The directions for a detox regimen I tried a while back suggested that cleansers drink warm lemon water first thing in the morning. This is thought to kick-start the digestive system, but I’m finding it has other benefits.

The water added to the lemon juice should be warm but not uncomfortably hot. I researched why this is recommended, linked to some articles by experts below, and referenced my own personal experience. I’ve made drinking warm lemon water a regular habit at home and when I’m traveling. I feel better when I do, and these are possible reasons why it’s good for you.

Lemon Health Benefits Quickly Explained

Halved and whole lemons on a table with a citrus reamer.
Citrus reamer tools are helpful, but read on to see my favorite squeezer.

Most of us associate lemons and citrus fruits with vitamin C, but that’s not all they offer. They’re low in sugar. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, lemons contain everything from vitamin B-6, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid to minerals like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. They even contain more potassium than apples or grapes.

Lemon health benefits go beyond vitamins and minerals, however. As you’ll read below, lemon juice has antibacterial and antiviral properties and can aid digestive health. Some people find that lemon water benefits in the morning extend to weight loss, clearer skin, and even a clearer mind.

I haven’t fully replaced my cup of coffee with a cup of warm water and lemon juice in the morning. I often start with lemon water, wait 30 minutes or so, and then have breakfast with coffee. I figure there aren’t a lot of downsides to jump-starting your day this way. Read on to find out if you want to make consuming lemon water first thing in the morning part of your daily routine.

What Are the Benefits of Lemon Water in the Morning?

Experts say that to get the most benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning, you should drink warm lemon water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. You’d wait 20-30 minutes before eating or consuming anything that’s not drinking water. These are the possible benefits.

Whole and halved lemons surround a mug of warm lemon water on a table.
Pour a glass of warm lemon water first thing in the morning.

1. Boosts your immune system with vitamin C and more

Lemons are high in vitamin C, which is great for fighting colds because it increases white blood cell production.

Those white blood cells are the defender cells that attack bacteria and viruses. Vitamin C may also keep existing immune cells healthier and better produce enough antibodies to attach to viruses and bacteria and mark them for destruction.

2. Lemons are good for your brain

They’re high in potassium, which research shows stimulates brain and nerve function. Just one lemon contains 80 milligrams of this essential mineral — which is also important for basic cell and muscle functions and maintaining your body’s fluid balance.

3. They are heart-healthy

The potassium in lemons may help control blood pressure, but that’s not all. The vitamin C you’ll get from drinking warm lemon water in the morning may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

4. Lemon juice balances the body’s pH

Lately, you may have noticed that people are talking a lot about reducing the body’s acidity by eating and drinking alkaline foods. You may be surprised to learn that while lemon juice is acidic outside the body, its effect is alkalizing after fully metabolizing.

That means drinking lemon water in the morning can raise your body’s pH, promoting healthy cell function and structure and creating a less hospitable environment for bacteria and viruses.

5. It helps with weight loss

Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which could help fight hunger cravings… if you’re maybe eating a whole lemon. And some people lose weight more quickly just by upping their water intake. But many people also find that juicing them into warm water for their morning cup helps them lose weight faster.

One research study found that polyphenols in lemon juice have the power to suppress body fat accumulation. The same research showed that the same compounds in lemons significantly reduced weight gain — even for those who were overeating.

6. Lemon water also aids digestion

Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials. It encourages the liver to produce bile, which is an acid that is required for digestion. That’s important when you consider that a study showed that over 30% of men and women over age 60 had atrophic gastritis, a condition marked by little or no stomach acid.

Drinking warm lemon water is good for you because it can help get your digestive system get moving in the morning without overloading it. Plus, efficient digestion reduces heartburn and constipation, so you won’t have to worry about the acid in lemons giving you heartburn.

7. Lemon water is a diuretic

Drinking warm lemon water throughout the day will increase your urination rate, helping you purify. Toxins are released from your body faster, keeping your urinary tract healthy.

Even better, their citric acid content may help prevent kidney stones by making the urine less acidic and giving your body the citrate it needs to break up or flush out small kidney stones. Lemons actually have the highest concentration of citrate of any citrus fruit. Studies have shown that one of the proven benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning is decreased stone formation.

8. It clears skin

The vitamin C in warm lemon water helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes by helping to purge toxins from the blood. In addition to drinking it, lemon water can actually be applied directly to scars to help heal them.

This is one benefit I can attest to. If I am drinking warm lemon water regularly, I do notice that my skin looks better.

9. And freshens breath

Not only does warm lemon water make your breath nicer, but it can help relieve tooth pain and gingivitis.

But be careful about brushing your teeth after your warm lemon water in the morning. The citric acid in lemon juice can erode tooth enamel, so you should monitor this. You could always consult with your dentist for advice. I drink it through a straw just in case.

10. Lemon may even help with respiratory problems

As noted above, drinking warm lemon water helps eliminate chest infections and halt those pesky coughs. It’s thought to be helpful to people with asthma and allergies, too. This may be because the vitamin C in lemon juice boosts the immune system, and the compound limonene also helps the body resist asthma triggers as a result.

11. It’s good for the liver

Compounds in lemon may also help your liver better filter toxins out of your body because citrus flavonoids in lemon can protect the liver against damage caused by toxins and reduce fat in the liver. Lemon juice on its own may not be a detoxifying agent, but it could be doing a lot to help your body cleanse itself naturally.

12. And keeps you zen

Vitamin C is one of the first things depleted when you subject your mind and body to stress. As mentioned previously, lemons are chock full of vitamin C, which has been shown in numerous studies to reduce stress’s physical and psychological effects.

In fact, people who have high levels of vitamin C in their bodies don’t respond to stress as you’d expect. They feel less of it in highly stressful situations and then bounce back from those situations faster. So, one of the most surprising benefits of lemon in water in the morning might be that you feel more centered throughout the day.

13. Helps kick the coffee habit

After having a glass of hot lemon water, I don’t crave coffee as much in the morning. This is weird, I can’t explain it, but I’ll take it.


Easy Lemon Water Recipes for at Home

Yield: 1

Warm Lemon Water Recipe

An easy warm lemon water recipe that you can flavor as you like with these ideas.

An easy warm lemon water recipe that you can flavor as you like with these ideas.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • half a lemon
  • a cup full of warm water

Instructions

  1. Fill a cup with warm water.
  2. Squeeze half a lemon into the warm water.
  3. Add extra flavor if you like with basil, lavender, mint, grated ginger, honey, turmeric.

If I’m in a hurry in the morning, I make lemon water using this easy recipe mentioned above. But, if you have more time on your hands and need something to drink throughout the day, this detox water has health benefits and tastes great.

  • Fill a large pitcher of water, perhaps 12 cups or 3 quarts in size.
  • Squeeze 3 lemons (6 average-sized limes works, too).
  • Slice one cucumber thinly and add to water.
  • Drop in a handful of mint leaves.
  • Stir.

I squeeze several lemons at a time and store the juice in a glass jar so I don’t have to squeeze daily.


How to Select a Good Lemon

Pretty lemons on a wooden background.
Better lemons = more juice for your lemon water.

Here are some tips for selecting the perfect lemon so that you can experience lemon water benefits with the tastiest and juiciest fruit:

  • Heavy lemons have the highest mineral content, but they also have the most sugar. Look for dense ones with thin skin to get the most health benefits.
  • Lemons with finely-grained peels usually have the most juice inside.
  • Lemons should be bright yellow, with no patches of green. Those with green patches or a green tinge will be less ripe and much more acidic.
  • Old lemons may be squishy or feel very hard, but they will have less juice than ones that are fresh and ripe in either case.

Roll your lemon on a hard surface a few times before squeezing. This will help extract more juice.


Tools and Tips

A lemon press surrounded by whole lemons, sliced lemons, squeezed lemons halves, and lemon juice in glass on a wooden surface.
I love my stainless steel lemon squeezer!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Editorial guidelines.

Drink your warm lemon water in cups with coffee or tea stains, as lemon is a DIY hack for removing these stains. Then, grind the used lemon rinds in your garbage disposal to help deodorize it. This helps ensure that no part of this precious citrus fruit goes to waste.

After cycling through several lemon squeezers, I’ve shifted to a stainless steel lemon squeezer with over 1000 stellar reviews that I love and can toss into the dishwasher. I’ve been through peeling paint and corroded plastic with other brands. I feel this is worth mentioning if you’re going to make drinking lemon water or lime water a daily habit. Also, these reusable stainless steel straws are great if you’re concerned about lemon hitting your teeth.

When you’re at a restaurant, ask your server for cut lemon to put in your water. It’s usually free!

Fresh mint added to two cups of hot lemon water.
Add fresh mint to your lemon water.

How I Incorporate it While Traveling

It’s sometimes challenging to maintain routines when you’re on the road. There are a few ways that I keep up with my lemon water while in hotels and dining out.

  • Whenever I ask for a glass of water, I order it with lemon or a side of sliced lemon for the table if other people I’m with want it. This has always been free.
  • If there’s a lag time when people have coffee after a meal while waiting for the check, I’ll get a hot water with lemon.
  • We ask for ice water with lemon every time we order room service. Some hotels will even leave you a pitcher or pot of hotel water, which is even better. When we put the tray out for collection, we keep the pot or pitcher in our room and drink it throughout the day. I’ve only been charged (a small amount) for this once.

It really does help me reset when I’m eating outside of my routine. I can not recommend it enough. You just have to remember to order it!


FAQs About Drinking Lemon Water

Despite being a healthy habit, people have many questions about drinking lemon water.

A cup of warm lemon water with ginger on a marble table.
Add fresh ginger to warm lemon water, especially if you aren’t feeling well.

Why does lemon water have to be warm?

At first, I couldn’t find a concrete answer for why the water should be warm. Having studied Chinese Medicine, I assumed that cold water likely provides a shock or stress factor to the body that causes an imbalance of yin and yang, as it takes energy for your body to process food and drinks that are cold or really hot.

It’s also the case that using warm water in your morning lemon water helps extract more polyphenols from the lemons. You can use cold or hot water if you prefer, but you may not get the same health benefits. Really hot water may also destroy

Can I Use the Juice From Plastic Lemons?

The juice in plastic lemons is different from juice from a real lemon. Plastic lemons have juice from concentrate, and some brands contain other ingredients like sulfites and other additives. Read the ingredients before purchasing. It’s better to stick to the real thing or be sure that whatever you’re buying is 100% lemon juice and nothing else.

