Promotes Weight Loss: Regardless of exercise or diet, drinking lemon water before meals can help reduce calorie intake and stimulates weight loss. It makes you feel full for longer, thus decreasing your calorie intake by 13%. Lemon also contains pectin, which slows down the digestion of sugars and starch.
Is lemon water good for weight loss? Experts say that lemon is an excellent digestive cleanser and it promotes fat loss. Read this article to know all about how to consume lemon water for optimum health and weight loss benefits.
Is Lemon Water Good For Weight Loss?
DISCLAIMER: It is crucial to verify the suitability of any diet plan to your unique health condition and weight loss needs. It is thus best to consult an experienced doctor and a qualified nutritionist before making any changes in your daily diet. It will help prevent any health complications, deficiencies or food allergies and achieve healthy weight loss.
Yes, lemon water helps in fat loss and may induce weight loss. A glass of freshly squeezed lemon water contains only six calories. It boosts your body’s metabolic rate by inducing thermogenesis (more on this below). It also promotes satiety by preventing unwanted calorie intake. Combining it with a balanced diet and regular exercise will definitely support your weight loss efforts.
How Does Lemon Water Help In Weight Loss?
Lemon water is a storehouse of potent antioxidants and nutrients and aids your weight loss efforts. Drinking warm lemon water the first thing in the morning helps jump-start your metabolism by inducing thermogenesis, a process where the body burns more calories to produce heat. You will also experience improved bowel movement, which helps the body get rid of toxins faster than usual.
Meanwhile, having lemon water a few minutes before your meals can boost fullness and limit overeating. You are likely to eat up to 200 calories lesser. It also reduces inflammation, increases your physical performance during workouts and prevents bloating and weight gain that commonly occurs due to water retention.
Water And Thermogenesis: How It Works?
Recent research shows that consuming water stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, increases the metabolic rate (thermogenesis) and daily energy expenditure. A study showed an increase in the metabolic rate by 30% for 30–40 minutes when participants drank 0.5 litres of water.
In another study conducted at a Mumbai hospital, subjects drank 1.5 litres of water (500 ml of water half an hour before breakfast, lunch, and dinner) over and above their typical daily water intake. At the end of eight weeks, there was a decrease in body weight, BMI, and body composition scores, establishing the effect of water-induced thermogenesis on weight loss.
Nutritional Composition Of Lemon
The nutritional value of one lemon is as follows:
Total calories: 18.8
Proteins: 0.71g
Carbohydrates: 6g
Fats: 0.19g
Water: 57.8g
Calcium: 16.9mg
Magnesium: 5.2mg
Phosphorus: 10.4mg
Potassium: 89.7mg
Vitamin C: 34.4mg
Folate: 7.15µg
Small traces of zinc, copper, iron, selenium, thiamine, vitamin B6, niacin and more.
Vitamin C deficiency causes resistance to fat mass loss. After a moderate exercise session, persons with adequate Vitamin C levels oxidise 30% more fat than those with low Vitamin C. Lemon is also high in bioactive flavonoids, which help reduce obesity and thus related metabolic diseases. Lemon juice and peel are both rich sources of the water-soluble antioxidant Eriocitrin, a primary lemon polyphenol. This presence of high levels of citric acid, Vitamin C and polyphenols help in reducing fatigue and decreasing lipid levels. -Lavanya Parthasarathy, PhD, CDE
Top 5 Benefits Of Lemon Water For Your Body
Here are the advantages of drinking lemon water:
Boosts Metabolism: Drinking lemon water boosts your metabolism, especially in the morning. It enhances thermogenesis and mitochondrial function to improve the body’s metabolic rate by around 30% for 40 minutes. It also works as a laxative, aiding your digestion and reducing the build-up of toxins in the body. Promotes Weight Loss: Regardless of exercise or diet, drinking lemon water before meals can help reduce calorie intake and stimulates weight loss. It makes you feel full for longer, thus decreasing your calorie intake by 13%. Lemon also contains pectin, which slows down the digestion of sugars and starch. It improves gut health and reduces frequent cravings for unhealthy food. Increases Fat Loss: Research shows that good digestion and adequate hydration by adding lemon to your diet simply in the form of lemon water may contribute to your fat loss efforts. Detoxifies The Body: Lemon water enables the liver to produce more bile and flush toxins. It also keeps the body hydrated, thereby decreasing water retention. Lemon contains potassium, which helps replenish lost nutrients. Healthy Beverage Alternative: Lemon water minus sugar is a healthy, low-calorie and refreshing substitute for sugary beverages such as sodas and packaged fruit juices. Consuming one glass of lemon water can help reduce your daily calorie intake by up to 200 calories.
