Is Lemon Water Really That Good for You? Here’s What Health Experts Say

Hydrates

The most obvious health benefit of lemon water is that it’s a clever way to get yourself to drink water. About 60 percent of your body weight consists of water, so it’s no surprise that it’s involved in many bodily functions, some of which include regulating your body temperature, protecting your organs, and carrying nutrients to your cells. Without enough water, you run the risk of dehydration, which can have some serious side effects if taken to the extreme. 

“If lemon water helps you drink more water, I am all for it,” says Moon. “The brain is made up of mostly water, so starving it of water hits hard, resulting in dehydration symptoms as mild as fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating or as severe as confusion, inability to form sentences, collapse, and even death.”

Combats Chronic Diseases

If there’s one thing we associate citrus fruits with, it’s antioxidants. Since lemons are high in antioxidants, lemon water could be a tasty way to reap some of the benefits of an antioxidant-rich diet.

Antioxidants work by preventing cell damage, also known as oxidative stress. This cellular damage has been linked to a variety of diseases, but antioxidants can counteract oxidative stress, thereby preventing disease, per the National Institutes of Health.

“The more antioxidants, the better,” Carli says. “You really can’t get too many antioxidants in your diet, as they’re inversely associated with risk of developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.”

Boosts the Immune System

“Lemon water provides vitamin C, and the body needs vitamin C every day,” Moon says. It’s often associated with immune health, but it’s also essential for wound healing, iron absorption, and blocking free radical damage, notes the National Library of Medicine.

Enhances Nerve Function

Vitamin C is a notable micronutrient found in lemons, but it’s not the only one. Though it’s not necessarily the highest-potassium food you can eat, lemon definitely does provide some potassium, almost 32 mg per fluid ounce of lemon juice and almost 10 mg per tablespoon of zest. Potassium is an essential mineral (and electrolyte) with many important jobs. It’s mainly known for its roles in nerve functioning and helping to regulate your blood pressure.

Improves Blood Pressure

Lemon juice is also famous for its citric acid content, a compound found in citrus fruits that’s linked to many health benefits. Studies have shown that consuming citric-acid-rich lemon can help improve blood pressure. It’s also been associated with helping to prevent kidney stones. In a small 2019 trial, subjects who drank two liters of lemonade per day had a decreased risk of developing kidney stones.

Boosts Blood Health

When you don’t get enough iron in your diet, you may be at risk of iron deficiency or anemia. It affects millions of people worldwide, and it’s more likely to affect women and children than men. Some people naturally have more difficulty absorbing iron, which is why Moon recommends combining iron-rich foods with sources of vitamin C, such as lemon water. Vitamin C increases iron absorption in plant-based foods, per the National Institutes of Health.

The most readily available form of iron—heme iron, which is found in animal protein—may not need the boost from vitamin C. But vegans, vegetarians, and people who consume plant-based iron sources could find that a glass of lemon water alongside their meals could help with absorbing iron. Researchers have found that up to 30 percent of the heme iron in animal proteins is absorbed, while only 2 to 9 percent of non-heme iron is absorbed from plant-based sources.

Beans, spinach, seeds, and quinoa are some examples of plant-based sources of non-heme iron. When you eat these foods, consider adding a squeeze of lemon for flavor or enjoying a glass of lemon water for the added benefit of improved iron absorption.

Enhances Skin

The benefits of vitamin C for your skin are well understood. In skin care, vitamin C is thought to stimulate collagen, fend off free radical damage, promote anti-aging, and hydrate skin cells. And drinking lemon water may have similar effects.

“In addition to working as an antioxidant in the body, the vitamin C in lemon juice could help create collagen,” Carli says. “Collagen production naturally declines as we age, which is all the more reason to help support your body’s natural production of collagen by providing your body with plenty of vitamin C.” More research is needed, but there is some evidence that vitamin C increases collagen synthesis.

It could also have anti-aging benefits outside of the appearance of your skin, owing to its hydrating power. “A 2023 study in Lancet suggests that adults who stay well-hydrated are slowing down their biological clocks,” Moon explains. “The study shows they manage to slow down premature aging, they’re healthier, live longer, and are less burdened by chronic disease.” Staying hydrated with lemon water could mean living longer but also ensuring those years are more enjoyable with good health.

Satisfies Cravings

If you’re drinking lemon water, it means you’re not drinking something else. Water makes up just over half of nonalcoholic beverages consumed by adults in the United States, but the other half includes sweetened, fruit, and diet beverages, per the CDC. The CDC also notes that an estimated 63 percent of U.S. adults drink sugar-sweetened beverages daily. 

“The biggest proponent for including more lemon water in your diet is as a way to replace the soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages in your diet,” Carli says. “Adding fruit like lemon to water is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a flavorful alternative to sugary drinks.”

While sugar can be enjoyed in moderation, replacing your sodas, sweet teas, and fruit drinks with lemon water could be a great way to lower your sugar intake while upping your consumption of water and antioxidants. Win-win!

Freshens Breath

Lemon is a natural breath freshener. While the taste might be too tart for some people, it has a pungent smell that likes to linger—and it’s a fresh one. First, lemon induces more saliva production, which cleanses your mouth to fend off smells. Plus, the acidity in lemon juice may help neutralize odors in the mouth by lowering the pH level. You can even use the rest of the lemon to help scrape food residue off your teeth.

The vitamin C in lemons also helps to keep odor-causing bacteria at bay. That’s thanks to its antimicrobial and anti-bacterial properties. You’ll find many mouthwashes and toothpastes with lemon scents for these reasons.

Eases Joint Pain

Lemon extract (a concentrated liquid made by soaking lemon peels in alcohol or oil to extract the essential oils and flavors) has anti-inflammatory effects, which can help relieve arthritis and improve joint pain. Research shows that the anti-arthritic and anti-inflammation effects of lemon extract may be due to the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Adding lemon extract to your water can therefore help your joints feel better.

Boosts Mood

Drinking lemon water can actually boost your mood. One study found that the smell of citrus alone can make you feel happier. More specifically, smelling citrus for 10 minutes could boost your mood for up to 30 minutes (and because the smell of lemon lingers, drinking it could leave you with longer-lasting good vibes).

Lemon water could make you feel happier by alleviating negative emotions and feelings of tension, anxiety, and depression. It also reduces sympathetic nervous system activity and significantly decreases levels of salivary chromogranin A, which is a stress marker.