Can I drink lemon water at night?

Sure. Sometimes, when I’m traveling and staying at nicer hotels, if we’re ordering room service, I’ll ask for a pot of hot water with a side of fresh-squeezed lemon (it’s usually free, but once it wasn’t). I’ll keep the pot in my room even after the tray or trolley is removed to sip throughout the evening.

If I’m feeling off at home, I’ll drink some warm lemon water at night before bedtime to help me reset, which makes me feel better.

How much lemon should I use?

The cleanse I did recommended that all detoxers start the day with warm lemon water suggested just a wedge or 1/8 of a lemon. I find it easier to squeeze half a lemon into my mug, so that’s what I do.

Can I drink lemon water every day?

When adjusting your dietary regimen, it is wise to consult your medical professional. Many devotees do drink warm lemon water in the morning daily.

What if I don’t like lemon?

A cup of warm lemon water with ginger on a marble table.

You could also try warm turmeric and lemon water. Some people like this better than plain lemon in the morning because the flavor is more interesting, and turmeric has numerous health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and powerful antioxidant properties.

And if you prefer the flavor of lime over lemon, you’ll get many of the same health benefits drinking lime water, though you will probably need to squeeze an entire lime to get the same amount of juice you can squeeze out of half an average-sized lemon. I also highly recommend fresh ginger slices in lemon water.

Can lemon juice in the morning be bad for you?

Some people are worried that consuming too much lemon water can be bad for bones because it is so acidic, but as noted above, lemon alkalizes in the body. Unfortunately, no scientific studies have been done on lemon’s effects on the bones, though no studies are showing that drinking lemon juice in water is bad for health that we’ve come across.

Is it okay to drink lemon water all day?

If you love the flavor and drinking it keeps you from sipping on sodas, why not? You might want to consider limiting your consumption to the mornings because you can brush your teeth right afterward. The acid in lemon juice probably won’t impact your tooth enamel, but you do need to be mindful of your teeth.

Is cold lemon water Still good for you?

Yes. Cold lemon water offers health benefits thanks to vitamins and minerals added by lemon slices or lemon juice. People who do not prefer plain water may drink more water if it’s flavored with lemon instead of other cold beverages like soft drinks.

How often should you drink lemon water?

There is no set recommendation for how often you should drink lemon water. The best solution is to consult with your medical professional for advice. Many people make it a daily habit to consume lemon water.

Jazz up regular iced water with lemon slices.
An easy warm lemon water recipe that you can flavor as you like with these ideas.
You can add honey or ginger to spruce up your warm lemon water.

Do you enjoy the benefits of hot lemon water in the morning? Do you think that lemon water is good for you? Let me know in the comments.

See also: 15 Health Benefits of Cucumber Water

Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide, like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai, that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).

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641 Comments

  1. I do! I love it – it’s a very soothing way to start the day. I’ve been doing it for months. I understand it’s good for the liver…

    I add a little cardamom to mine since I’ve been told I have a Vada-Pitta imbalance, but that may be TMI.

    Good luck with the cleanse!!

    1. I know the cleanse is going to be fab, but I don’t diet so am already feeling a little antsy. I put a little too much lemon in my lemon water this morning and it was hard to get down. I do like it though and bet the cardamom helps!

      1. 20ml to 40ml maximum should do. my research indicated 20ml if you weigh less than 70 kg and 40ml if you are over 70kg in weight. I have tried both 20 and 40 ml and don’t really notice any difference on 40ml. I cannot tolerate any more than 40ml as it is too strong.

        1. I put an entire lemon in my morning glass. I’m so scared after reading this, that I may have hurt my teeth by doing this.

          1. My dentist didn’t seem too worried about it, at least with my teeth. I’m trying a product he gave me called MI paste that is supposed to help if you drink lemon water, soda, etc. I’ll let you know how it goes. My teeth are fine, but I’m using about 1/4 lemon.

          2. Why not use a straw, if worried about plastic you can even purchase a glass straw, I haven’t purchased one but have wanted to for years, maybe I should now as I plan to incorperate this lemon water into my daily routine !!!
            Thanks so much 🙂

          3. Drink it through a straw. This should alleviate some of the stress you’re encountering. I wonder if an entire lemon is too much? I don’t know, so simply wonder. I usually slice a wedge and squeeze into my warm water. Maybe I’m not drinking enough??? Yikes.

            Be well …

          4. Even glass straws can be problematic! If used over a period of time it can cause the back of your throat to thin. My mother in law used straws for the last couple of years of her life and at the end the doctor told us she couldn’t swallow properly because of it. He said he’s also seen other serious problems as a result.

          5. Lemon has very little affect on the teeth (if any). I’ve been doing this for two years and I add 2 full lemons to 1 cup of water. If it still bothers you so much, drink it with a straw. I’m still not sure how a wedge of a lemon will help, you gotta add a whole lemon 🙂

          6. Hi, I’m curious as to the results that you see and the time it takes to see them? Does it really suppress your appetite? I’m struggling with weight loss right now and trying to do it naturally. I’m really intrigued by the lemon!

          7. Referring to your ques about appetite suppression , I can tell you I get 100% pure lemon juice bottled and add 40ml ,, maybe a Lil more..lol but I can tell you due to a recent injury I don’t get hardly any exercise throughout the day and everyone knows that’s when weight is packed on the most if for no other reason than boredom eating for some people (me specifically falling in that category ). But I can tell you I drink this mixture all day every day and never sodas and have noticed my appetite dramatically decreased, also according to my scales I’m slowly dropping. So happy days. Best of luck

          8. I am a big woman and I use a half of a lemon once a day. I know that I have lost a few inches from around the middle. I cant really believe it because no matter what I did before nothing worked for me and being 62 doesnt help. Just thought if there was anything else you could share with me, it would be greatly appreciated. The other morning I drank it warm, and didnt seem to urinate as much. Is cold water just as good? Thanks……………….Patty

          9. i was doing research last night and i read about dr. oz talking about using green coffe and colon cleanse. cant tell you much about it since im still in the learning process but do a litle research on it and see for yourself.

          10. Hi patty, I’m in no way a Dr or any kind of health physician , I’m am only offering my opinion with hopes that it helps you regarding your ques. I do know a little bit about living and eating healthy as I was a serious bodybuilder for over 13yrs until recent shoulder injuries as previously stated, anyway sorry for rambling but I drink it cold ALL DAY LONG that’s basically all I drink and I’ve grown to love it and I can’t swear that my appetite suppression or weight loss is due to this in any way, but I can say that I didn’t see anything but negative gains until I began drinking this mixture as I do. Hope it helps

          11. if you look up lemon water it’s states warm water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning to give a kick start to your metabolism.

          12. I just turned 60 and started using the juice of a one whole lemon in warm water when I first get up in the morning two weeks ago. I also take a Probiotic Pearls by Integrative Therapeutics. It pretty much amounts to a detox and in about 8 days I’ve lost almost 9 inches around my middle. Several people have commented on how much weight I’ve lost but in reality I’ve only lost about 3 pounds of the 80 I need to lose. It was all waste matter that was making me bloated and once it eliminated I looked much slimmer! I wouldn’t have believed it unless I experienced it myself!

          13. My parents went through a monitored weight loss plan and they were told that cold lemon water helps you to urinate and detoxify your urinary tract, where hot/ warm lemon water acts as a diuretic and helps to cleanse your colon. Hope this helps! 🙂

          14. hi Patty,

            slowly but surely ween yourself of taking any sugar or sweeteners in your tea or coffee.

          15. I cleansed my system 2 months ago and have been drinking lemon water every morning since. I use a whole lemon everyday. Now I am flushing out kidney stones that the Doctors said have probably been there a few years. Lemons are also good for your teeth and bones so as long as you brush your teeth directly after, your teeth will be fine.

          16. The last thing you want to do is brush your teeth immediately after drinking a lot of lemon juice. The acidity softens the enamel a bit and brushing causes the problem. You are supposed to wait a while before brushing.

        2. I’m not sure how to measure the amount of lemon juice to put in a tall glass of water. I just started drinking it in water, but I have the bottled pure lemon juice, and have measured 2 teaspoons in my glass. I don’t know if that’s enough. Can you give me an idea for a measurement table, to help with weight loss and an all around health regiment? I am disabled with a broken neck, and a spinal injury, and can’t exercise, so I could really use your advise. Thank you. Deborah

      2. If you are still interested to find why water needs to be warm when drank in the morning lemon or not I have your answers.

        Warm or hot water served first thing in the morning promotes immune system response and wakes her up after a good night sleep. Living creatures immune system is found in the intestines of the stomach. Drinking a few cups of hot water in the morning is a great device to get your intestines ready for quickly sorting out food. As food once made its way into the stomach starts to ferment and brains immediate concern is not to allow anything to rot inside his body, therefore he sends blood to help for any lack of response from the intestines. Sending blood reduces blood elsewhere, for example in your limbs if you decide to take a nap after a meal which is the best you can do. Or your liver if you decide to brisk walk your way back to work. Eating multiple meals in the same fashion leads to chronic loss of blood in non immediately live saving organs like liver, spleen, parts of the brain or depending on your position muscles. And there, comes cancer as doctors call it is nothing but bacteria left unattended for an x times amount of time in non vital organs due to your stuffing food down your throat. But yes warm water and lemon is great for you in the morning.

    2. I cut my lemons in 1/2 squeeze the juice into my cup for the day than I take the actual lemons into my shower and use them to scrub my face, hair and freckles etc. Then I take them and put them in the disposal.

        1. That’s true, especially if you’ve already colored or highlighted your hair. Due to lemon juices alkaline factors it can really mess with your hair if your color or bleach it. I’d never use lemon juice in my hair if it’s been bleached. Hard to explain, but alkaline and acidic don’t go well together on hair.

        1. Is the point to enhance freckles? I hope so! Freckles are lovely and I don’t know why anyone would want to remove, rather than enhance, them!

