increasing urine pH, creating a less favorable environment for kidney stone formation (15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).
Just a 1/2-cup (4 ounces or 125 ml) of lemon juice per day may provide enough citric acid to help prevent stone formation in people who have already had them (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source).
Some studies also found that lemonade effectively prevented kidney stones, but the results have been mixed. Other studies have shown no effect (19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source).
Therefore, more well-conducted studies need to examine whether lemon juice affects kidney stone formation (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).
SUMMARY Lemon juice may help prevent kidney stones. However, more quality research is needed.
4. Protect Against Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is quite common. It occurs when you don't get enough iron from the foods you eat.
Lemons contain some iron, but they primarily prevent anemia by improving your absorption of iron from plant foods (26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source).
Your gut absorbs iron from meat, chicken, and fish (known as heme iron) very easily, while iron from plant sources (non-heme iron) not as easily. However, this absorption can be improved by consuming vitamin C and citric acid.
Because lemons contain both vitamin C and citric acid, they may protect against anemia by ensuring that you absorb as much iron as possible from your diet.
SUMMARY Lemons contain vitamin C and citric acid, which help you absorb non-heme iron from plants. This may prevent anemia.
A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent some cancers (28Trusted Source).
Some observational studies have found that people who eat the most citrus fruit have a lower risk of cancer, while other studies have found no effects (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).
In test-tube studies, many compounds from lemons have killed cancer cells. However, they may not have the same effect on the human body (32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).
Some researchers think that plant compounds found in lemons â such as limonene and naringenin â could have anticancer effects, but this hypothesis needs further investigation (5 Trusted Source, 35 Trusted Source, 36 Trusted Source, 37 Trusted Source).
Animal studies indicate that D-limonene, a compound found in lemon oil, does have anticancer properties (38 Trusted Source, 39 Trusted Source).
Another study used pulp from mandarins that contained the plant compounds beta-cryptoxanthin and hesperidin, which are also found in lemons.
The study discovered that these compounds prevented malignant tumors from developing in the tongues, lungs, and colons of rodents (40Trusted Source).
However, it should be noted that the research team used a very high dose of the chemicals â far more than you would get by eating lemons or oranges.
While some plant compounds from lemons and other citrus fruits may have anticancer potential, no quality evidence suggests that lemons can fight cancer in humans.
SUMMARY Some plant chemicals found in lemons have been shown to prevent cancer in animal studies. However, human studies are needed.
6. Improve Digestive Health
Lemons are made up of about 10% carbs, mostly in the form of soluble fiber and simple sugars.
The main fiber in lemons is pectin, a form of soluble fiber linked to multiple health benefits.
Soluble fiber can improve gut health and slow the digestion of sugars and starches. These effects may result in reduced blood sugar levels (41 Trusted Source, 42 Trusted Source, 43 Trusted Source, 44 Trusted Source).
However, to get the benefits of fiber from lemons, you need to eat the pulp.
People who drink lemon juice, without the fiber found in the pulp, will miss out on the benefits of the fiber.
SUMMARY The soluble fiber in lemons could help improve digestive health. However, you need to eat the pulp of the lemon, not just the juice.
Lemons contain a high amount of vitamin C, soluble fiber, and plant compounds that give them a number of health benefits.
Lemons may aid weight loss and reduce your risk of heart disease, anemia, kidney stones, digestive issues, and cancer.
Not only are lemons a very healthy fruit, but they also have a distinct, pleasant taste and smell that make them a great addition to foods and drinks.
How can lemons benefit your health?
Lemons are a popular fruit that people use in small quantities to add flavor to food. However, they rarely consume them alone due to their intense, sour taste.
Lemons give flavor to baked goods, sauces, salad dressings, marinades, drinks, and desserts, and they are also a good source of vitamin C.
One 58 gram (g) lemon can provide over 30 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C.
Vitamin C is essential for health, and a deficiency can lead to health problems. The early explorers knew this and took lemons on their long voyages to help prevent or treat scurvy, a life threatening condition that was common among sailors.
This article looks at the nutritional content of lemons, their possible health benefits, ways to use them in food, and any potential health risks.
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids, which are antioxidants.
Antioxidants help remove free radicals that can damage cells from the body.
These nutrients can help prevent Trusted Source diseases and boost health and wellbeing.
Here some of the possible benefits of consuming lemons.
According to a 2012 study, the flavonoids in citrus fruits may help lower the risk of ischemic stroke in women.
A study of data from nearly 70,000 women over 14 years showed that those who ate the most citrus fruits had a 19% lower risk of ischemic stroke than women who consumed the least.
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. It can happen when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain.
A 2019 population study Trusted Source showed that long term, regular consumption of foods that contain flavonoids might help protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, the study indicated that people who smoked or consumed a lot of alcohol were less likely to benefit.
Potassium may help lower the risk of stroke. Which foods contain potassium?
One 2014 study Trusted Source found that women in Japan who walked regularly and consumed lemon every day had lower blood pressure than those who did not.
