Lemon water may seem like a simple, tasty liquid that you enjoy in some of your favorite drinks, such as lemonade, but did you know that there are awesome health and beauty benefits that come along with lemon water? Of course you do! You obviously read the title of this article!
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We have found some of the best health and beauty benefits of lemon water that will change your beauty routine. You are in for a treat with all of these amazing perks that come with using lemon water.
The Benefits of Lemon Water
1. Health Benefits
Lemon Water Promotes Hydration
Drinking water with lemon juice in it will aid in promoting hydration by enhancing the water’s flavor.
It is recommended that a person has a water intake of 91 to 125 ounces per day in order to stay hydrated. An easy way for this to not feel like a chore is to add some healthy, natural flavoring to it with lemon juice.
Lemon Water Aids in Digestion
Drinking lemon water at the beginning of the day will help aid in digestion for that day. It acts a type of kickstarter to alert your system to get ready for food.
Drinking water first thing in the morning can also increase your energy. During the night, you typically do not drink any water, so it makes sense to hydrate first thing in the morning in order to get the engines going.
Lemon Water Acts as a Natural Flush
Lemon water is a great way to clean out the liver and the rest of your body in a natural, non harmful way. Lemon water has proven to be helpful in stimulated stomach acid production and bile production. This leads to a happy liver and lymphatic system.
Lemon Water Can Help Keep You at a Healthy Weight
You read that right! Lemon water can help your metabolism and thus keep your weight healthy. With more calories burning due to an increase in lemon water intake, your body will thank you for keeping your weight in a healthy range.
This must be paired with healthy eating and lifestyle of course, just drinking lemon water by itself will not lead to immediate weight loss.
Lemon Water Decreases Chance of Having Kidney Stones
The strong citric acid component of lemon juice can help break down calcifications in the body, including kidney stones. Some doctors even recommend an increase of citric acid to aid in preventing kidney stones.
2. Beauty Benefits
Lemon Water Can Help Clear Your Skin
Containing Vitamin C, antioxidants, and acting as a natural flush, lemon water can help remove toxins and lead to clearer skin. The Vitamin C aspect of lemon water has an anti-aging aspect to it that can prevent wrinkles and dry skin.
This, in the long run, helps with damage from sunburn and skin overexposure to the sun.
Lemon Water Freshens Breath
Lemon water is a miracle when it comes to your mouth. Not only does it freshen your breath, but it also helps to fight against gingivitis and toothaches. Both you and your dentist will love the results of your lemon water kick.
Lemon Water Can Help Clear Your Skin
Containing Vitamin C, antioxidants, and acting as a natural flush, lemon water can help remove toxins and lead to clearer skin. The Vitamin C aspect of lemon water has an anti-aging aspect to it that can prevent wrinkles and dry skin. This, in the long run, helps with damage from sunburn and skin overexposure to the sun.
Lemon Water Stimulates Hair Growth
Say what? Lemon water is amazing in the way that it can naturally stimulate hair growth. It can also aid in the health of your scalp and follicles, which in turn helps your hair look healthier and shinier. Lemon water is also great for helping with dandruff and other scalp issues. The antioxidants and vitamins found in lemon water work great with aiding your hair by stimulating healthier growth.
Lemon Water Remedies and Lowers Stress Levels
You may be asking, “What does stress have to do with beauty?”, and our answer is “EVERYTHING!”. Stress is a bad thing for your body, contributing to graying hair, increasing wrinkles, and many more beauty issues.
Lemon water can help reduce stress with it’s natural Vitamin C agent. This will lead to skin and hair that is healthier and brighter looking due to decreased stress levels.
Ways to Incorporate Lemon Water
First thing is first, here is the mixture of lemon water you will need to implement it into your day to day life:
- 8 ounces of warm, filtered water
- 1/2 of a freshly squeezed lemon (lemon juice will work to)
Now that you have the magic formula for the perfect lemon water mixture, here are some ways that you can easily incorporate it in your daily routine.
Drink it every morning.
Before you do anything, even drink your cup of coffee, drink lemon water. This will activate your metabolism and help future digestion. It is also shown to increase energy levels that last longer than caffeine. Go figure!
Drink it whenever you are out in the sun.
Whether you got sunburned or not, make sure you drink lemon water to aid in preventing dry skin, itching, and wrinkles from forming.
Lemon water, ibuprofen, and aloe vera should be your go to for sunburn. Lemon water is safe for children and even a baby to drink, the latter would be quite entertaining to watch.
Drink it right before exercising.
This can become an essential part of your gym routine if you are trying to lose weight. Kickstarting your metabolism before you workout is a great way in exterminating those extra pounds that just do not seem to let go.
Make a big pitcher-full and drink it throughout the day.
Having a pitcher of pre-made lemon water can encourage hydration because it is so accessible. This will give your body a good detox every day and will be a tasty way to help with weight loss.
