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Lemon water has gained popularity as a go-to health drink, often touted as a cure-all for a variety of ailments, from weight loss to boosting immunity. While adding lemon to your water can make it refreshing and encourage you to drink more fluids, its health benefits are often exaggerated.
Fact: The notion that lemon water is a magic weight-loss potion stems from its association with detox diets and claims about its ability to boost metabolism. There is no scientific evidence that adding lemon to your water significantly accelerates fat-burning or weight loss.
However, the act of drinking more water — with or without lemon — can be part of a healthy weight-loss strategy, especially if it replaces sugary drinks or high-calorie beverages and keeps you fuller longer.
Fact: Your body detoxifies itself naturally. The liver and kidneys are the organs responsible for filtering out toxins and keeping your system clean. Lemon water does not have special properties that enhance this process. Drinking water, in general, supports the body’s detoxification process by ensuring that your kidneys function properly and are able to filter waste. Adding lemon simply enhances the flavour, which may encourage people to drink more water.
While vitamin C in lemons can support your immune system, it doesn’t “detoxify” your body in the way some claim.
Fact: It contains vitamin C in moderate amounts but that is unlikely to deliver the significant boost people expect. To meet your daily vitamin C needs, you’d need to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables, not just lemon water.
Fact: Your body regulates its pH levels naturally. While lemons are acidic, they are thought to have an alkalizing effect once metabolized. The human body has tightly regulated mechanisms, particularly in the blood, to maintain a stable pH. The food and drinks you consume do not have a lasting impact on the overall pH balance of your body. Therefore, while lemon water may not disrupt your pH balance, it’s unlikely to correct or improve it either.
Fact: It may stimulate digestion by stimulating the production of stomach acids that break down foods, but it’s not a cure for digestive problems.
Fact: It may reduce the risk but it’s not a foolproof prevention method. Citrate, a component of citric acid found in lemons, may help reduce the risk of certain types of kidney stones by preventing calcium from binding with other substances. But the amount of citrate in lemon water is typically much lower than that found in medications prescribed for this condition.
(Dr Rakesh Gupta, Senior Consultant , Internal Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi)
