Lemon water is a wellness trend that’s stuck around for a while but is it just another trend?

It only takes two ingredients and is featured in magazines and the Instagram feeds of wellness gurus. Lemon water has taken the world by storm and is being touted as the next best thing since sliced bread. Numerous places now offer glasses of lemon water as thirst quenchers.

By themselves, lemons are actually brimming with Vitamin C which strengthens the immune system, protects against cardiovascular disease, and eye disease. Besides that, lemons are also a great source of potassium which helps build muscle, break down and use carbohydrates and maintain normal body growth.

So what other real health benefits when we consume lemon water ?

1. Improve Food Digestion

Lemon water could help digestion by slowing the absorption of food. This doesn’t sound like it helps digestion but hear us out. When food is digested slowly, the body has time to break the food down and absorb the nutrients.

2. Boost Vitamin C Levels

We’ve mentioned vitamin C before but did you know that vitamin C can help boost the production of collagen as well? Collagen is what makes your skin bouncy and maintains its elasticity. Vitamin C limits the damage done by ultraviolet (UV) light but it must be said that it is not a substitute for sunscreen. 51 percent of our daily intake of vitamin C is contained in one raw lemon without peel.

3. Increase Hydration

There’s no definite amount of increase in hydration that lemon water can help with but it can help. This is especially for people who find drinking plain water very boring. Toss in some lemon slices and a few sprigs of mint to give it some subtle flavour. Try bringing a huge bottle of lemon water to the gym instead of reaching for a sports drink. This will increase your hydration and also decrease your intake of sugar commonly added to popular sports drinks.

4. Could Help Weight Loss

Imagine replacing your morning latte with lemon water. On average, a 350ml latte made with whole milk has almost 200 calories compared with lemon water which has almost no calories. Now, replace your morning latte for 20 days. How many calories have you shaved off in a month?

5. Helps The Internal Traffic Jam

A general increase in water intake will help with constipation but the citrus could help get things moving inside. Try drinking a big glass of warm water and lemon to help things move along smoothly. Other than what happens ‘in the back’, lemons are also a natural and mild diuretic. Diuretics help the body get rid of excess water and salt through the urine. Thus, lemon water may increase your visits to the bathroom.

6. Pumping Iron

Not literally but eating foods that are rich in iron paired with foods high in vitamin C such as lemons help the body absorb ore iron. Chug a glass of lemon water with a salad made with spinach and chickpeas which are great plant sources of iron.

7. No Stones Allowed

The citric acid in lemons could help prevent calcium buildup which could cause kidney stones. Drinking lemon water is like hitting two birds with one stone

However, while lemon water sounds like all that and a bag of chips, there’s a small downside to it as well. People with GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) may want to slow down on the lemon water because its acidity could increase symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation.

Additionally, due to the acidic nature of lemons, it may erode the enamel of your teeth so lemon water might not be your cup of tea if you have sensitive teeth. But if you do enjoy a glass of lemon water, don’t freak out about your teeth. Just remember to rinse out your mouth well after drinking and wait at least 20 minutes before brushing your teeth to avoid tooth erosion.