        2. YES, My family uses lemons to keep lighter hair blonder and to bleach freckles(Bohemian Grandma:”Aiee don’t let so much sun on you , they will think you a farm hand or a dirty gypsy!”). My fiancé want me to not bleach my freckles so I just use cumin and turmeric masks on my skin for balancing it before cocoa butter and sweet almond). Once my hair was full red they didn’t use lemon anymore…it made it ginger. Lemon never did the damage a peroxide, ammonia or bleach hair product has done to me or family except to the cousins that had their own pool. But their mom was trying to make them all look pale blonde long past the point they had outgrown it and had very dark hair… like hers which she commercial bleached and still does. She started taking them all to hairdresser instead <_<

      1. what does it do for your face? Hair? And freckles? I never heard of any of that. Please let me know… All I do is drink it been doing it for year on years! It helps with the craving food in the middle of the night, and all that! But I never heard anything about putting it right on your face at all. Does it burn when you rub it on?????????

    3. I been in the hospital twice for gall bladder stone attack and I will say this I rather have another child than have this pain again,
      My husband heard soomeplace that lemon will help,
      well now I can eat what ever I want again and after I eat I take two sips of lemon juice I haven’t had any pain since. I been doing this for 2 month now.
      I buy the bottle lemon and just sip it right out of the bottle.

      1. For gal bladder pain I would try squeezing half a lemon into a jar with a tbsp olive oil and a little warm water – put lid on – shake and drink everyday on an empty stomach. I had pain and did this (actually I drank more than a tbsp of olive oil – I’m in Greece and a tbsp is for wimps! 😉 the pain stopped. I try anything natural. There are also cleanses on the internet which also include apple juice and epsom salts for stones. Good luck!

    4. I always, always drink freshly squeezed lemon and a spoon of manuka honey in hot water when I have a cold or flu or feel the effects of one coming on. I have been doing this since I gave up taking medicine for minor things such as a cold or flu for about 6-8 years and find that I never get ill anymore. If I do, I get a stuffy head for a day maybe a sniffle for a day or two and that’s it. It’s like the drink helped my body fight the illness itself and became stronger. I recommend it to EVERYONE. A friend of mine drinks lemsip (the one with the medicine in it) anytime she feels even a little cold and is always getting colds and flus and feels horrible with them. I’m not a believer in taking modern medicine unless its a life threatening illness or emergency.
      It’s only recently I’ve decided to have lemon water everyday for health and weightloss, so fingers crossed this will work for me too.. 🙂
      While I’m at it, can anyone recommend a good book on Traditional Chinese Medicine that’s easy to understand? Thank you!

    5. I have been drinkin cold lemon water all day everyday for a week (7 days) and i weighed the day before i started and i weighed on the 7th day and i lost 4#’s i dont work out just on my feet for 8-12 hours a day i will continue this because i feel better mentaly/physicly

      1. idrink my lemon water cold i fix it and and drink all day long,does any one eat the lemon after the water is gone (and eat the peels).

    6. Well, i drink it too but it does not help that much in weight loss. It is a very good thing to drink first thing in the morning because it helps you with the immune system and prevents the flu. About the weight loss, i’ve bough some products from this website www.fitness-and-health.info and believe me or not i’ve lost 30 pounds in 1 month. And with the lemon water qnd the healthy food i feel younger 10 years.

      1. I absolutely love lemon! I never really had it in the morning other than with my tea. But I will certainly take these tips to heart and give them a try! Thanks 🙂

    1. I bet it does. It seems to help with everything else! LOL It does make me feel healthier and I intend to revisit this post in a few months if I’ve noticed anything remarkably different about myself, or not.

    1. I take blood pressure pills and am concerned that the lemon cleanse will cleanse the medicine out of my system. When do I take the medicine? Is there certaytime frame to take the pillls so they won’t be flushed right out?

    1. I read multiple articles and there wasn’t a blanket recommendation. I saw one recommend 6 oz, but that is a lot of lemon juice and would be difficult to drink. I’ve been squeezing a whole lemon, about the size of my fist or bit smaller. I would guess it’s yielding 1/4 cup of juice. I’m not following any rule of thumb, however.

      1. Hi I have read numerous articles and most say 20ml of lemon juice. One article said if you weigh under 70kg then drink 20ml in Luke warm water and if you are over 70kg drink 40mls ! Don’t know conversion into pounds so you will need to google it. Hope this helps!

        1. I have allways known that lamon juice is good for you, as a child, I used to sneek a lemon or 2 a day. did that keep me slim? again my question is how much lemon juice do I need to put in a 1 galon of water?
          and the conversion– 70 kg =140lb– 1lb is =450 gm plus or minus.

          I also using milk thisle 2 to 3 x a day to help cleans my liver.

          1. My boyfriend was just in the hospital and he weighed in at 68 kg or 152 lb. 🙂

          2. You are not supposed to make a gallon of lemon water. You have to make it by the glass daily. You only need the one serving first thing in the morning. Don’t make it ahead of time or for the week. It will lack the beneficial enzymes if it is not fresh. Anywhere from 1/8 to a 1/2 should be good enough to start. You can adjust from there.

          3. I squeeze 8 lemons (average yield 1 cup juice) to 64 oz. of water. This is very tart, but I’ve grown to enjoy it hot or cold. I take my milk thistle with my first cup in the morning. Mom always drank hot lemon water before going to bed to give her digestive tract a kick-start in the morning.

      2. I use the juice of one lemon in two cups of warm water [ 2 x 2ooml to keep kidney stones at bay . Though acidic has a wonderful alkaline effect on the body. Skin becomes very smooth. Works from inside out. No pith.

        1. My husband had a kidney stone about 5 or 6 months ago. I did some research online and found that the consumption of lemons and lemon juice will help reduce the size of certain types of kidney stones and actually help in the prevention of them. Of course, my husand can’t stand lemons!! Go figure. Good luck and I hope this helps!!

  2. Ooh-great! Thanks for the tip… I never knew lemon water had a true function… always thought it was purely for taste.

  3. Absolutely fascinating.
    Seems spot on and such an easy addition to the AM routine. Also love the idea of cleaning out my coffee stained cups!

    Question – do you think I can use lemon juice from one of those yellow lemon shaped bottles of lemon juice from the grocery store?

    1. It should be organic, that’s the main thing. I would say no if those bottled lemons have preservatives or anything in them.

    2. It has to be fresh lemons just cut to get the enzymes. ENzymes are gone after juice has been squeezed in like 10-15 minutes! Soooooo, pre-squeezed juice is not anything the same.

      1. i used bottled lemon juice, you just need to ensure that it is unsweetend. and it works for me. with three kids, being a single working mom there isnt time to still sqeeze lemons in the mornings.

        1. I’m a single mum so was using bottled juice for economy (and speed) too… I had an epiphany one day and now I buy a bag of unwaxed lemons, slice them all up into individual servings and freeze them. Each morning I simply pop one into a cup of freshly boiled water and the frozen lemon takes it to drinking temp in the time it takes me to make breakfast for my 3 year old.

          1. Thats a great idea Angel. Wish I had thought of that before throwing away a bag of dried lemoms.

        2. I was told that the bottled lemon wasnt as good. I would really like to know for sure if this is so and has the same effect as using the real lemon. And I hear warm water rather than cool. What is really the best.

          1. i use bottled…see no difference…i still lost weight…felt better…just make sure there are no additives

          2. My naturopath said it doesn’t matter — fresh or bottled lemon. She suggested 1 tsp for me. I now do it every morning. Thanks for sharing the smooth skin benefit!!!

  4. If you’re worried about the lemon acid eroding your tooth enamel, perhaps when you are done drinking it, you could rinse your mouth with a weak baking soda and water solution and spit it out. This should neutralize some of the acid that may still be clinging to your teeth, don’t you think?

    1. I’m headed to the dentist with my daughter next week so I’m going to ask. I also heard that maybe a straw would help minimize contact with your teeth. I’ll report back.

      1. Straws can cause problems with your mouth and ears (the pressure and such from sucking). Don’t know all the details, but have been told this quite a few times.

        1. Yes, straws can exacerbate a problem already “on the edge”…ear infections, etc. And also especially after dental work, as in an extraction when they also tell you not to smoke. Good point, Scott. If people will experiment with a straw, they would better see the action of the swallowing process and how the liquid permeates the tissues of the mouth, including the teeth, before being swallowed anyway. The only way that one can stop the liquid from touching the teeth is to insert the straw way back in the mouth where it then may engage the gag reflex. I’ve been drinking lemon water for years and it has not caused damage to the enamel. ~

          1. They tell you not to smoke after a tooth extraction because cigarettes prevent the process of healing as smoking is very bad for circulation, it’s got nothing to do with the motion of sucking ie; as through a straw.

          2. Actually, it is to do with the motion of sucking. It is to avoid Dry Socket. It can pull the newly formed blood clot which keeps the empty space being exposed to air. It is one of the most painful conditions. I was in tears for weeks and weeks… I thought the pain would never end. Don’t use straws, or swish too roughly after tooth extraction folks! :O

          3. I confirm this fact, my husband suffered Dry Socket last year. By sucking on a cigarette, he pulled the plug from the open socket. After 3 days of agony, far worse than the original abscess and the extraction, he had to go to the emergency hospital dentist, to have the socket scraped, to make it bleed again and form a new clot.

          4. I am a dental assistant and smoking after an extration has everything to do with the sucking m0tion, cig. straw anything. you body creates a blood clot in the extraction hole to create healing. the suction of cigs, straws etc can cause the clot to come out, which leads to very painful dry socket. 🙂

      1. Folks, get over your dental paranoia; if lemon juice could knock your teeth out, they would have fallen out from the orange juice you’ve been drinking since you were a kid. And if you brush right after meals, you have done far more damage just from that one mistake.

        Just rinse your mouth with water after you drink the lemon water. Brush an hour or so later.

    2. Go ahead and swallow the baking soda, it has an alkaline affect on the body and not at all harmful in small amounts. A few teaspoons a day is fine. On the point of harming your teeth, lemon juice is by no means as acidic as coke or some of the other soft drinks. When diluted with water , the acid in lemon juice is weakened and is far less acidic than drinking orange juice. Besides, oranges, pineapple, sour grapes and tomatoes are all high acid fruits and we don’t think twice about the effect on our teeth when we crunch into a sour apple, also high acid. Here’s a handy little point not many people know; It takes thirty seven glasses of water, with a Ph of ten, to dilute the acidic affect of 1 glass of coke… So, if you drink coke every day, you’d need 10 glasses of lemon water to turn that acid to alkaline in your body. However, don’t be discouraged, drink the lemon juice, just don’t drink the coke/soda. While I’m at it, never drink sugar free soda; Sweeteners are the fastest way to turn the body acidic~and acid means cancer. (Look it up). Never eat white sugar, never use table salt, they are acidic and poisonous to the body. (Look it up). Natural sea salt, natural raw sugar are alkaline, and good for you—though finding 100% natural sugar is very hard. Most raw sugar is white, processed sugar with caramel coloring and flavors added. In short; cancer cannot live in an alkaline environment. Stay alkaline, stay cancer free.

