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Lemon Water for Incredible Weight Loss – Fact or Cap? Find out the truth today

Lemon water – the newest trend for weight loss. 

Popular claims include ‘lose ten pounds in a week’ or ‘down 3 sizes in 3 days.’

Lemon water for weight loss and detox
Photo by Mariah Hewines

What are the facts and what is just pure myth with this fad drink? 

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about lemon water for weight loss, detox, and more!


Benefits of Eating Lemon

The first step of myth-busting, breaking down the parts.

Lemons themselves have many benefits! 

Lemons are high in vitamin C, B6, and potassium.  

This mineral composition can help prevent anemia.

Lemons also contain citric acid and many antioxidants, providing various health benefits, particularly when you consume lemons whole.

They are high in soluble fiber, particularly pectin, which can reduce blood sugar and leave you full for longer. It can also help improve digestion.

Mind you, this benefit is for eating the lemon pulp, not just its juice.


Benefits of Water-based Hydration

Drinking water is good for you, fact.

The hydration of the body is critical to wellness and overall physical health.

This does not mean drinking water when you’re not thirsty or forcing yourself to chug water.

This means supplying your body with the liquid it needs.

Adequate water intake can help fight tiredness and fatigue, leaving you energized and refreshed.

Drinking water will also temporarily increase calories burned, so water may help with weight loss.


Benefits of Lemon Water

There’s definitely something about that refreshing taste of adding lemon to water, but are there actual benefits?

As of today, most benefits are simply word of mouth.

Lemon water benefits include:

  • Increase Hydration
  • Increase Vitamin and Mineral Consumption
  • Aid in Digestion

But this is due to different reasons than a miracle combination.

There are benefits for drinking water, and benefits for eating lemons.

There is nothing miraculous that will increase weight loss or detox the body when you put them together.


Is Lemon Water Good for Weight Loss?

There are no studies that have found lemon water to be directly linked to a reduction in weight or body fat.

As stated above, water itself can increase the number of calories burned for a short period, but this has nothing to do with lemons.

Small animal studies found a correlation between lemon extract and weight loss, but no human studies have been conducted.

Lemons are high in fiber, which can help you feel full longer and manage blood sugar, but with lemon water, you are just drinking a small amount of juice, not any of the pulp.

The bottom line is, when you switch out sugary drinks like soda, fruit juice, and other beverages with lemon water, there will be a benefit in weight loss. 

This is because soda and fruit juice are high in sugar and calories. Removing them from your diet will automatically reduce calories, and help blood sugar stay level, potentially aiding in weight loss.


Is Lemon Water Good for Detox?

Detoxes and cleanses make it seem like all the toxins will be flushed out of your body.

Sounds great right?

A popular cleanse is fasting and drinking lemon water, but is there truth behind this?

No.

The best way to detox is by eating a nutritious diet high in minerals, vitamins, and fiber, and hydrating with water.

Lemon water detoxes may simply deprive your body of nutrition and put you at a calorie deficit, which may help weight loss.

While it is true that after a certain period of fasting, the cells of the body will commit autophagy, a process in which damaged cells are recycled to produce newer healthier cells.

This process can be accomplished with intermittent fasting or a ketogenic diet, without having to add lemon water or fast for extreme periods.

Adding exercise to your daily routine can also potentially trigger autophagy cell response.


The Takeaway

Both lemon and water have benefits, so it stands to reason that lemon water also has benefits.

The problem is that the benefits are an exaggeration.

Lemon water will not help you lose a pound a day, nor will it dramatically detox your body.

Switching out soda, juices, and other sugary drinks for water, including lemon water, WILL help you lose weight.

Lemons are high in vitamin C, potassium, and other minerals and antioxidants, which promote overall wellbeing.

Hydration is incredibly important, and it’s better to hydrate with water than with soda.

Health starts from within!

There’s no quick hack to instantly improve health.

Exercise regularly, eat a nutritious diet, and make small changes in your daily life for an increase in wellbeing!

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