Is Lemon Water Healthy For You? Here Are The Facts

Are there any benefits to squeezing a lemon into your glass of water?

When you do, you’ll add in essential nutrients, including:

  • protein
  • fiber
  • fructose
  • calcium
  • iron
  • magnesium
  • phosphorus
  • potassium
  • sodium
  • zinc
  • copper
  • manganese
  • selenium
  • choline
  • carotene
  • vitamin C
  • vitamin E
  • B vitamins

All these nutrients play a role in maintaining optimal health, and lemon water is an easy way to boost your intake.

What’s The Difference Between Lemon Water And Lemonade?

Lemon water is very simply made. It’s just lemons and water. Cut open a lemon and squeeze it into your water. Some people like to add mint, honey, ginger, or cinnamon for extra flavor and added health benefits.

Lemonade adds sugar or artificial sweeteners to the mix. While this might make it more palatable, it is much less healthy. Sugar-sweetened drinks are closely associated with increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.

Why is Lemon Water Better Than Plain Water?

Many people are underhydrated and don’t even realize it. Dehydration can lead to severe symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, headaches, confusion, and fainting. But even mild underhydration can make you feel tired, lower your mood, and prevent you from performing at your best.

One reason why some people don’t drink enough water is that they find it boring and tasteless. So instead of drinking water, they’ll drink soda, coffee, or sugary juices.

Lemon water is a great way to increase your fluid intake without getting the potentially harmful effects of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

Can Lemon Water Help You Lose Weight?

Lemons won’t add many calories to your drink, and they can even help reduce your calorie intake.

If you normally drink soda, replacing that beverage with lemon water can help you cut hundreds of calories daily.

Additionally, drinking a full glass of lemon water before meals can help reduce your appetite and make you feel less inclined to overeat.

The citric acid in lemons can promote healthy digestion by stimulating the production of digestive juices and enzymes that break down your food while also helping to regulate how quickly food flows through your digestive tract.

Is Lemon Water Good For Diabetics?

Sugary lemonade is not a good choice for diabetics, but plain lemon water is.

Lemon water can lower your glycemic response—it changes how starchy carbohydrates are broken down and digested. After drinking a glass of lemon water, the carbs you eat soon after (from bread, pasta, rice, etc.) won’t cause such a large spike in blood sugar.

This can help you better control your blood glucose, which is essential for preventing complications of diabetes.

So if you’re looking for a healthy way to flavor your water, skip the sugar and simply squeeze in some lemon juice.