For many, lemon water is an almost miraculous drink due to its many (supposed) properties: it improves digestion, helps detoxify and also helps you lose weight.
Is this true? Let's see what has been proven, and what has not , about the slimming properties of lemon water.
It has few calories
Lemon water is a very low-calorie drink. Assuming you add the juice of half a lemon to a glass of water, it will only have six calories . So if you use it to replace other higher-calorie drinks, such as orange juice or sugary soft drinks, it is a good way to reduce your calorie intake and thus lose weight.
By replacing one of these drinks with a glass of lemon juice you can reduce your daily calorie count by 100-200 calories.
Considering that a glass of orange juice can have about 110 calories, and a half-liter soft drink can reach almost 200 calories, just by replacing one of these drinks with a glass of lemon juice you can reduce your daily calorie count by 100-200 calories.
Additionally, some studies show that drinking low-calorie beverages with meals reduces the total number of calories consumed at that meal , since drinking high-calorie foods does not make us compensate by eating less.
So while lemon water isn't completely calorie-free, the number is so low that the effect is similar and helps reduce the overall count.
Keeps you hydrated
Drinking enough fluids and staying hydrated is an essential part of taking care of our health : it regulates temperature, carries nutrients to the cells and transports waste out of the body, helping us perform basic functions and improve our athletic performance.
Some evidence suggests that staying hydrated also helps us lose weight : it increases the breakdown of body fat, mobilizing it and helping us to eliminate it. Hydration is also important to avoid fluid retention , which makes us feel bloated and heavy.
Since most lemon water is just that, water, drinking it can help us stay hydrated and thus lose weight.
It could activate the metabolism
Some studies suggest that drinking enough water improves mitochondrial function (a type of cell organelle that contributes to energy generation). This would lead to an acceleration of metabolism which would in turn lead to weight loss.
Drinking water has also been shown to increase metabolism by inducing thermogenesis.
Drinking water has also been shown to increase metabolism by inducing thermogenesis , the process by which our body burns calories to maintain its temperature.
In one study , 14 participants drank half a litre of water, and this increased their metabolic rate by 30% for 30-40 minutes . In another, they looked at the effects of drinking water on 21 overweight children and found that drinking 10 millilitres per kilo increased metabolism by 25% for 40 minutes.
Research on lemon water in particular is limited, but since water is the main ingredient, it will have the same effect on hydration as water alone.
Provides a feeling of satiety
Drinking water is one of the recommendations of any weight loss diet because it promotes the feeling of satiety without adding calories.
In a study, the effects of this technique were analyzed in 24 overweight and obese adults, and it was observed that drinking half a liter of water before breakfast reduced the calories of that meal, on average, by 13% .
Since lemon water is low in calories and provides satiety just as much as plain water, it is a good way to reduce your overall calorie intake.
Yes, it can help you lose weight…
Thanks to its potential effects on metabolism, satiety and hydration, evidence suggests that yes, drinking water (including lemon water) does help you lose weight .
In one study , 48 adults were instructed to follow two diets: one low in calories and drinking 0.5 liters of water before each meal, and the other simply low in calories. The results showed that after 12 weeks, those in the first group had lost 44% more weight than those in the second. Other studies suggest that this advantage is maintained regardless of the diet followed or the physical activity practiced.
These results are focused on normal water, but the same could be obtained with lemon water.
…but water without lemon has the same effect
As we have said, drinking water with lemon has many benefits related to hydration and satiety, for example. But we must remember that they all come from its main ingredient: water .
It should be remembered that all the benefits come from its main ingredient: water.
By adding lemon we add some nutrients, such as vitamin C or antioxidants, but these have no effect on your weight .
So if you want to lose weight, and you like the taste that lemon brings to water (as long as you don't add sugar or you'll ruin all your efforts), go ahead and add it. But if not, drink the water as is . It will still affect your weight.
This article was originally published on Vitonica by Rocío Pérez in February 2019 and has been revised for republication.