      Sorry, gone off topic there a little bit.

      1. The above post about soda acidity versus lemon juice is false. pH levels are measured by a factor of 10. pH 5 is 10 times more acidic than 6, pH of 9 is 10 times more alkaline than 8 and so on. Below is a table taken from a website just to offer some perspective. As someone posted, the dilution in water is what matters most in answering the question about its acid level and damage to the teeth.

        pH Value / H+ Concentration Relative to Pure Water / Example
        0 / 10,000,000 / battery acid
        1 1,000,000 sulfuric acid
        2 100,000 lemon juice, vinegar
        3 10,000 orange juice, soda
        4 1,000 tomato juice, acid rain
        5 100 black coffee, bananas
        6 10 urine, milk
        7 1 pure water
        8 0.1 sea water, eggs
        9 0.01 baking soda
        10 0.001 Great Salt Lake, milk of magnesia
        11 0.0001 ammonia solution
        12 0.00001 soapy water
        13 0.000001 bleach, oven cleaner
        14 / 0.0000001 / liquid drain cleaner

      2. A few teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda is quite a lot, you could get a detox reaction and feel nausea.

        a half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in a 8 oz glass of water will last all day fro rinsing your teeth.

        I would also ensure that you use bicarbonate of soda (gluten and aluminium free) and NOT baking soda, which is full of contaminates.

        you are spot on though about artificial sweeteners. So Bad for all. and they make you fat too.

        1. You shouldn’t make the blanket statement either way about sugar. Your body must have sugar in some form. Even diabetics like myself have to have some carbs (sugar). I imagine that the comparison here is that raw sugar has not been processed and bleached and so forth with chemicals and other non-natural ingredients and so is “better” for you than processed sugar.
          Scott

        2. Sugar is good for you, we need it actually so don’t know where you get your information from? Of course too much sugar is bad for you. Too much anything is bad for you.

      3. Stevia and Blue Agave are natural sweeteners that you can find in a health or whole foods store. These are the best form of sweeteners than raw sugar and other sugars. I flavor my water with lemons all day, but never thought about drinking it warm in the morning. I will have to start doing that.

    3. I have been doing this lemon water 3 weeks now. I suffer from terrible GERD going through bottles of tums like candy. I started the lemon water not knowing all the wonderful benefits to it. I have not taken tums in 2 weeks now and decided to research the benefits to Lemon water. I am amazed at what I have learned. I too, worry about the erosion of the enamel but have always used a straw to drink from. My complexion is clear and I feel great! I also do Raw drinks in the morning and include Wheat grass and Spirolina I think all of this is why I feel young and vibrant!

      1. Laura –

        So nice to read about your GERD condition improving. A lot of those related conditions are from a lack of acids and enzymes in the body to break down what we eat/drink – so many people do as you did, take some type of over-the-counter antacid. When they start incorporating all-natural, whole foods (especially RAW) into their diets, many see great improvements – and some have their conditions go away completely! Anyway, thanks for sharing – just another testament to the power of a healthy lifestyle. Blessings to u!

    1. I still drink lemon water when I remember which I would say is about 5 days a week. Just a wedge squeezed into some hot water. My teeth, so far, are fine. The cleanse itself was hard, I’m not going to lie. But I felt so good afterward and lost inches around my waist.

  5. Those lemons, with the sun shining on them, in the crystal bowl – just amazing. You even got a little shine star from the sun on the front edge! WIN.

    Gonna try this. Love coffee in the morning. “It’s more than a beverage, it’s a *drug*.” Would love to kick it.

  6. I like to drink lemon but I usually drink it on evening after working before It provides us Vitamin C much.If it can help with weight loss and clears skin,I will start drink it in the morning now

  7. i’m loving the effects of drinking lemon water but what should I do then if i do not want to lose weight? is there anything that i can take to prevent the weight loss from lemon water?

    1. I think it’s safe to say that drinking lemon water on it’s own does not lead to weight loss. If it did, everyone would do it. 🙂 I think it certainly helps wake up your digestive system in the morning which has benefits. Plus the extra antioxidants help immunity too.

      1. Drinking lemon juice in water in the morning is really good!I started drinking water five months ago & I have reduced “two” inches waist and about “three” kg weight but I do workout “five days” a week too! Sometimes people don’t have patience they want quick result,in my opinion if you start something be patient let the result come…Lemon juice in water aid in weight loss as its high vitamin content help to stabilize blood sugar levels,the acidity and lactic acid of lemon juice appear to lower blood sugar when drink with or near meal.Stable blood sugar levels are necessary for weight loss or to maintain normal weight levels,this is due to both insulin and hormone production that stores fat when blood sugar is low,& also cravings for high sugar & high fat foods are common when suffering from low blood sugar 🙁

      2. i beg to differ.Since ive been on boiled lemon water , the fat in my body has loosened. Apparently it helps break up the fat. My Skin feels smoother, clearer and healthier

    2. Like la Jolla Mom said, lemon water alone would no cause weight loss. But I also think when it does cause weight loss its because of the individual becoming healthier. So if your weight is already at a healthy weight it should not affect your weight. I did no research for that answer just my own thought, so don’t rely on it.

  8. Does lemon water clear up your skin?, also I drink green tea with lemon mixed in it, will I still get the effects I want? Or is pure lemon water better

    1. yes it does 🙂 ,since I have start drinking lemon juice in water,have seen great effect on my face & nail,they are now more clear!Green tea is one of the most antioxidant-rich substances you can drink.It naturally contains polyphenols,which help your body prevent illness,fight free radicals,boost metabolism & lower cholesterol.These benefits are enhanced by coupling Green Tea with Lemon,which is highly acidic,aiding in digestion & increase your body fat burning capabilities!!! I would suggest to read “Green tea & Lemon benefits on www.livestrong.com”.

  9. I have been drinking warm lemon water every morning for 2 months now and I can tell you that I feel great. I noticed benefits within the first two weeks. Originally I started with a slice of lemon in cold water, then in hot water, then squeezed in hot water and hated all of them. Through trial and error I came to have the juice from 1/2 lemon in warm water every morning and do not eat for at least an hour after. I have noticed improved digestion and elimination (the latter I had been experiencing problems in recent months before drinking lemon water). I even think my fingernails have become harder. I am now hooked and will drink it for the rest of my life. Please try it for your own health and well being. PS: I was about to plant a lemon tree in my soon to be mini orchard (of various fruit trees) and now I am going to have two! Here’s to your health!

    1. Maggie, have you noticed any issues with your teeth? I haven’t yet, but I know it’s a concern for some.

      1. Only if you don’t brush your teeth! If you drank orange juice at bedtime and didn’t brush, that would be harmful. Only when the acids are left on your teeth all night. When you drink in the morning you’ll probably be brushing your teeth soon after I hope.

  10. I see here that it says to drink the warm water with lemon as soon as you get up and then wait an hour to eat anything, but I also thought to get you metabalism going you were suppose to eat within the first 1/2 hour of getting up–any thoughts or facts on this??

    1. I don’t know the answer. Let me ask around! Thanks for bringing this up as it’s a great question.

  11. We’ve been drinking hot lemon water every night instead of normal bedtime cup of tea and have been a bit worried about the tooth enamal thing…

    1. Hot lemon water is better in the morning as it wakes up your liver and digestive system etc. I think it’s okay if you have a large mug of hot water with the 1/4 lemon or 1/2 lemon or whatever it is you have, just to water it down a bit. I was told that you shouldn’t brush your teeth for at least half an hour afterwards, but I can’t recall who told me that so I’d look into it. I think there are lots of things that damage tooth enamel, and the amount of lemon juice you have isn’t likely to damage your teeth as much as sugar (for example) is.

      1. Finally…someone saw the same thing! I saw it on a show (and I don’t remember, either) that you should NOT brush your teeth for at least 1/2 hour after eating lemons. The reason, from what I remember, is that the acid from the lemon is on your teeth and brushing will ruin the enamel. I think they said something to the effect that, about 1/2 hour after eating or drinking lemon, your saliva neutralizes the acid on your teeth and brushing is then safe? I believe that is right, but it was quite a while ago that I heard it. I just started drinking lemon and water yesterday, because I do not like plain water, and I found that I drank several glasses compared to NONE. A friend told me it is constipating, which is a problem I have always had, so I decided to read about it to find out. This is so interesting, and I have learned a lot from reading all of this….very informative! I’m now going to continue drinking lemon water daily.

        1. Waiting makes complete sense to me. Basically, because I’m usually drinking lemon water while juggling breakfast for my daughter and dog, I just make sure to rinse my mouth out with water. I should use a straw but keep forgetting. Anyway, thanks for the comment – this info will be helpful to more than just me!

  12. I was told about this last night, and I only have one question. Does it matter it you do this in the morning or in the evening??

    1. I believe you are supposed to do it in the morning to kick start or cleanse your system before eating. To protect your teeth I would think you’d only want to do it once a day. Thanks for stopping by!

  13. I just started drinking lemon and water this morning but I love my coffee in the morning. I dont plan on giving up my coffee but wonder should I have my coffee before lemon/water or after?

      1. I take my thyroid meds first thing and am suppose to wait an hr before eating anything, does it hurt to drink my warm lemon water right after the meds or should I wait the Hr. for that too! also I squezed a whle lemon and put it 24 ozs of water, is this too strong for the body! I have false teeth, so guess there’s nothing to worry about that, Right??

        1. Hi Shirley
          I also take thyroid meds in the morning, I know it’s a pain to wait an hour but the drug we take is very important to our well-being, and I don’t think its wise to risk it’s effectiveness on our problem ( under active thyroid) so I have pills on my bedside table and take them as soon as I wake up, make my bed do a few chores and then after an hour hit the lemon juice.

