Benefits and Myths of Starting Your Day with Lemon Water

09/20/2024

Top Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water in the Morning: 

Lemon water has always been the trend for ages. You must have seen many stars and content creators on social media kicking off their day with lemon water. Is it just the way to look fancy and cool on the internet, or are there any actual benefits of drinking it in the morning? Let’s delve into the benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning:

Improve Digestion: 

The core benefit of drinking water in the morning or any other time of the day is its ability to encourage digestion. Lemons have acidic properties, which help break down the food we eat. Include lemon water in your morning routine to level up your acid levels, which tend to diminish and fade out as you grow older.

Keeps You Hydrated: 

If you are someone who always starts dehydrated, adding lemon water can be a game changer. Lemon water will help you start the day on a good note and keep you energetic all day. Passing clear urine is a sign of being hydrated.

Prevent Kidney Stones:

Drinking lemon also helps your kidneys. Lemon has citric acid, which inhibits the formation of kidney stones and breaks smaller stones before they start building up. National Kidney Foundation reveals that mixing 4 ounces of lemon juice in water is the best way to prevent kidney stones. However, you shouldn't only tackle this method to prevent and tackle kidney stones; you should also stick to the treatment recommended by your healthcare provider.

Encourage Weight Loss:

Vitamin C can be consumed via a glass of orange juice in the morning. However, replacing it with lemon water can be more fruitful and beneficial for your weight loss journey. Switching OJ with lemon water will help prevent you from taking sugar, extra calories, and additives commonly seen in orange juice.

Provide an Antioxidant Boost:

Citrus fruits such as lemons are considered good sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C works as an antioxidant that shields cells from disease. You must have seen yourself holding a warm cup of lemon tea when you fall sick. Consuming one glass of lemon water in the morning protects you against diseases.

Myths Associated With Drinking Lemon Water

Myth 1: Drinking lemon water boosts your metabolism.

Fact 1: Drinking lemon water doesn’t affect your metabolism functionality. If you think your body will start burning calories at a higher rate just by adding lemon to water, you may be mistaken. Popular theories about food items and drinks that speed up your metabolism are overblown because of the momentary nature of the metabolism-boosting effect.

Myth 2: Lemon water activates your digestive system.

Fact 2: Staying hydrated is what benefits your digestive system; adding lemon to water will not make any big difference. The key role of water is to break down food in the body, assisting your organs to consume nutrients more rapidly. Adding lemon to water may enhance the taste of your drink, but plain water offers the same digestive benefits.

Myth 3: Lemon water detoxifies your body.

Fact 3: Let's debunk the popular myth that drinking lemon water cleanses your body. However, the reality is far from this. There is no need to add lemon to your drink to detoxify your body. The body detoxifies on its own.

Myth 4: Lemon water balances your PH levels.

Fact 4: It is believed that balancing your PH levels can be effective for your overall health. However, consuming lemon water doesn’t make any significant difference, and the body is working already to balance the levels on its own. No food items and drinks are going to alter the PH levels of your blood drastically. 

Myth 5: Drinking lemon water boosts your immune system.

Fact 5: In order to see the measurable health benefits reaped by drinking lemon water, you will have to drink an excessive amount of water. Most adults typically need between 75 and 90 mg of vitamin C every day to keep their immune system durable and strong. A whole lemon only contains 18.6 mg of vitamin C, unable to meet the daily vitamin C needs. It is believed that you can get more vitamin C from various foods and drinks, including lemon water.

The takeaway:

As listed earlier, water carries out several important roles in the body. We should aim to drink enough water daily so that all functions can happen smoothly. Keeping yourself dehydrated can result in various health conditions. However, adding a lemon to your water can lead to multiple benefits, such as improving digestion, keeping you hydrated, preventing kidney stones, etc. However, there are several myths associated with drinking lemon water, such as lemon water boosts your metabolism, activates your digestive system, and balances your PH levels. Therefore, before you start drinking lemon water, you should know its benefits and related myths. In addition to this, you should consult your doctor to determine whether the consumption of lemon water is safe for you based on your current health status and ongoing treatments.

FAQs:

1. Is it good to start the day with lemon water?

Starting your day with lemon water is a good way to hydrate your body when you get up from the bed. After sleeping for 7 to 9 hours, the body becomes dehydrated. Therefore, kicking off your day with lemon gives the body good hydration. In addition to this, it also provides a vitamin C boost, prevents kidney stones, encourages weight loss, etc.

2. What happens when you drink lemon water on an empty stomach?

Drinking lemon water on an empty stomach may provide you with a wide range of benefits:

• Promotes hydration
• Improve the intake of vitamin C
• Helps in weight loss
• Boosts digestion

3. What are the disadvantages of lemon water?

Drinking too much lemon can lead to many problems. The following are the common problems associated with drinking too much lemon water:

• Lemon juice can lead to migraines.
• It can worsen heartburn and stomach problems.
• It can aggravate canker sores.
• It can be responsible for enamel erosion and tooth decay.

4. How much lemon water should I drink a day?

There is a limit that you must stick to while drinking lemon water. You should not aim to drink more than one or two glasses/cups of lemon water. If you increase the consumption than ideal, you may stumble upon some health issues. Additionally, if you are already under any treatment, you must consult your doctor before drinking lemon water.