Take a Lemon Water Spa Bath.
Sounds heavenly doesn’t it? Just as some people add tea bags, apples, coffee, vinegar, and other things to their bath in order to help clear their skin, you can also add lemon slices to your bath!
Lemon baths are super refreshing and soothing in the summer, or any time of year, and helps to revive and refresh tired skin while shrinking large pores.
A DIY homemade lemon bath requires 5-6 sliced lemons or 3/4 a cup of lemon juice depending on your bathtub size.
Feel free to add other fun scents such as coconut or lavender to your bath for an aromatherapeutic experience.
Just be careful not to get any of it in your eyes. That can cause a painful stinging sensation that nobody wants.
Look for lotions and creams that have lemon as an ingredient.
Finding a lotion or cream with lemon in it will help with keeping your skin from aging as fast and will help shrink the size of your skins pores. This is an easy way of apply lemon water, and just lemon in general, to everyday life.
Lemon Bath Bomb Recipe
If you are looking for a fun way to get all of the benefits of a lemon without having to drink it, look no further!
This is a “bomb” recipe for an amazing and fizzling bath experience (not sorry for the pun at all).
Here is what you will need before making the bath bomb:
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup citric acid
- 1/2 corn starch
- 3 tablespoons epsom salt
- 3/4 teaspoon water
- 2 teaspoons Almond Oil
- Lemon Essential Oil
- Yellow food dye (optional)
- Wilton Icing Daisy
- Plastic ornament mold
- Meat Baller
or Ice Cream Scoop (optional)
Ready? Okay!
Now that all the supplies are gathered and in front of you, get ready to create some magic. Here are the essential steps necessary to creating the most luscious bath bomb ever.
- In a large bowl combine baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch, and epsom salt.
- In a small bowl combine almond oil, water, dye and essential oil.
- Now pour wet mixture into dry mixture. Mix with a whisk until fully combined. Test mixture by pressing a handful together. Use a spray bottle to LIGHTLY spray water once or twice if the mixture doesn’t hold. Avoid adding too much water or the mixture will fizz and not form in the mold correctly. Once it’s the right consistency press mixture into mold and allow to dry at least 2 hours before removing. Set bath bombs on a soft towel to dry overnight.
- Optional: you can use a meatball tool or an ice cream scoop to make small bath bombs. I’ve tried this tool a few times in the past and I’ve yet to perfect it. The bath bombs are a little easier to make with the plastic ornament molds but this is great for smaller bath bombs. It has a hold on both sides of the mold so you can continue to fill it until it’s compact.
Wow, what a wealth of information regarding the benefits and fun ways to incorporate lemon water into your everyday life!
Lemon water is a simple and miraculous drink that has zero bad outcomes and all of the good outcomes and benefits. Get working on incorporating lemon water into your life and tell us about it!
Does Lemon Water Detox Your Body?
This is where lemon water’s reputation gets a little carried away.
You will frequently see claims that lemon water “flushes toxins” from the body.
Your body already has sophisticated systems for removing waste products. Your liver, kidneys, digestive system and lungs continually perform this job.
You don’t need lemon juice to switch this process on.
Staying properly hydrated is important because your kidneys need sufficient fluid to function normally, but that isn’t the same thing as saying lemon water performs a special detox.
I think of lemon water as a refreshing hydration drink rather than a detox treatment.
Does Lemon Water Make Your Skin Glow?
Possibly indirectly, but don’t expect dramatic results.
If lemon water encourages you to increase your fluid intake and contributes some vitamin C to your diet, it may support normal skin health.
However, glowing skin depends on far more than one drink.
Your overall diet, hydration, sleep, sun exposure, hormones, genetics, skincare routine, alcohol consumption and smoking habits can all affect your complexion.
So yes, enjoy lemon water as part of your beauty routine.
Just don’t expect it to replace your SPF.
Is Warm Lemon Water Better Than Cold Lemon Water?
Not necessarily.
You’ll often hear that warm lemon water is healthier than cold lemon water, especially when consumed first thing in the morning.
There isn’t a convincing reason that it needs to be warm.
Warm water might feel more soothing, particularly first thing in the morning, while cold lemon water can be wonderfully refreshing during hot weather.
Personally, I’d choose whichever temperature encourages you to drink more.
Can You Drink Lemon Water Every Day?
Most healthy people can include lemon water as part of their everyday diet.
The biggest thing I’d watch is how frequently your teeth are exposed to the acid.
Constantly sipping lemon water from morning until bedtime may be harder on your tooth enamel than drinking a glass relatively quickly.
There are a few simple ways you can reduce the risk.
Use a Straw
Drinking acidic beverages through a straw may reduce how much contact the drink has with the front surfaces of your teeth.
Dilute Your Lemon Juice
You don’t need a glass that’s so sour it makes your face scrunch up.
Adding more water decreases the acidity of the drink.