  14. i have been drinking lemon water , lemon juice for as long as i can remember and i my teeth are still ok , i do not have acne anymore thought i have been drinkin it to loose weight but i am not so sure if it worked but i am happy with it and still drinking it

  15. I’ve drank lemon water for over 10yrs when I eat out instead of teas or cokes. I love in the south where people drink iced tea-syrup!! Lemon helps ward off food born illnesses. I always ask for a small bowl/saucer of lemons & after my meal I actually eat them whole from my glass. I call this my dessert!
    I’ve done the Master Cleanser fast yearly for the past 4yrs. & can’t imagine not doing it.
    Lemons of course contain D-limonine(sp?) which has been proven to decease blood sugar levels as well as blood pressure, along with the benefits listed in this article.
    In the winter I love warm lemon water instead of tea or coffee & often ask for this during flights.
    For my fasts I have substituted pure, organic lemon juice & it works well.
    Thank you for posting. This its much more healthier for us than we think!

    1. Thanks for sharing! I have cut back on coffee but when I’m out I need to make a mental note to drink lemon water instead of Diet Coke, which I order mostly out of habit. :/

    2. Eating lemon directly will cause chemical tooth erosion esp. at the posterior teeth…so if you’re drinking lemon water, it’s aleady diluted, the effect is minimal but since it will be a routine, still need to have precaution by gargling water after drinking lemon juice.

    3. My son’s face is really bad. Do you think hot lemon water will help it? He is 21 years old, he hasbeen to every dr. for it nothing is working. IF so, how much shoould he drink a day?
      Thanks,

      1. 25mg of Zinc after breakfast & 25mg of Zinc after dinner to clear acne. Take after a meal though as it can make you feel a bit nauseous on an empty stomach.

        Long time sufferer and I’ve been on roaccutane (which did work, but very dry skin + occassional nose bleeds). I’ve been completely clear by using zinc daily.

      2. Please get to the root of your sons problem. I had acne and for years my dermatologist would prescribe various medication for my “oily skin”. The remedy is usually antibiotics which leads to digestive issues as your gut flora dies and leads to more flare ups. It’s a fantastic self repeating cycle great for dermatologists that charge for the treatment. Excellent business model.

        What I have learned is that there is no such thing as oil skin. Either you have normal or dry skin. Oily skin is actually dry skin that is able to produce oils for lubrication. I personally have extreamly sensitive skin which reacts tostitos various products with rashes and acne like symptoms. what works for my skin is a baking soda rinse to restore alkaline ph to my skin afollowed with a coconut oil as moisturizer. I do this every night. In the morning you just rinse with water. No need to dry out ur skin more as it doesn’t get dirty and no more cleansing is required.

        Furthermore, your liver is responsible for cleansing and is directly tied to your bodies ability to clear your skin. You need to find out why it’s not functioning as it should. The most common reason is a dairy allergy or just a food allergy in general. Most of these are more like food sensitivities than actual allergies as people think of them.

        Hope this helps.

      3. Tracy,
        My son started taking taurine 1000 mg four a day and apply calendula ointment with some taurine mixed in on his skin. very good for acne

  16. i have been juicing my lemons with the peeling on them & of course its stronger I’ll just drink it down straight, i also have back spasmns & i will do this maybe 3 times in a day (not every day) & it helps with the pain. so what benefits am i getting from doing it this way? i do have a very acidic body. Thanks!

    1. That is a very good question that I don’t know the answer to. I hope someone can jump in with the answer. I’m glad it helps you with your pain!

    2. From what i have read before, when our body is acidic, the blood circulation is sluggish, so we feel sluggish too, making us difficult to move or make exercise w/c is causing muscle spasm…so from this, it could probably be yes !

  17. I have been drinking lemon water in the mornings for a few months now and I love it. It wakes me up, is refreshing, and makes me feel energized! I have noticed that I haven’t gotten sick for a long time (don’t want to jinx myself), and that I am less tired than I was before (fibromyalgia). If you drink lemon water and add some morning stretches/yoga, you will feel like a million bucks! <3 thank you for writing this lovely article! Xoxox

    1. I’ve been reading I think for about 30 min. all these posts. Madaline, you are the first one to mention fibromyalgia. Does drinking lemon water help with the pain assosiated with fibromyalgia? I am taking 3 different meds for these but still have a lot of pain from it. I also need to lose at least 75 pounds. I would love to here your advice on all this.

  18. I’ve been drinking warm lemon water as soon as I get up in the morning for years. In my case for digestion and acidity. I squeeze half a lemon and add warm water(if you add hot you will heat away some of the lemons benefits). My dentist said: ‘Brush your teeth before you drink your lemon water and then wait at least 20 minutes before brushing again after you’ve finished it as the acidity can soften the enamel of teeth and brushing too soon can do slight damage’. I’ve always waited 30 minutes or more to be sure and have not had any problems!

      1. Yes, lemon water should help but it’s not a cure for acid reflux, ect. If he wants to cure it then he should learn everything he can about food combining.

  19. Can I still have lemons even though they are not in a Tiffanys bowl?
    What if I have a cheap wicker basket, will the lemons still work?

  20. The ONLY reason why I’ve been reluctant to consume lemon or lemon juice orally is specifically due to the cause listed above-they reduce/eat away at tooth enamel.

    1. I’m so confused by all of the comments about being afraid or concerned about drinking lemon water and tooth enamel. Drinking real lemonade or iced tea with lemon is the same thing. Actually it’s worse for your teeth because it also contains a ton of sugar. Are you typically afraid to drink lemonade? I would hope not. It’s water with a 1-2oz of lemon juice in it. It’s not gargling with pure lemon juice. If you are truly concerned then rinse with water or baking soda and water after you’ve finished. That will counteract the lemon. I imagine drinking soda, especially something like Diet Coke w/ lemon, is going to be far worse for your teeth than warm water with lemon.

    2. Hi Grim…

      Do you drink sodas? Coffee? They eat tooth enamel also. Lemons are acidic as they are consumed, but alkaline in function. They are extremely healthy to enjoy in just about any way that we can. I’m sure that if you are concerned with lemons reducing enamel, that you will want to cut out other drinks and foods that do the same. I have enjoyed lemons for years as well, and have not taken any extra steps to stop the loss of tooth enamel and am fine.

      1. @Nightwind- Thankfully I don’t drink coffee for various dependency issues that many Americans have with them even though they do contain some health benefits when consumed moderately. And I thankfully don’t remember when the last time I drank soda was for obvious reasons. I’m not a health nut, but if I’m aware of their harmful affects I try to stay away from taking them.

        1. Hi Grim,

          You sound so balanced ~ Kudos ~ I try to do the same. I am not aware of any health benefits with coffee, but when I first learned of sodas having a direct bearing on destroying the kidneys, I chose not to drink them either. I have a coffee once in a while, but my lemon water is my mainstay and I love it. I drink it throughout the day and enjoy the continuing benefits ~

      2. I have worked in the Dental business for over 21 yrs. It will make your teeth sensitive. Drinking through a straw is a good idea but unless you are drinking it all day long and sipping on it, it wont hurt your teeth. I am not a big water drinker and the lemon makes it a lot easier to drink. I do drink it warm I just leave my water bottles out and then add lemon. I love the idea of having a lemon tree. Good luck to everyone. Oh one more thing sensodine tooth paste will help.

        1. Hi There, I work Nights Does it matter if I brush my teeth & tongue in the A.M. 1/2 hr before drinking room temperature bottle water with a 1/2 lemon? So that after wards, whether I eat a hour or more later I usually clean my teeth after most meals depends on what foods I’ve eaten. On average I brush really good twice a day because I’m sleeping during day light hours. :o) Thanks for any feed backs….

  21. Hi all,

    I’m hoping I may be able to clarify some of your questions.

    Many of you note that wear on your teeth is a major concern. My first response is: evaluate your normal diet. If you consume a lot of sugar, soda, acidic foods/drink or alcohol, this may be of a concern to you as the lemon would compound the damage already being done by these items. Enamel-strengthening toothpastes exist to help counteract tooth damage and decay, and even certain foods can help with this (foods include anything high in calcium, such as milk, and surprisingly sesame seeds). If your diet is naturally low in sugar and you limit alcohol and acidic food/drink in-take, your risk of damage is low. But again, as noted by others, using a straw will circumvent the issue.

    For those who have irregular digestive systems, it is recommended to take your lemon in the morning because this can help regulate those issues. If you are regular as it is, you can have your lemon at any time of the day and it will still provide all of the other health benefits.

    Finally, you can have your lemon in hot water, cold water, cool water, or luke warm water, but it will be absorbed in your body fastest and most efficiently when it is in cool or luke warm water. Overall though, water temperature (for most people) will not have a significant impact on how the lemon affects you physically.

    la Jolla mom, this is an excellent article and includes some GREAT tips and information! Keep publishing, I’m loving your site!

    1. i understand you have to drink this on a empty stomache is that right?
      i have very bad skin problems due to acidic diet of junk food (lazy i know) and constant fungal infections so i hope this works for me fingers crossed. i am also eating a clove of garlic a day as this is also good for the body (taken with milk to rid the garlic smell).
      i would like to ask how long before i start seeing the benefits of drinking lemon water and does it cause you go to the toilet more often than you did before started drinking lemon water?

      1. I started drinking warm lemon water in the mornings this past month, and I’ve found that it make me go to the toilet not more often, but to completely empty when I do. Sorry, I know that’s gross, but it’s true for me!

  22. Great article! I’ve been drinking lemon water in the morning here and there for a while, but want to try it consistently every morning. Combined with a raw vegan diet, oil pulling and dry skin brushing I know I could improve my skin texture- I’ve been battling keratosis pilaris since college. KP is little red rough bumps commonly on the backs of your arms. My colon hydrotherapist also recommended warm lemon water so I will start tomorrow warming the water. Thanks for the info and all the great comments. And I figure as long as you brush and rinse, I wouldn’t worry so much about your teeth. Oil pulling might help too. I’d be way more worried about diet coke on teeth anyway! 🙂

    1. Thank you so much for this comment! I have had keratosis pilaris all of my life. A dermatologist gave me a lotion for it when I was in my early teens, and it did nothing. I hate my skin, especially during the winter. My KP is really bad, and it makes me so self-conscious. Thanks to your comment I have been researching oil-pulling and other natural remedies for KP, and I am so excited at the prospect of improving my skin texture.

      1. What is oil-pulling? I have bad skin also ,all my life .I have Congental Ithyossis. I will try the lemon water. I hve a tree with blooms.

