Lemon is the most popular, household, and versatile fruit in every kitchen. Many people start their daily activities by drinking lemon water with warm water instead of tea or coffee in the morning.
Lemon water is used for many purposes to make dishes flavourful. Lemon is packed with various health benefits. Using lemon daily helps prevent many health-related issues because of its packs of tons of vitamin C, ranging from anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties to immune-boosting abilities.
But does drinking lemon water daily benefit the body? Here are the listed benefits and side effects of drinking lemon water.
Benefits Of Drinking Lemon Water
1. Lemon Water Is A Great Vitamin C Source
Most citrus fruits like lemon contain a good amount of vitamin C that helps prevent the body cells damage from free radicals, acting as antioxidants. Lemon water boosts the body’s immunity that helps fight against the common cold, certain cardiac diseases, etc.
2. Lemon Water Encourages Metabolism
A healthy metabolic process of the body means improved digestion and natural weight loss. The study found that polyphenols found in lemon peel have the property of preventing extra weight gain and improved insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic patients.
3. Lemon Water Improves Skin Complexion
Antioxidants in lemon help the skin fight against free radicals making the skin dry, damaged, and flawless. Also, getting vitamin C from lemon water helps to produce collagen essential to smoothening out fine lines on the face.
4. Lemon Water Improves Digestion Power
Some people take lemon water daily in the morning as a laxative to avoid constipation, allowing them to digest food easily. Thus, drinking lemon water helps prevent a build-up of toxins acting as a detoxifying agent.
5. Lemon Water Freshens Your Breath
Eating garlic or onion containing dish create a bad odor in the mouth. You can avoid bad odor-causing bacteria by drinking lemon water in the morning; it helps stimulate saliva, and water helps the body to get hydrated the whole day.
6. Lemon Water Eliminates Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are the formation of small, hard deposits of uric acids in the kidney. The symptoms include vomiting, back, and abdominal pain, blood in the urine. Stones can be excreted by increasing urination after drinking lemon water loaded with citric acid. According to allopathy, stones are treated with potassium citrate.
Side Effects Of Drinking Lemon Water
Lemon water benefits might cause its increased intake. But like its benefits, lemon water also has a few side effects, harming your body slowly. Following is the listing of how lemon water could be scary to the health.
1. Lemon Water Causes Dental Erosion
Daily intake of lemon water causes tooth erosion as lemon is highly acidic, with a pH of 2 containing ascorbic acid. Acids act on the enamel on teeth and erode them; enamels are made from calcium. Also, lemon contains sugar, which may cause tooth cavities.
2. Lemon Water Increases The Body’s Iron Content
Drinking lemon water excessively increases the iron content in the body. Vitamin C increases the nonheme iron absorption in the body and it could be worse for people suffering from hemochromatosis. It is a condition where the body stores excess iron, causing further health ailments.
3. Lemon Water Causes Dehydration
Excessive consumption of lemon water may lead to frequent urination and causes dehydration in the body. Thus, it is required to have an adequate amount of lemon water intake to avoid side effects.
4. Lemon Water Causes Nausea/Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting happen if your body has enough vitamin C and not able to absorb the excess. Then it will flush out of the body by a bowel movement, and might be you end up vomiting. One should immediately cut down the use and start it again in a low amount after a week gap.
5. Lemon Water May Trigger A Migraine
Excess lemon water means increased acidity in the stomach. This condition may happen depending on the current acidity level of your body. Therefore, tap into your consciousness and be aware of the foods that may cause elevated acidity.
6. Lemon Water Causes Heartburn, GERD, Acid Reflux
Lemon water is acidic. As juice irritates the stomach and esophagus, it causes heartburn. Also, if stomach enzymes and digestive juices move upward, it causes acid reflux. Thus, if a person is suffering from acidity, avoid taking lemon juice. Eat foods that lower acid reflux.
7. Lemon Water Causes Sensitive Stomach
Drinking lemon water can cause a sensitive stomach. The stomach contains acids, and as lemon itself is acidic in nature, it increases the acidic level. It may worsen the stomach lining and delay healing in worse conditions. Therefore, avoid excess lemon water to prevent this from happening.
