Is Starting Your Day With Lemon Water Healthy?

Even the smallest changes in your routine can have a big impact on your health. Take starting your day with lemon water, for instance.

Of course, we all know the benefits of drinking water (and plenty of it) throughout the day. In the morning, you need it even more. After sleeping, your body is dehydrated, so a crisp glass of water is a great way to start your day. But are there additional health benefits to drinking lemon water each day?

Registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, discusses why you should consider adopting this super simple habit.

Is lemon water good for you?

Yes, lemon water definitely has its benefits. It’s a good way to work vitamin C and antioxidants into your everyday diet. And lemon juice is a natural flavor for your drinks, instead of depending on sugar or flavorings.

Lemon water is low in calories and high in vitamins and nutrients. A glass of lemon water with 48 grams of lemon juice (squeezed from one whole lemon) contains:

• 11 calories.
• 18.6 mg of vitamin C (21% of daily value).

Any downsides? Not really. But one small risk of continually drinking lemon water is hurting your tooth enamel. This is because of the citric acid that’s abundant in lemons. So, if you’d like to err on the side of safety, drink your lemon water through a straw to protect your pearly whites.

While starting the day with lemon water is a healthy habit, it’s not a cure-all. You may have heard of something called the lemon juice cleanse, which is where you drink a mixture of lemon and ginger as a way to lose weight. This unhealthy fad diet includes only drinking the lemon juice mixture for one to three weeks without any solid foods — which isn’t recommended and isn’t a recommended approach to weight loss.

Why should you drink it in the morning?

You can drink lemon water anytime, but many people prefer the morning. It’s a good way to hydrate your body right when you wake up. Plus, the lemon boosts your vitamin C intake before you start your day.

And as lemon may have health benefits for your digestive system (more on that in a moment), it’s good to drink it on an empty stomach.

The health benefits of lemon water

Aside from giving you a simple morning routine, drinking lemon water can also:

Aid in digestion

Acid helps break down food — that’s why there’s so much of it in our stomachs. The acid in lemons may be especially helpful in supplementing stomach acid levels, which tend to decline as we age.

Help you stay hydrated

Most of us don’t drink enough water. A daily lemon water habit is an easy way to get your day off on the right foot. How do you know if you’re drinking enough water? Your urine is almost clear. 

Prevents kidney stones

Getting in the habit of drinking lemon water can also help your kidneys. Specifically, the citric acid in lemons blocks kidney stone formation and can actually break up smaller stones before they start to form. 

According to the National Kidney Foundation, mixing 4 ounces of lemon juice with water is a great remedy to assist in preventing kidney stones. Just don’t rely on lemon water completely for this — be sure you’re taking any other remedies recommended by your healthcare provider.

It’s weight-loss-friendly

Sure, you can get vitamin C from a glass of OJ in the morning, but switching this out with lemon water is a good alternative if you’re trying to lose weight. This way, you’re just drinking the basics — lemon and water — without any sugars, extra calories or additives.

Gives an antioxidant boost

Citrus fruits like lemons are especially known for high levels of vitamin C. This vitamin works as an antioxidant that protects your cell’s body from disease. In the same way you may depend on a warm cup of lemon tea when you’re sick, a daily glass of lemon water may help shield your body from illness in the first place.

How to make lemon water

What you’ll need for lemon water includes a lemon and some water. It’s recommended you use slightly warm or room temperature water, as this helps extract the vitamin C.

Here’s how to make your lemon water in the morning:

• Use fresh lemons. Take half a lemon and squeeze it into 8 ounces of water.
• Make sure your water is warm or room temperature.
• If it’s too sour, add other natural flavorings if you want to balance it out. Try adding things like mint, ginger or turmeric. Or use 12 ounces of water instead of 8 ounces to even out the lemon flavor. Avoid any sugars or sweeteners.

The bottom line

At the very least, lemon water can be a refreshing addition to your morning routine. And with everything from vitamin C to hydration, a lemon water a day can be a great boost for your health as well.