  23. I have been drinking lemon juice for awhile. My grandpa used to give me lemon water when I was a kid. So I like it just because it takes me back a little. I like my lemon water on ice better though. People were wondering how much to use, I like to squeeze it in until the water becomes hazy. I do feel better than when I drink lemon instead of anything caffeinated. Who knows, maybe its just the water instead of coffee or pop. And I can smile when I urinate because it is clear instead of being so dark when I go on a pop or alcohol bender. Later.

  24. Hi! I just thought that I would mention my tip for keeping tooth enamel perfect with regular lemon water drinking. I am a naturopath and tell clients to drink it through a glass straw as it reduces actual contact with the teeth. You can get them from eco stores 🙂

    1. BRILLIANT! I just saw glass straws at a home store and wondered what they’d be good for. Thanks so much for sharing!!!

  25. I went to the dentist today after starting lemon-in-hot/lukewarm-water about 6 weeks ago. They said the amount I was drinking (approx. 12 oz) was fine and I shouldn’t worry about tooth decay. Just thought I’d add my two cents.

    1. Hi Ron,

      You are the only one to bring this attribute of the lovely lemon. You are not alone in your knowledge….Smile ~

  26. I just started doing the lemon water thing every morning and I like it a lot. I’m also a dentist and the concern about the acid eroding tooth enamel is a valid point. However it’s not a problem as long as you drink the entire glass all at once rather than sip over any period of time. It’s also a good idea to rinse your mouth afterward with just plain water to dilute the acid.

  27. Great community dialog! It’s wonderful to see so many people interested in natural health practices. Thanks La Jolla Mama!

      1. Hi, this is so interesting blog. What about green tea and lemon? which one is better green tea with lemon or Water with lemon? first thing in the morning before anything else I always have green tea with lemon. Now I want to know the differences..Thanks I found this site of you Lajolla!

      2. this is realy nice i used to take lemon water but has never been steady with it.can pure honey be added to it,

  28. I was wondering… I work nights from 9PM until 5:30am, my whole lifestyle is kinda upside down. When I eat meals, when I sleep, etc. I noticed it’s recommended drinking the lemon water first thing in the morning upon waking up.

    My schedule is such that when I get off work I may eat light breakfast food before I sleep. I don’t like eating before sleeping but i’ve noticed if I don’t eat something I tend to awake with a headache but I can’t eat anything heavy or i’ll have a stomach ache when I awake.
    I still eat “dinner” at night or often when i’m at work in the early morning hours.

    Any thoughts or suggestions?

    1. I would suggest trying to drink it in the morning with your last meal of the “day”, I’m on nights now too so I can relate, ha ha. It really does help your stomach and body digest the food better and may ease some of the pains you have when waking up. I wouldn’t hesitate to have it in the morning as well as I definitely notice the benefits throughout the day.

    2. It is recommended to drink in the A.M because that is when most people wake up and your body has been fasting while you slept for 6-9 hours and then wakes to empty itself to make room for “break-fast”! If I had an upside down work schedule as you said I would do the lemon water when I woke from my 6-9 hour sleeping time because that is when your body will empty itself and the lemon water from my understanding will assist the body to do this! I hope this helps.

    1. Aside from the fact that it adds a sweet taste to the sometimes bitter taste to some from the lemon it does carry many other benefits as well!!!

      As quoted from the website; www.benefits-of-honey.com:

      “The benefits of honey don’t just stop at satisfying the palate; honey also offers incredible antiseptic, antioxidant and cleansing properties for our body and health, hot beauty and skin care tips for ladies, and amazing healing properties as a head-to-toe remedy, from eye conjunctivitis to athlete foot. Its powerful healing attributes have long been used thousands of years ago and known to promote healing for cuts, cure ailments and diseases, and correct health disorders for generations after generations. The renowned UMF Manuka honey, perhaps the tastiest natural medicine, is commonly cited in many discussions on health benefits of honey. This honey not only fights infection and aids tissue healing but also helps reduce inflammation and scarring. In addition, it is often used for treating digestive problems such as diarrhea, indigestion, stomach ulcers and gastroenteritis.”

      Check that out!!! Almost runs hand and hand with lemon juice!!!

      Check out that website for some other benefits from honey. I dont know if it may counteract some of the benefits of Lemon Juice but since they seem to have similar benefits and that nature tends to work together in beautiful harmony, I would think that as long as both are pure organic it can only help!!!

  29. I have been drinking Hot Lemon water for over 3 years now—-I started the same time I decided to stop eating meat. Because of the harshness on the teeth, I use a straw to drink my Hot Lemon Water. My morning ritual lemon, massage sesame seed oil on to hands and ear lopes, followed by a glass shot of apple cider vinegar to jump start my day..Happy holidays……Ms.Leo

  30. For those looking for weight loss gain from this as well, eat 5-6-7 small meals through out the day with the lemon water in the AM and water with every meal and I can almost guarantee you will see benefits. 80 ounces of water a day is recommended and if you can switch at least 50 percent of your normal days beverages to water along with the meal plan above and lemon water in the morning I can promise you, you WILL lose weight!!!

    My example of the my 7 meals is morning (5am) lemon water with organic vanilla yogurt and organic vanilla almond granola and a banana. Early morning snack(730am), half a pbandj and an apple. Late morning snack (10am) half a PBandJ. Lunch (12pm), half of my sandwich, or whatever you want. The key is half of it. I love to indulge here in the middle of my day occasionally and go with a grilled chicken with swiss bacon and ranch, or chicken salad LT! haha, remember the key is half!!! Then around 230 ill have the other half of my sandwich. On my way home from work (5pm) ill have the other half of the PBandJ and then home for dinner around 730, something light since ive been eating all day i dont need much. Grilled chicken, a cheeseburger with a veggie or 2 and of course my lemon water!!!. I like drinking it with lunch too but thats just me.

    Eating the smaller relatively healthy meals throughout the day keeps your metabolism firing all day and your body with food for nutrition and energy all day. When i eat this way I have so much energy all day and lost weight pretty rapidly, in my opinion. Give it a try and adjust it however you would like to fit your schedule but the main keys are multiple averagely spaced small meals throughout the day and plenty of water w/ lemon!!!

    1. Corection, I doubled up on the PBandJ in the AM. That early morning snack is only an apple and the half of a PBandJ at 10am is correct. Feel free to substitute almonds or trail mix or whatever you would like for the snacks, the major key is some kind of fruit or natural protein to tide you over between meals and allow you to have those half meals and be satisfied. Its a little hard at the start to resist the whole meal but I promise if you wait it out a week or two you will see the benefits and the desire to keep seeing the benefits will outweigh that desire to have the whole thing at once!!! Plus, at least for me, when I eat the whole thing it tends to make me sleepy : )

    2. Hi Erik! Thanks for your comments. Do you think that you’re eating less calorie wise, now that you’re eating more meals per day? Or same amount as before? And will you continue (and eat more?) when you reach your desired weight? I have always wanted to eat smaller meals but my lifestyle gets in the way (with husband and daughter eating the three main meals).

      1. Hi lajollamom! I would say that I’m probably eating just as many if not actually more calories than normal I normal did. I’ve haven’t personally been a calorie counter. I will continue eating this way because for me it gives me more sustained energy throughout the entire day. I also feel that its healthier for my body keeping it consistently fueled throughout the day. You could try to work it into your routine by having things on hand during the day for snacks like nuts and fruit and just lessening your portions during your 3 main meals. You may be fine leaving your 3 main meals as is as well and just having the snacks regularly in between the main meals. I believe the main key is keeping my metabolism firing all day.

        1. I used to eat 5 to 6 meals a day but always ended up over eating. Also I got more hungry eating that many meals. You are always thinking about food and you have to plan ahead.

          Intermittent fasting is better approach don’t let the fasting word scare you. I prefer doing the 16 hour fast and eating within 8 hour window. So I eat at noon instead of in the morning and eat my last meal by 8. Women do better with 14 to 15 hour fast for some reason. I don’t eat a lot of meat like Leangains approach but I do the fasting method.

          www.leangains.com

          http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131703.htm

    3. ppl dont realize the benefits of eating this way and boosting your metabolism, i have told so many ppl this is how i lost weight and they look at me like im crazy. But it is a good solid way to eat healthy and lose the weight in a healthy way….best of luck!!!!!

  31. And not to leave you out La Jolla Mom, thanks so much for this post!!! You have clearly brought to the attention of many the clear and ever growing list of benefits of drinking lemon water and helped us all make a step in a positive direction for leading healthier lives!!!

  32. Loved this article – I have been drinking lemon water for over 4o years – gave up coffee about 45 years ago – I find it refreshing and satisfying. I don’t get too technical about how much lemon juice to have – just take about an 8th of a lemon and squeeze it – BUT NEVER DROP THE LEMON IN THE CUP OR THE GLASS –
    When you put lemon juice in you make the water alkaline – but if you put the piece of lemon in the water the water changes back to acidic. And you want your body to be acidic not alkaline.
    And if you want an incredible cleanse that’s easy and effective – no bathroom issues – contact me.

    1. Ok, this is super interesting. What is it about the lemon that makes the water alkaline? When I get water at a restaurant, I drop it in on occasion.

      1. Hi Sharon. It really depends on several things: how much you’re willing to spend, food versus juice, and how long you’d like to cleanse for. I’ve tried several cleanses both with food and juice. All start with lemon water, however. The food cleanse I’ve been the most pleased with is Cook! Delicious Detox. You can read more about the cleanses here – https://lajollamom.com/category/lifestyle/cleanses/

  33. A friend sent this to me last summer. I thought the readers here would also like to read it.
    It’s been translated from Spanish, so the spelling and grammar may not be perfect. But you’ll get the point. Enjoy…

    THE LEMON is a miracle product to kill cancer cells. Is 10,000 times more potent than chemotherapy. Why are not aware of it? Because there are organizations interested in finding a synthetic version, which allows them to make fabulous profits. So from now on you can help a friend in need, letting you know that you should drink lemon juice to prevent the disease. Its flavor is pleasant. And of course, produces the horrible effects of chemotherapy. And yes it is doing so, plant a lemon tree in your yard or garden. All parts are useful.

    The next time you want to drink a juice, natural lemon ask for it without preservatives.