Here are five more benefits you can enjoy while sipping on lemon water:
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Increases Immunity: The high antioxidant and Vitamin C content in lemons protect your body cells from oxidative damage and improve immunity. One lemon provides around 18.6 mg of Vitamin C. Improves Skin Quality: The Vitamin C in lemon improves skin’s texture, quality, and appearance. It also protects skin from sun damage and premature ageing. Prevents Kidney Stones: The acidic composition of lemon helps prevent the formation of kidney stones. Citrate is a citric acid component found in lemons that can break down small kidney stones. Reduces Bad Breath: Lemon works against bacteria that cause bad breath while preventing your mouth from drying up. Improves Health: Lemon is a powerhouse of nutrients with antioxidant properties and protects us against cellular damage by free radicals. Its anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-parasitic effects help improve cardiovascular and overall health.
Side Effects Of Drinking Lemon Water
Here are some cons of drinking lemon water:
The citric acid in lemon water may affect tooth enamel and erode it. In some people, it may cause increased tooth sensitivity. Some people may experience heartburn and acid reflux after drinking lemon water. Lemon water is a diuretic and increases your urine output.
How To Make Lemon Water For Weight Loss?
Here are nine simple and easy lemon water recipes for weight loss.
The most important tip: always use fresh lemons.
Lemon Water With Salt: Squeeze half a lemon in warm water and add a pinch of pink salt. Take it on an empty stomach every morning. Honey Lemon Water: Squeeze half a lemon into lukewarm water and add one tablespoon of honey. Stir well. You can have this twice a day.
Did You Know?
Lemon honey juice fast for four days showed a reduction in body weight, BMI, fat mass, and triglycerides among healthy individuals, which might be helpful in the prevention of obesity and hypertriglyceridemia. However, you must consult your doctor before trying it to avoid any health complications. Ginger Lemon Water: Boil water with ginger in a pan. Then, squeeze half a lemon into a separate glass and pour the ginger water through a strainer. You can replace your evening tea with this beverage to get weight loss benefits. Lemon Mint Water: Squeeze half a lemon in cold water and add some fresh mint leaves for this refreshing drink. Serve it chilled to enjoy it best. You can sip it throughout the day or make ice popsicles for a tangy summer treat. Lemon Cinnamon Water: Squeeze half a lemon in lukewarm water and add a pinch of ground cinnamon. Drink it early morning every alternate day. Make sure you have your breakfast after 20-30 minutes. Lemon Cumin Water: Start by boiling cumin or jeera in water and adding lemon slices. Strain the blend, and your warm lemon cumin water is ready to drink. Lemon Turmeric Water: Squeeze a lemon in lukewarm water and add a pinch of turmeric to it. It works well early morning on an empty stomach. Lemon Cucumber Water: Add cucumber slices to a litre of lemon water and sip it daily. Lemon Infused Water: Cut slices of lemons, fruits such as oranges and grapes, herbs like basil, sprigs of mint, etc., store it in a water pitcher, and enjoy the drink throughout the day.
Best Time To Drink Lemon Water To Lose Weight
You can choose a time that is best suitable for you: drinking lemon water early in the morning will boost your metabolism while having it before meals will stop you from overeating.
Is Lemon Water Better Than Plain Water For Weight Loss?
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When compared to plain water, lemon water offers no additional or exclusive weight loss benefits. However, it can aid weight loss and improve your overall health. As it is easy to make and has a pleasant taste, you can use it as a low-calorie substitute for other beverages. This enhanced taste can also help you increase your water intake per day.
Studies show that the presence of Vitamin C, citric and polyphenols in lemon do have an effect on body fat, but there is no evidence of their effect on weight loss. Animal studies show that supplementing your daily meals with a lemon polyphenol is effective on lipid metabolism, which helps prevent metabolic syndrome, a lifestyle-related disorder produced by an overly high-fat diet. Lemon polyphenols also help increase blood insulin, glucose, and leptin levels, reducing insulin resistance. Thus, including lemon polyphenols may help suppress body weight gain and fat accumulation, though we need more human studies to prove the same.
Further, lemon water works the thermogenic effect in the same way as plain water, where an increased metabolism was noted after intake of lemon water. Though studies focused on regular water, the same conclusions are likely to apply to lemon water.
Thus, we need not dismiss it completely, considering the advantages of lemon polyphenol and water separately on weight loss and fat loss. They are likely to have the same beneficial effects when combined too, though we need studies to confirm any added benefits of lemon water over regular water.
Conclusion
Lemon water offers excellent health benefits. Having it with a balanced diet and regular exercise may boost your weight loss and weight management results by improving digestion, metabolism, detoxification, endurance, satiety, and hydration. Try including it in your daily routine after consulting a qualified nutritionist to minimise any side effects and optimise your weight loss results.
For a customised weight loss plan that suits your unique weight goals, food habits, and lifestyle, visit Oliva Skin & Hair Clinic. Our experts will ensure that you reach your ideal weight healthily while cultivating a disciplined lifestyle.
Tropical Weight Loss
Photo: Tara Winstead
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