More research is needed to identify the role of lemon in this improvement and to discover whether consuming lemon can help reduce blood pressure since walking daily can also lower blood pressure.
Which other foods can help lower blood pressure? Find out here.
Lemons and lemon juice are an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamin C.
Antioxidants may help prevent free radicals from causing cell damage that can lead to cancer. However, exactly how antioxidants can help prevent cancer remains unclear.
Which other foods are high in antioxidants? Find out here.
4) Maintaining a healthy complexion
Vitamin C plays a vital role in the formation of collagen, the support system of the skin.
Sun exposure, pollution, age, and other factors can result in skin damage. A 2014 mouse study suggested that either eating vitamin C in its natural form or applying it topically can help prevent this type of damage.
What are the best foods for vitamin C? Find out here.
People with asthma who consume higher amounts of vitamin C and other nutrients when they have a cold may experience fewer asthma attacks, according to one review.
The authors found evidence that vitamin C also benefitted people with bronchial hypersensitivity when they also had a common cold.
However, they called for more research.
6) Increasing iron absorption
Iron deficiency is a leading cause of anemia.
Pairing foods that are high in vitamin C with iron-rich foods maximizes Trusted Source the body's ability to absorb iron.
However, a high intake of vitamin C can trigger gastrointestinal problems in people who are taking iron supplements. For this reason, it is best to obtain iron from dietary sources, such as beef liver, lentils, raisins, dried beans, animal meats, and spinach.
Squeezing a little lemon juice onto a salad containing baby spinach leaves can help maximize the intake of both iron and vitamin C.
Learn more here about iron deficiency anemia.
7) Boosting the immune system
Foods that are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants may help strengthen the immune system against the germs that cause the common cold and the flu.
One review found that, while vitamin C supplements do not appear the reduce the incidence of colds in a population, they may help reduce the length of time a cold lasts. Vitamin C may also help boost immunity in people who are undergoing extreme physical activity.
Squeezing a whole lemon into a glass of hot water with a large spoonful of honey makes a soothing drink for someone with a cough or cold.
Find some more home remedies for colds and flu here.
In a 2008 study Trusted Source, rodents who consumed lemon peel phenols with a high fat diet for 12 weeks gained less weight than those who did not consume lemon.
In 2016, 84 premenopausal Korean women with a high body mass index (BMI) followed a lemon detox diet or another diet for 7 days. Those who followed the lemon detox diet experienced greater improvements in insulin resistance, body fat, BMI, body weight, and waist-hip ratio than those on the other diets.
Further research is needed to confirm whether lemon can contribute to weight loss, and if so, how.
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient and an antioxidant.
If a person does not consume enough vitamin C, they will develop a deficiency, which is known as scurvy. It is rare in the United States, but it can affect people who do not have a varied diet.
Symptoms can start to appear within a month of not consuming vitamin C, and they include:
malaise (a feeling of being unwell)
inflammation of the gums or bleeding gums
red patches on the skin due to blood vessels breaking beneath the surface
Many of these happen when the connective tissues weaken due to the lack of vitamin C.
Since vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, people who are deficient in iron may also develop anemia.
Why do we need vitamin C? Find out here.
https://www.livescience.com/54282-lemon-nutrition.html
When life gives you lemons ⌠you're in luck.
 Lemons are full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants. They are especially good sources of vitamin C and folate.
Lemons are one of the most popular acid citrus fruits, according to the Purdue University Horticultural Department. Their origin is unknown, though some horticulturists theorize they come from Northern India. Lemons grow throughout southern Europe, the Middle East, and into East Asia. They were brought to the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1493. Today, the leading lemon producers are California, Arizona, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, South Africa and Australia.
Lemons are available throughout the year but summer is their peak season. Lemons are an extremely versatile fruit. You can eat them in slices, sip healthy lemon water, make lemonade, garnish food with them, candy their peels, and use their juice and peels in cooking and more.
"Lemons are high in vitamin C, folate, potassium, flavonoids and compounds called limonins," said Alissa Rumsey, a New York City-based registered dietitian, certified strength and conditioning specialist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Limonins are found in the juice of the lemon."
According to World's Healthiest Foods, a quarter cup of lemon juice contains 31 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C and 3 percent of folate and 2 percent of potassium â all for around 13 calories. A whole raw lemon contains 139 percent of the recommended daily vitamin C intake and has 22 calories.
Recent studies have examined the role of lemons in accessing carotenoids, which are beneficial phytonutrients, from other foods during the digestive process. Carotenoids can have low bioaccessibility and bioavailability, meaning that even if you eat a carotenoid-rich food like carrots, you might not absorb many of the carotenoids. A 2018 study in International Journal of Nutrition and Food Engineering found that the carotenoids in boiled or mashed carrots, when combined with lemon juice, olive oil and whey curd, were nearly 30 percent more bioaccessible than without. This suggests that lemons can be an effective exigent food, meaning that, in addition to their own nutritional properties, they can unleash benefits from other foods when combined with them.