    How many people die while this has been a closely guarded secret so as not to multimillion-dollar irrigation profits of large corporations?

    As you well know the lemon tree is low. Not much space, is known by the name of Lemon, lemon, lime, Limoeiro (gal.) LLIMONA (cat.), limoiaritz (eusk.).

    The fruit is a citrus fruit that comes in different forms flesh can eat it directly or it is normally used to make drinks, sherbet, sweets etc.

    The interest of this plant is due to its strong anti-cancer effects. And although he attributed many more properties, the most interesting is the effect it produces on cysts and tumors. This plant is a proven cancer remedy for cancers of all types. Some argue that it is useful in all forms of cancer.

    It is considered also as an anti-microbial spectrum against bacterial and fungal infections, is effective against internal parasites and worms, regulates high blood pressure and antidepressant, combat stress and nervous disorders.

    The source of this information is fascinating: it comes from one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world, who says that after more than 20 laboratory tests conducted from 1970 extracts showed that:

    Destroy malignant cells in 12 types of cancer, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas …

    The compounds of this tree showed 10,000 times better act by slowing the growth of cancer cells that the product Adriamycin, a chemotherapeutic drug, normally used in the world.

    And what is even more astonishing: this type of therapy, lemon extract, only destroys malignant cancer cells and does not affect healthy cells.

    1. I am on a strict low potassium diet (doctors orders) Am I still able to have fresh lemon juice mixed with water and I also heard that this drink will help keep hair healthy, shiny and stronger. I have uneven skin colour on my face will lemon directly applied help.
      Look forward to lots of replys.
      Belinda from Down Under

  34. Thanks for this post, very informative. I love lemons, and never realised they had so many health benefits. Just had a question about one of the other replies… What is PBandJ?

  35. I have been drinking hot water and lemon as my main drink for years and can honestly say I love it and look forward to it just like I used to with cups of tea. I even take lemons with me when I go out so I can still have it where ever I am.
    As for the tooth enamel issue – I checked with my dentist last time I was there and she could not see that I was losing any enamel and as I mentioned this is my main drink throughout the day.

  36. I have been taking the lemon water for about 3 months now. It was trial and error to start with, first using a full lemon and then down to half, I now just use a quarter of lemon in a glass of luke warm water. I also like to take Chlorophyll and Olive Leaf Extract as part of my diet so I just add that to the lemon water of a morning. Not sure what this combination does technically but overall I do feel good. The main reason I started taking the lemon water was for weight loss, digestion and reducing my acidity levels. That information was obtained from other health professionals on the internet.

    Thanks for all the comments on this subject and thanks for the tip on using a straw.

    1. Hi Sedg…

      I also use a quarter of a lemon every morning in my very warm water. The body is in detox mode in the early part of the day, and real lemons, not in the plastic in the store, nor reconstituted, but the real lemon works in tandem with that process. You are certainly doing fine things for your body in your addition of chlorophyll and the very powerful olive leaf extract. You have so obviously done your research. Pam Love had mentioned that liver loves lemon, and she is so very right. So in effect, you are really helping your liver to stay clean on a daily basis along with other organs also. I also take olive leaf extract, 18 to 23 % active constituent oleuropein, but I do not take it with my lemon water. I wait an hour or two. ~

      LJM…great article

  37. For those that don’t trust plastics (such as me) and/or those concerned about the environment, here are a few links I found to companies that make/sell reusable glass straws:

    http://www.glassstraws.com/

    http://glassdharma.com/

    http://www.dinalo.com/

    http://www.glassparadise.com/Glass-Drinking-Straws_c_107.html

    http://www.ecoglassstraws.com/

      1. I just learned about them because someone here recommended using glass straws. From what i’ve read they all seem to be dishwasher safe and sanitary.

        Some come with a straw cleaner and being that they are glass they can be cleaned unlike plastic straws, they can withstand higher temperatures because of the type of glass they are made of (I think its Pyrex or something similar).

  38. we are poor people in Fiji, we cant afford coke or any other soda…….lemon water is the only thing we drink and offer any guest at our house and sometimes tea made with lemon leaves……we dont have hospitals or doctors service our area so we have to die healthy and naturally too

  39. Thanks for this info lemon water drinks. I try to use lemon water almost everyday but now I will be more faithful to the cause. I will follow information on this healthy fruit.

  40. While you are right that lemon juice can help restore proper pH levels in the body, “Lemon is one of the most alkaline foods around.” is highly inaccurate. Lemon and its juice have a pH of 2-3, which is strongly *acidic.* 7 is neutral; below is acidic; above is alkaline.

    1. Lemon is very acidic, not alkaline. It is one of those foods that is acidic but during digestion actually becomes alkaline. There are several foods like this, including apple cider vinegar that are acidic but our bodies break it down and we turn it into and use it as alkaline.

      1. excellant……I have heard that through the years from many people.
        However, I would love to hear it from a bio-chemist

        thanks

  41. I was just wondering if it would be the same if I sliced the lemon up and put it in a jug full of water in the fridge and just warmed it up every morning? Or do you have to warm the water and then put a lemon wedge in it every morning? We LOVE to eat lemons. Just cut them up like an orange and eat away so I am looking forward to trying this lemon and warm water drink every morning! 🙂

  42. And you can give yourself a natural face lift, massage and glow with the lemon wedges afterwards. I have been doing this for over a year with amazing results.

  43. Do i Consume the Lemon water with salt or Sugar ??? I usually add salt and some pepper .. the best taste ever ….

  44. 2 small holes in this. First and the MAJOR one…

    Hello Mr Dr… U talk about this “immune system” yah? point to it please!

    be careful when people talk about the “immune system”. There is no “immune system”. well actually there is… it’s called your body.

    the immune system can NOT be pointed to or diagrammed say as the respiratory system can be.

    2nd… the warm water thing and how it relates to “Chinese Medicine” (which mostly BS just as western medicine is mostly BS) come from the thinking that drinking cold beverages is “bad for the stomach”.

    That’s simply FALSE. However… what this misguided belief comes from is… drinking warm/hot water DOES help in easing the digestive process when one eats starchy foods i.e. rice as most Chinese eat a lot of.

    but again… cold is not “bad” for the stomach.

    Other than that… its seems pretty much scientifically sound for the most part

    1. Sorry to throw ‘cold’ water in a lot of your healthy views….Vit. C is also one of the foods accused of causing kidney (urinary) stones…so too much of Vit C can be harmful….Ofcourse the dosage of 1/4 or 1/8 of wedge of lemon may supply only a little vit C, so that may not be much…

      1. Actually, after just having kidney stones, my Urologist suggested drinking pure lemon water every day to help prevent kidney stones. There are studies that prove that lemon water actually can prevent kidney stones.

        1. Cold water will give the body’s digestive tract a bit of a shock at first, then the water will warm due to body heat… no big difference. Drinking the water warm will only speed up the absorption of moisture and minerals rate some and is prefered when a person is a bit “queezy”. So, the question of cold or warm should not be considered an issue.

          As far as kidney stones, increasing the intake of calcium carbonate, also found in lemons, will nutralize the inorganic calciums that will build up, developing kidney stones, gall stones, and plaque build up of the arteries. The atomic frequencies of the calcium carbonate will nutralize the energies of the inorganic calciums, causing the build up to desolve naturally and be flushed from the body.

          If you are having concerns with kidney stones, gall stones, or plaque build up of the arteries, I suggest increasing your intake of calcium carbonate to extreme levels through both diet and supplementation. The results of your improvement will be noticed in a manner of two weeks, or so.

          1. Need to find the right amount of lemon to water so that the lemon doesn’t iritate my throat 1/8 wedge to 12 ounces seems to be the most I can take.

  45. Would I get the same effects if I used Limes instead of Lemons? I do not like the taste of lemons, but I do like limes. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

  46. I’ve been squeezing half a (real) lemon into my weak constant comment tea every morning for the last thirty years! People are always complimenting me on my youthful appearance and peachy skin. At65 I’ve had no real health threats.

  47. Umm,, point 2 is completely wrong. Lemon is an acid not a base. So wouldn’t on her logic, lemon juice would place your body’s pH more out of balance?

    1. The scientific community has been deliberating this for over twenty years… with no real understanding as to what is going on with citric acid in the body. As I understand, citric acid becomes alkaline as soon as it is absorbed into a blood cell… no longer acidic in any fashion. Therefore, the fruits and vegtables we consider acidic, which they are, should not be considered acidic in your diet.

      From a natual standpoint, one could assume, the acidic factor of these fruits and vegtables will work well to help eleminate HARMFUL bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc., while used as a cleaning agent or topical bacteria fighting agent. The acidic value, may also, have a considerable value in keeping your digestive “juices” in balance by adding a balanced acidic value for your body to “learn” from while cleaning the intestinal tract of contaminates. Also, the calcium carbonate, zinc, magnesium, etc., contained in these fruits and vegtables will be more effective than any other source… including supplements.

  48. Oh dear, this article is a complete load of hooey on 10 out of 10.

    1. 1 lemon wedge is only 6% of your rda of vitamin c. Not particularly high at all. You would need to drink 17 cups of lemon water to achieve your rda. One lemon wedge has 10mg (VERY low) of potassium. The RDA of potassium is 3500mg. You would need to drink 35 cups of lemon water to get just 1% of the rda for potassium.
    2. Your body’s/blood’s ph does not fluctuate based on what you eat. The whole idea is complete and total hokum made up by fraudsters in order to sell useless crap to gullible people.
    3. Lemons may be high in fiber, but that only helps you if you eat the fiber. Sipping just the juice does not increase your fiber intake one iota.
    4. Sipping lemon water doesn’t do diddley for your digestion besides help you hydrate. Your liver produces bile to digest fats, not fruit juice.
    5. All fruit juices are mildly diuretic. Drinking hot water is mildly diuretic. The whole “flushing toxins” thing is bullcrap, but if you really feel a need to “flush” your system, what you need to drink is just water.
    6. Lemon wedges, as stated before, are low in vitamin c, so any desired skin effects are not from lemon wedges. Drinking lemon water doesn’t do diddleysquat to your blood, and anyone that says it does is full of crap.
    7. Putting acidic foods in your mouth and gargling with them does indeed seem to help gingivitis. Any acidic drink would work, though. Vinegar or white wine also works.
    8. While warm lemon water might be slightly soothing to the throat, there is NO evidence that it does anything at all for relieving asthma.
    9. Once again, nope. Lemon water is NOT “chock full” of vitamin c. See number 1.
    10. Drinking anything other than coffee helps kick the coffee habit.

