I’ve occasionally had a glass of warm lemon water in the morning for years, but usually just because it sounded good and I wanted something warm besides coffee or herbal tea.
When I saw several pictures and posts floating around the Internet touting the benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning, I decided to investigate this habit I’d already intuitively had for years.
Benefits of Lemon Water
Turns out there are real benefits to drinking lemon water, but some over-hyped ones as well.
1. Aids Digestion
The biggest lemon water benefit may be from the temperature of the water and not even the added lemon. Drinking any water, especially warm water, first thing in the morning can help flush the digestive system and rehydrate the body.
Think about this… during sleep, you typically haven’t been drinking for at least 8 hours. Giving the body adequate water when you first wake up is a great way to get your body and your mind going.
A college friend of mine who had studied in Japan brought back that habit with her. She said that where she stayed in Japan, it was customary to drink 2-3 glasses of water first thing in the morning and that when she tried it she had noticeably higher energy levels and seemed to have improved digestion throughout the day.
2. A Natural Flush
The liver is extremely active during sleep since this is the body’s time to restore and regenerate. Drinking enough water, especially in the morning, helps make sure that the body can perform these jobs most effectively. There is even some evidence that lemon juice can help stimulate proper stomach acid production and bile production.
For a happy liver and lymph system, make a habit of drinking 1-2 glasses of lemon water before having coffee or tea.
3. Immune System Boost From Vitamin C
Lemons contain vitamin C (read up on the benefits here)… not a spectacularly high amount, but 30-50 milligrams per lemon. They also contain potassium.
Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning gives the body a chance to absorb these vitamins effectively and can provide a little immune boost.
Vitamin C is also good for the adrenals and can potentially help reduce the effects of stress.
4. Happier Skin
By helping flush the body and improve digestion, lemon water can lead to cleaner skin. It also contains vitamin C which is needed for collagen production for smooth, healthy skin.
5. Healthy Weight
There is evidence that drinking water, especially lemon water, first thing in the morning can help maintain a healthy weight. Researchers in Germany found that drinking enough water increased metabolism. According to this article:
After drinking approximately 17 ounces of water, the subjects’ metabolic rates — or the rate at which calories are burned — increased by 30% for both men and women. The increases occurred within 10 minutes of water consumption and reached a maximum after about 30 to 40 minutes.
Of course, drinking water (or lemon water) by itself isn’t going to be a miracle weight loss solution, but with other healthy habits, it can help maintain a healthy weight.
Things Lemon Water Won’t Do
Drinking enough water and adding a little vitamin C boost are good ideas, but they aren’t magic and there is no scientific backing to some of the claims made online about the benefits of lemon water:
- Balances pH Levels: There is a theory that certain foods can leave an acid or alkaline ash in the body. This is true, but this only affects the pH of the urine and not the pH of the blood. Chris Kresser explains the acid/alkaline myth in-depth here.
- Flushes Toxins: Drinking water is important to help the body naturally eliminate cellular waste (a process that it does naturally), but claims that lemon water has a special ability to flush “toxins” without defining what they are or how this process works are overblown.
- Prevents Cancer: Many of the same articles that claim that lemon water alkalizes the body claim that it promotes an alkaline environment where cancer cells cannot thrive. See the article from Chris Kresser above about why this theory doesn’t make sense.
- Increases IQ: While drinking water or lemon water in the morning can help with alertness and focus, there is no evidence that water with lemon actually increases the IQ over the long term.
Lemon Water: The Bottom Line
It is always important to support our bodies by drinking enough water, especially in the morning. Lemon water won’t be a miracle cure but it might be a better alternative to caffeinated drinks, especially for those with adrenal problems.
One caution: I’ve found that starting to drink water first thing in the morning when you aren’t used to it can cause a few minutes of nausea, so it might be a good idea to start slowly and not used to drinking this much.
How I Drink Lemon Water
I always make sure to drink a few glasses of water in the morning, but a few days a week, I have hot lemon water for the taste and extra vitamin C. Here’s what I do:
Hot Lemon Water Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 oz water (warm, not boiling)
- 1 lemon (organic)
- ½ inch ginger (fresh, optional)
Instructions
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze one half or the whole lemon into the water.
- If using, peel and slice the ginger and add to the water.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, the first board certified female urogynecologist in the United States. She is double board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
Do you drink lemon water in the morning? Have you noticed any benefits? Share below!
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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My holistic dentist told me that doing that will result in stripping the enamel off your teeth.
This is why I also swish with water to make sure the acid is not sitting on my teeth 😉
I have enjoyed warm lemon water first thing in the morning for many years, but in 2013 read your article about Sole, so started drinking that instead. More recently I decided to combine them; so have warm water with a tsp of sole and a squeezed wedge of lemon in it. I find it to be a nice combination.
I had been doing lemon water or just straight water in the am and noticed my eyeballs were whiter and digestion was better. But I stopped when I was prescribed to take naturethroid and hormone supplement on an empty stomach, and the supplement said preferably early in the am. I didn’t want to drink so much water that the meds were flushed out of my system too quickly. Is that bad science or am I kinda on the right track? I just end up drinking the water during the day. Thanks for the help!