Here are the nutrition facts for lemons, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates food labeling through the National Labeling and Education Act:
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Amt per serving %DVAmt per serving%DV
Total Fat 2g 0%Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
"Vitamin C is plays a role in immunity and helps neutralize free radicals in our body," said Rumsey. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, vitamin C stimulates the production of white blood cells and may protect the integrity of immune cells. Vitamin C helps protect leukocytes, which produces antiviral substances.
"Folic acid is said to aid in preventing strokes and may contribute to helping cardiovascular health by lowering homocysteine levels," Rumsey said. A 2010 meta-analysis published in The European Journal of Internal Medicine found that results from clinical studies examining folic acid and heart attacks were inconclusive but folic acid consumption can result in a modest improvement in stroke reduction.
Vitamin C, too, is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, said Rumsey. A 2015 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at more than 100,000 people and found that those who ate the most fruits and vegetables had a 15 percent lower risk of developing heart disease. Those with the highest vitamin C levels in their plasma had even more reduced rates of heart disease.
Scientists theorize that vitamin C may have cardiovascular benefits because it is an antioxidant that protects against dangerous free radicals. It also may lower bad LDL cholesterol and keep arteries flexible, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
"Studies have also shown the effect of limonin on lowering cholesterol," said Rumsey. In a 2007 study published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, men and women who had high cholesterol were given limonin and vitamin E daily for a month and their cholesterol levels lowered 20 to 30 percent. The researchers think that limonin reduces apolipoprotein B, which is associated with higher cholesterol levels.
Lemons and limes contain the most citric acid of any fruits, which makes them beneficial to those suffering from kidney stones. According to University of Wisconsin Health, citric acid deters stone formation and also breaks up small stones that are forming. The more citric acid in your urine, the more protected you are from forming new kidney stones. Half a cup of pure lemon juice every day or 32 ounces of lemonade has the same amount of citric acid as pharmacological therapy.
A 2011 study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Preventionfound that lemon extract applied to breast cancer cells induced cell death. The lemon extract was applied in-vitro, but the results may suggest powerful cancer-fighting properties in lemons.
"There are numerous studies being conducted to understand the role folate plays in cancer reduction," Rumsey said. A 2007 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes that folate's possible cancer-reducing properties are likely linked to its role in the production of substances that silence cancer DNA. The study points out, however, that some research has suggested that in some cases high levels of folate could actually encourage cancer cell growth. The authors write, "Folate may provide protection early in carcinogenesis and in individuals with a low folate status, yet it may promote carcinogenesis if administered later and potentially at very high intakes."
Limonins have also been linked to a decrease in cancer risk, said Rumsey. A 2012 article in the Journal of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomicslooked at limonins in breast cancer cells and found that they could be a helpful aid to chemotherapy.
"Folate is essential for pregnant women in order to prevent neural tube defects," said Rumsey. While folate is present in prenatal vitamins, consuming it through whole foods is an excellent way to make sure the body absorbs it.
Lemons, peels and weight loss
Rumsey said, "Lemons are a great, low-calorie way to flavor drinks and food." And indeed, lemons, lemon water and lemon peels have become popular with dieters. A 2017 Scientific Reports study of short-term juice-based diets, all of which had lemon juice as a primary ingredient, saw that participants' intestinal microbiota associated with weight loss had improved, their vasodilator nitric oxide had increased and the oxidation of their lipids had decreased, resulting in improved wellbeing overall.
Rumsey added that the peels also contain many nutrients. "Grating the peels and adding to salads, chicken or fish dishes can add a citrusy flavor. Peels can also be blended into smoothies or soups." But she emphasized against treating them like a magic bullet for detoxing and weight loss.
New research in BioMed Research International suggests lemons may help damaged livers. The 2017 animal study found that rats who had severely damaged livers from alcohol intake saw liver improvement after consuming lemon juice. Lemon juice significantly inhibited negative effects associated with liver disease. More study is needed to determine if humans would see similar protective effects.
Lemons are known for their antimicrobial properties. A 2017 book, "Phytochemicals in Citrus: Applications in Functional Foods,"describes how solvents made with lemon peel show antimicrobial activity against salmonella, staphylococcus and other pathogenic bacteria. A 2017 study in The Journal of Functional Foods found that fermented sweet lemon juice showed antibacterial activity against E. coli bacteria.
Contaminated nuts are a major source of human exposure to mycotoxin aflatoxin B1. Aflatoxins are carcinogens associated with liver cancer in cases of high exposure, according to the National Cancer Institute. A 2017 study in Food Control found that lemon juice can be effective in preventing exposure from contaminated nuts. Researchers roasted contaminated pistachio nuts in 30 ml of water, 15 ml of lemon juice and 2.25 g of citric acid at 120 degrees Celsius for 1 hour and saw that the nuts' level of aflatoxin B1 was reduced significantly to a much safer level without harm to the pistachios.
Risks of consuming lemons
In general, lemons are quite good for you, but if consumed in excess, can cause gastric reflux problems or heartburn for those who suffer from the conditions. Additionally, the citric acid can wear down the enamel on your teeth, according to World's Healthiest Foods, which encourages drinking lemon water through a straw.