Rinse Your Mouth With Water
After drinking lemon water, rinse your mouth with plain water.
Don’t Brush Immediately Afterwards
Acid temporarily softens the surface of tooth enamel.
Rather than brushing immediately after drinking something acidic, give your mouth some time for saliva to help neutralize the acid.
Does Lemon Water Have Any Side Effects?
Despite its healthy reputation, lemon water isn’t ideal for everyone.
Tooth Enamel Erosion
This is probably the main concern.
Frequent exposure to lemon’s acidity can contribute to dental enamel erosion.
Once enamel is lost, your body can’t simply grow it back.
That doesn’t mean you need to avoid lemon water completely. Just drink it sensibly rather than continually bathing your teeth in lemon juice.
Heartburn and Acid Reflux
Citrus drinks may trigger or worsen reflux symptoms in some people.
Interestingly, other people don’t notice any problem at all.
If lemon water regularly leaves you with burning, indigestion or an acidic taste in your mouth, there’s no health reason to force yourself to keep drinking it.
Plain water works beautifully.
Mouth Irritation
Highly acidic foods and drinks can sting mouth ulcers or irritated areas inside the mouth.
Diluting the lemon juice usually makes it gentler.
How I Would Make Lemon Water
You really don’t need anything complicated.
For a simple glass, I would use:
Ingredients
8–12 ounces of water
Juice from around ¼ to ½ a fresh lemon
Simply squeeze the lemon into your water and stir.
You can adjust the amount depending on how strong you like it.
For a larger bottle or pitcher, add fresh lemon slices along with cucumber, mint or berries and refrigerate it.
One tip: if you’re leaving lemon slices sitting in water for hours, wash the outside of the fruit thoroughly first.
Lemon Water FAQs
1. Is lemon water better than plain water?
Not nutritionally in every respect. Plain water is excellent for hydration. Lemon simply adds flavor and small amounts of nutrients, which may encourage you to drink more.
2. Does lemon water burn belly fat?
No. Lemon water doesn’t specifically burn belly fat. However, replacing sugary drinks with lemon water may reduce your calorie intake and support weight-management efforts.
3. Does lemon water help your skin?
It may support skin health indirectly through hydration and vitamin C intake, but it isn’t a treatment for acne, wrinkles or other skin conditions.
4. How much lemon should I put in my water?
There isn’t a required amount. Around ¼ to ½ a lemon in a large glass of water gives plenty of flavor without making the drink excessively strong.
5. Can I drink lemon water before bed?
You can, although drinking large amounts of fluid before sleeping may mean more trips to the bathroom during the night. People with reflux may also find acidic drinks uncomfortable before lying down.
6. Does bottled lemon juice work?
It can flavor water and may contain vitamin C, but fresh lemon juice usually tastes better. Check bottled products for added ingredients or preservatives if that’s something you want to avoid.
7. Can lemon water replace fruit?
No. Whole fruit provides fiber and a broader range of nutrients. Lemon water should complement a fruit- and vegetable-rich diet rather than replace it.
8. Does lemon water alkalize your body?
Despite claims about “alkaline diets,” drinking lemon water doesn’t meaningfully change your blood pH. Your body tightly regulates blood acidity through your lungs and kidneys.
The Bottom Line: Is Lemon Water Actually Good for You?
Yes — but probably not for all the dramatic reasons you see online.
The biggest benefit of lemon water is simple: it’s an enjoyable way to drink more water.
You also get some vitamin C and beneficial plant compounds from the lemon, and substituting lemon water for sugary drinks can be a smart everyday choice.
There may also be specific benefits associated with citrus citrate for certain kidney stones.
What lemon water won’t do is magically detox your body, burn belly fat or give you flawless skin overnight.
And because lemon juice is acidic, I wouldn’t spend the entire day sipping highly concentrated lemon water. Dilute it well, rinse your mouth with plain water afterwards and be mindful of your tooth enamel.
For me, that’s the best way to look at lemon water: not as a miracle wellness cure, but as a refreshing little habit that can make healthy hydration much easier.
And sometimes the simplest healthy habits are the ones we’re most likely to keep.
Resources
National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin C
Useful for supporting claims about vitamin C, antioxidant activity, collagen production and immune function. The NIH confirms that citrus fruits are sources of vitamin C and explains its role in collagen synthesis and antioxidant protection.
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) – Kidney Stone Prevention
Excellent for the section about lemon water and kidney stones. NIDDK explains that citrus drinks contain citrate, which can help stop crystals from developing into certain kidney stones, while stressing that adequate fluid intake is most important.
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones/treatment
American Dental Association (ADA) – Dental Erosion
A very useful source for your precautions section. The ADA explains that frequent exposure to acidic foods and drinks can increase the risk of enamel erosion and recommends rinsing with water rather than brushing immediately after acidic drinks.
https://www.ada.org/resources/ada-library/oral-health-topics/dental-erosion