YOU ARE MISSING THE WHOLE POINT. FLOATING LEMON SLICES JUST CONFUSE YOUR MIND INTO DRINKING A GLASS OF WATER. SQUEEZE THE WHOLE LEMON FOR THE JUICE IN THE GLASS OF WATER AND DRINK. THEN EAT THE LEMON SKIN WHICH IS 10 999 times more than chemotherapy. IT KILLS ALL THE INFLAMMATION IN YOUR BODY. I HAD 4 HAEMOTOMA BRAIN BRAIN SURGERIES IN AS MANY WEEKS AFTER I WAS ON THE VERGE OF DYING WITHIN MINUTES. FOR A LONG TIME I SUFFERED AFTER EFFECT WITH HEADACHES. THE FIRST TIME I ATE THE LEMON SKIN WITHIN FOUR SECONDS MY HEAD WAS CLEAR AND I CONTINUE EVERY WITH THE PEAL. MY BROTHER – LAW TRIED EATING THE PEAL AND IMMEDIATELY FELT SOMETHING TERRIBLE IN HIS BODY HE STOPPED EATING IT ALTOGETHER. I TOLD HIM THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG IN YOUR BODY. SOON AFTER HE WENT FOR A SCAN FOR HIS PROSTRATE GLAND AND THEY DISCOVER THAT HIS ONE KIDNEY HAD BEEN EATEN BY CANCER WHICH IS NOW IN HIS LUNG AND HE IS SO BD HE ONLY HAS A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE
Can I ask how you eat the lemon peal?? Do you just chew it. I have medical reasons for asking this question. My spinal disk’s are herniated and the inflammation in my back tissue is very inflamed and I’ve been in so much pain for years but refusing spinal operation and horrible medication. Im trying so many alternative therapies but nothing is working.
The fresh lemon oil is very potent but be wary of non-organic. Fresh from the tree is much more potent than from the store too.
Thanks so much for this post. I’ve been drinking a cup of lemon water each morning but never thought of adding ginger which I love.
I have been adding my collagen hydrolysate to this in the morning…does this alter it in any way? Have tons of lemons from my three trees!
I’ve never tried so I’m not sure.
If anyone has information about mixing these two, please let me know!
Just give it try for one week. You will really see the benefits.
I wish you lived near me! I love lemon! But can’t stand the taste from the store- always tastes half rotten or costs an arm and a leg.
Do you drink lemon water before oil pulling in the morning?
I do lemon water (some days), then oil pulling, then protein.
What do you mean by protein? A breakfast containing protein in it?
Yes.
Hi! Do you think you could elaborate on this or send me somewhere you already have? I would love to know the reasoning behind eating protein after lemon water and oil pulling and why exactly you do the lemon water before oil pulling. It is bad to brush your teeth after eating, right? Does the oil pulling wash off the lemon enough that it is ok to brush the teeth after oil pulling? Love your website!
im just tuning in to the conversation, what’s pulling?
I think it’s helpful to sip the morning beverage as too much liquid ingested at once, especially first thing in the morning, can be nauseating. I love the idea of lemon water as it intuitively sounds cleansing. However I don’t feel good after drinking it early in the morning, so I just stick with plain water.
I started drinking lemon water over the last 3-4 months and can tell a huge difference in the way I feel. Some of the things listed that is not proven may still be valid because the truth of the matter is they haven’t researched it enough. When people can tell a difference in their body I would judge what it does by that and not the limited research. I also believe that most of Gods given foods have a hand in helping the fight in your immune system as he intended it to be. Thanks for the info I just believe we need much more as to what natural remedies can do. Scientist for the most part are not given the resources to study as they should.
I absolutely agree that there is much more we probably don’t know yet, but for now, the things we do know for sure are enough reason for me 🙂
You really think pharma would waste cash into researching things that might kill their business? LOL , there’s never going to be any real research, it’s against the pharmaseutical industry’s interest. Can you please remember that the USA would’t exist if the sailors didn’t eat 1 lemon a day to survive the seas back when pharma didn’t exist? Why is it that when I take 1 lemon when I feel a cold coming it , that cold fades off?
Point being Lemons and limes are a god send (I’m an atheist) , they are here to help us heal without PHARMA’s toxic cancerigenic evil-lab fabricated engineered crap.
Sorry but your statement: `the things we do know for sure are enough reason for me` – that must be one of the most naive things I’ve ever heard. You will never know, because it’s stacked billions VS our health and pharma investors would never allow pharma to show that 1 stupid fruit can destroy their empire.
Note to everyone: You can alternate between lemon and lime everyday, for example, 1 half of a lemon in the morning, 3 hours later, half a LIME. 3 hours later half a lemon, 3 hours later half a LIME. Remember to use a straw and never squish lemons or limes into hot water, as you instantly destroy vitamin C, so squish those into cold water – AWALAYS USE A STRAW to avoid destroying tooth enamel!
Agreed. That bottled stuff tastes
hor-ri-ble!
I have tried to like lemon in my water for so long now, but I do actually like Lemon essential oil! It has the same benefits, but for whatever reason I can tolerate the taste of it verses an actual lemon.