Dr. Becky Maes - Is It Bad For You? Approved by Dr. Becky Maes

Is Lemon Water Bad For You?

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Short answer

Lemon water is good for you. It aids in digestion and helps promote a stronger immune skin and healthier skin. Some studies have even shown that drinking lemon water may help you lose weight.

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Long answer

If you’re looking for a way to kick-start a healthier lifestyle, there is no magic pill. While health and sports supplements tout impressive-sounding claims—they often carry a premium price tag.

But what if you could improve your digestion health, the strength of your immune system, the condition of your skin and maybe even lose some weight for just a couple cents per serving? It’s possible... just by adding some lemon water to your diet!

Lemons are much more than just a refreshing restaurant garnish. They’re loaded with health perks. For instance, adding a single cup of fresh lemon juice to water provides 187 percent of your daily recommended serving of vitamin C. Lemons also provide considerable amounts of potassium, magnesium, and copper—all for just 60 calories per serving.

So what does all that do for your body?

Let’s start with your digestive tract. Believe it or not, lemons are actually atomically similar to your stomach’s own digestive juices. So when you consume lemons or their juices, your liver produces more bile—the stuff that helps keep food moving through your body smoothly. This physiological response helps relieve indigestion and can even soothe an upset stomach.

Next up, lemons' antioxidant properties help promote a stronger immune system and healthier skin. It contains a great deal of vitamin C, which helps in white blood cell production, which are essential to immune system health. A key antioxidant, vitamin C also protects cells from cell-damaging free radicals: air pollutants, smoke, pesticides and more. And since free radicals can lead to premature aging, vitamin C helps protect against this—leading to more radiant, younger-looking skin.

Finally, drinking lemon juice might also help aid in weight loss. Lemons contain pectin, a common type of fruit fiber. Pectin helps you feel satiated, which means you’re less likely to keep snacking throughout the day.

Even though lemon juice offers significant health benefits, it’s not for everyone—and there can be such a thing as too much lemon water. Since lemons are highly acidic, over-consuming them can lead to tooth erosion. It can also trigger acid reflux or heartburn.

For these reasons, you shouldn’t start drinking lemon water without first consulting your primary physician—particularity if you have pre-existing tooth sensitivity or frequent heartburn. And even if you get their go-ahead, it’s important to pay attention to your body and stop drinking lemon water immediately if you experience any side effects.