What does science say about drinking water with lemon? Facts VS. Myths

Pour lemon juice into a large glass of water, drink it and you will detoxify your liver, lose fat, improve digestion, prevent colds and gain the ability to ride a unicorn or something similar. Some internet gurus claim this, but are these claims based on science or water? Well, the guys at Examine dug up 42 studies to find out. Here's a quick rundown.

Article Content:

• Does lemon water detoxify the body?
• Does it improve digestion?
• Does it protect you from an acidic diet?
• Does it help with fat loss?

Does lemon water detoxify the body?

We have zero proof. While the D-limonene molecule in citrus plants can affect detoxifying enzymes in the liver according to studies in rats, it is not known if it works in humans or if we could get it from lemon juice to have an effect. Apparently not.

Does it improve digestion?

Maybe, but probably not. Lemon juice may increase bile acid secretion a bit, but it's not known if it actually contributes to "improved digestion."
What about the claim that it increases stomach acid? Maybe a little if you have hypochlorhydria - a medical condition where you have a reduced amount of hydrochloric acid in your gastric juice and its reduced acidity (hypacidity). Of course, in that case, it's probably much better to see your doctor instead of relying on a home "cure".

What about reducing the rate of gastric emptying, which might help you absorb micronutrients and slow down the absorption of carbohydrates? Acidic foods can help here, but there is no direct evidence that adding lemon to your water can do this.

Will it protect you from an acidic diet?

As the Examine folks say, your body's own buffering system does a nice job balancing the pH in your blood unless you have cancer or a diseased liver. Even if you really try to "alkalize your blood," you're unlikely to cause a temporary ripple in your blood pH. And lemon water alone certainly won't do it.

Does it help with fat loss?

Not a chance. Lemon water is often recommended in low-carbohydrate and fast diets. So while "weight" is lost, it's due to low calories and loss of muscle glycogen (water weight), not due to magic lemon water.

Yes, drinking a big glass of lemon water before a meal can make you eat less, but plain water would have the same effect. Again, it's the calorie reduction that leads to fat loss, not the lemon juice.

Does it really fight disease?

The phytochemicals in lemon juice are healthy and "may affect processes associated with cancer and cardiovascular disease" according to Examine, but you'll need to consume plenty of lemon water. There are other, better sources of phytochemicals.

Does it prevent colds?

No, although vitamin C has been shown to shorten the length of the common cold. You don't get enough vitamin C from lemon water to have a positive effect.

Can it prevent the formation of kidney stones?

Maybe. More studies are needed. I would use it if I were prone to this painful problem.

Should I drink lemon water or not?

If it helps you drink more water because you like the taste, then that's fine. But it probably won't give you as many magical effects that some gurus say. Also, you probably don't want to overdo it with drinking lemon juice because acidic lemon juice can erode tooth enamel if you don't brush your teeth after every glass.

Conclusion

Lemon juice doesn't contribute significantly to your micronutrient intake, but it also doesn't contain too many calories. In summary, lemons are generally healthy, as are most fruits. Lemon juice contains small amounts of beneficial micronutrients and phytochemicals, but it is not clear that among all fruits, lemons are uniquely valuable.

I myself put 2dcl of lemon water in some diets in the morning on an empty stomach before breakfast. Why? I want you to drink at least a certain amount of water first thing in the morning, which will stimulate your brain, your body and make you feel better because your body is dehydrated after being up all night. The lemon is there to make it taste better, and with any luck you'll get a small amount of vitamin C in you, which can prevent morning catabolism. Definitely not for the magical effects. Remember, I do the research for you, so even in your diet you will only find things that really work !

Source:Tnation and Supertrainer