Misleading: Health Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

Lemon water is simply the juice of a lemon mixed with water. Misbar has discovered that there are both advantages and disadvantages to consuming lemon water. While lemon water is high in vitamin C and may lower uric acid levels in the blood, it does not have the ability to detox the digestive system and may be detrimental to oral health. 

Starting your day with water and lemon may be a good way to begin your day from a hydration standpoint. Each of us needs about 11 to 15 cups of fluids each day, depending on our body type, environment, and activity level. Therefore a glass of water first thing would be a good start. The lemon in the water is also a good source of vitamin C, which can benefit the immune system. According to the MayoClinic.org, the recommended daily amount for vitamin C is 65 to 90 milligrams (mg) a day. A lemon contains about 19 mg or about one fourth of your daily requirement. 

Lemon juice may also have the ability to lower uric acid in the blood which could help gouty arthritis, kidney stones, hypertension, renal failure and even cardiovascular disease. In research published in Scientia Horticulturae, lemon juice lowered the blood uric acid levels in humans and mice. 

Lemon juice is often advertised on social media to help detoxify the body. However, there is no evidence to support that drinking lemon juice rids your body of toxins. The human body uses its organs and digestive system to rid the body of wastes. And while drinking water and eating more fiber can move food more quickly from the digestive system, lemons are not high in fiber. 

Lemons are also very acidic which can lead to poor oral health if consumed too frequently. Acidity is measured by pH, and the lower the number, the higher the acidity. Lemon juice has a pH of about 2.0, which is just above that of battery acid according to ScienceNotes.org. According to the American Dental Association, as the inside of the mouth drops to less than 4.0 pH, the tooth surface erodes. With each unit of decrease in pH in the mouth, there is a large decrease in the enamel of the teeth, potentially leading to erosion and tooth sensitivity. 

Overall, drinking water is healthy and lemons also have health benefits. However, consuming lemon water will not help with detoxifying and may be harmful to oral health.