    The only thing of value here is the second tip. Grinding lemons in your garbage disposal does deodorize it.

    1. Hi Meg,

      I was wondering when the RDA was changed from 99 mgs to 3500 mgs? To my knowledge it has not been changed as they have no idea as to how much the body
      requires to function in a healthy manner. At least that is what they said.

      Have you done special studies on the benefits of lemons? If so, I would like to know more about what you have learned.

      Thanks in advance ~

      1. Hi Nightwind,
        99mg is not, nor has it ever been the Recommended Daily Allowance of potassium. That number (99) just represents the maximum dosage allowed by the FDA for multivitamin supplements in the U.S.

        I’m not sure what “they” you are talking about, because actual scientists and doctors and real nutritionists do, actually, know how much potassium the body requires to function in a healthy manner. Anyone that tells you 99mg, is obviously not in that group.

        1. Hi again,

          Interesting. Please let me know where you are getting your information? I would really like to follow that up. And also your knowledge on your studies of the
          acid/alkaline qualities of the lemon. The newer RDI is based on the old RDA and they have changed it to 4700 mgs daily. When I spoke with them some years back, I was told 99 at that time. And so it followed that it would be on the ingredient labels.
          Would you share concerning my questions last time?
          Thank you ~

          1. If I may, the amount of Vitamin C, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc, Magnesium, etc., does not mean anything anymore! It is the EFFECTIVENESS of these minerals, creating the vitamin potency, that tells the story! The effectiveness of the small amount of potassium in a glass of lemon water is much more effective than a handful of potassium supplements. The same is true with all minerals from any natually balanced source. It would take about four hours to explain this well enough for everyone to “get it”.

            TIP OF THE DAY: When considering your health, DO NOT BOIL WATER, DRINK “PURIFIED”, REVERSE OSMOSIS, DISTILLED WATER OR OTHER SOFTENED WATER! Use only tap water… preferably filtered with only a carbon filter. You MUST have the naturally active and balanced minerals contained in the water for proper effectiveness.

            If you TRUELY understood the role of the water molecule, as nature intended, you would then understand everything!

          2. Yes you are right, Mr. Water! I agree. . . right now I am using carbon filtered tap water.

    2. Sorry for another comment, but I wish to add one point that may help. There are two fibers to consider in your diet. The term “fiber” is usually thought of in the form we can easily imagine in our minds… a coarse material that will not completely break down during digestion… therefore, cleaning the walls of the intestine. But, our foods also provide us with “dietary fiber”, which are micro or nano sized particles that are absorbed into the blood system and into the blood cells that will clean blood cells and arteries of nutralized toxic waste. All fruits and vegtables, rasins and all citric fruit for instance, are great sources of dietary fiber! Unprocessed whole oats is high in fiber and is also a good source for dietary fiber… which all can lead to balancing out any problems you may have with cholestrol or diabetis!

    3. Meg, how do I explain the total absence of the multiple kidney stones that were in my kidneys just 5 months ago? I’ve had kidney stone “procedures” several times. After the last time my doctor said to drink lemon water every day. I don’t enjoy those kidney stone procedures, so I did exactly what he said to do. Now he sees NO stones whatsoever. The only thing I did differenly is drink lemon water. Is there any other explanation for this miracle? I do feel it’s a miracle!

  49. Although scientist can’t seem to explain why, it is known that citric acid becomes alkaline as soon as it is absorbed into a blood cell in animals… yet, it does not change when absorbed into plant cells or inorganic minerals. For this reason, I personally wouldn’t give much concern to the question of tooth decay due to this daily use. However, I would not have the same level of optimism when drinking too much more or in cold water. What the lemon is REALLY doing is making the water in your cup more absorbable and allowing for a much higher absorption of the minerals in the water! For this reason, I believe, a person using bottled (reverse osmosis treated or purified) will receive much less benefit than one using good ole’ tap water. Also, NEVER BOIL WATER that is going to be consumed!!! When you bring water to a boil (big bubbles) you release all of the electrons, which provide you with -H ions. These are the ANTIOXIDANTS that allow for proper absorption of all minerals. Letting the water cool will not change the damage done, and your food will give up much of its antioxidant values to correct the water damage, using up vital nutritional values and thier enegies. Our bodies have gone from 80% water content (1966) down to 67% (2006), and will be found to be the major cause for all illnesses due to the weakening of the immune system… among many more problems on this planet. Remember… your food is hot enough without bringing the water to a boil (212 degrees).

  50. Hi Mr Water…

    When you refer to good ol’ tap water…are you referring to the fluoride tap water provided by the city/town, or are you speaking of deep well water?
    I agree with you concerning not boiling the water…unless of course it is contaminated and there are no available ways to purify it. The same with microwaving it, and anything else as well. Also on not drinking cold water since it has been found to slow peristalsis.
    Are you familiar with Dr. Emoto’s findings with water?
    That is interesting where you mentioned body water content going from 80 percent down to 67 percent. I would like to follow that up if you would share your source, please.
    I have found that hydrating the body eases or eliminates a great deal of problems that we experience.

    1. Sorry I have taken so long to reply… holidays are finally over!!!

      Understand, my knowledge comes from many different sources over a period of 30 years. I have no formal education in nutrition or physics. Yet, when I have been “brought to bear” of my “theories” by those with creditials, they are the ones going “Oh, yeah. That makes sense.”

      I will tell you, I have had the fortunate opportunity of learning about nutrition from some people that cured terminally ill cancer patients, diebetics, those with MS, and the list goes on. From this knowledge, I helped a 72 year old man waiting to get called for a heart-lung transplant, cancel the proceedure, and was jogging 5 miles each day, within 8 weeks of following my suggested therapy. I am real happy how this turned out.

      In 1988, I was informed of what changes the water on Earth was going through… the whats, whens, wheres, and hows. I was told the scientific research and the answer of how to correct this problem. From understanding how the water is corrected in nature, I understand the “how” and “why” nutrients… and many other things… are absorbed, disolved, and attracted at the atomic or nano level.

      At that time, I was told of a water treatment system (only kitchen sink filter at the time) was developed to repair water exactly the same way as nature does it. Through this, I now, market a whole house system that returns the city or well water to its intended ANTIOXIDANT value… still containing all the mineral content needed to support life…. and will compete with any water softener system available!

      You see, when the minerals are naturally balanced via absorption into plants, the minerals will not cause scale build up in pipes, hot water tanks, or fixtures… nor will these minerals cause kidney and gall stones, or build up in the arteries! And, most important, a warm ten minute shower or bath will hydrate your body more than 8 glasses of this same water…. more than 12 glasses of the best water you now have available! This water is the SAME as glacier ice melt water… tested by a field water inspector for the USGS.

      Didn’t mean to get into a “sales pitch”, but this is my passion.

      1. One more note. This water kills HARMFUL germs, parasites, viruses, etc., on contact! This is accomplished due to the increased antioxidant value. Therefore, there is never a need to boil water… when it is correctly balanced. Water, in its naturally balanced and antioxidant values exist, is our source for natural antibiotics, deodorizer, cleansing, and proper hydration.

        I am in no way a fan of chlorine being added to our water. But, because humans like to think for themselves… and nobody understood how to correct water… chlorine is used, because the antioxidant value became too low to nutralize these harmful contaminates of all of Earth’s water supply. Any carbon filter will remove chlorine. As far a flouride… this should not be allowed to come into contact with any animal on Earth…. period!!! Our system will remove or destroy this and nitrates as well.

      2. Hey Mr water, that was a crap sales pitch because you haven’t told us the name of this water filter system. I want one….

  51. If you’re concerned about the lemon water eroding your enamel, (which is a *very* real concern,) using a straw will keep some of the lemon water off your teeth & help with the issue. I recommend using a straw to drink anything acidic & to drink soda, (even diet,) the carbonation can also erode your enamel.

    1. Just in response to your suggestion of drinking with a straw – even carbonated beverages – since you are health and wellness conscious, I would invite you to go to You Tube and type in Why Diet Sodas Make you Fat (comes up as Do Diet Sodas Cause Weight Gain) – and there will be lots of information about why drinking carbonated beverages in any form is so detrimental to one’s health – their digestion, their absorption of nutrients and the deterioration of their bones – really informative about why we should be alkaline and not acidic –

  52. I would never recommend drinking plain tap water…so use a filtered pitcher or install one on your faucet first. If still concerned about the flouride that does nothing to improve your health then the substitute would be alkaline water which in that case you would not need lemons. Though you would not want to drink too much alkaline water so you will need a quality filtered source even still. Not to mention alkaline water is more expensive.

    1. TAP WATER IS THE VERY BEST.. PERIOD! If you are concerned for your health, only whole water… all the minerals available… will provide. You are following what seems right…. because, on the surface, it does. But, alklalyn minerals are much more effective when carried and absorbed with their less alkalyn (more acidic) minerals.

      Basically, when the acidic minerals are removed, the alkalyn minerals are less effective, making your attempt to be only less acidic… not more alkalyn as you would assume. Yet, it sounds the same, doesn’t it?

      By intaking more alkalyn without the acidic value present… and intended by nature… you are throwing off your body’s overall balance. You are providing an overwhelming amount of alkalyn base to your acidic digestive tract… which will throw everything out of whack! Such is why one having bouts of indegestion, slightly bleeding ulcers, and acid reflux, should increase their use of red pepper, jalapeneo peppers, or take capcicum capsules. After about two weeks, these symptoms will be gone!

      Seems strange… but true!

  53. I drink 2 t. unfiltered apple cider vinegar with 1/2 t. honey in hot water first thing in the morning. My mother turned me on to this and she just had her 91st birthday in great health. I believe it has some of the same benefits as the lemon water? When I have a sore or irritated throat I drink lemon water and also add it to hot herbal tea. It is very soothing. Thanks for sharing those 10 reasons – they are very helpful.

  54. My urologist recommended drinking lemon water and increasing consumption of citrus fruits in general to help dissolve kidney stones and prevent formation of new stones.

    1. Right On! Understand, it is not the acid of the citrus fruit desolving the kidney stones, it is the fact that the acidic value allows for higher absorption, carrying its balance of calciums, which actually do the desolving of the calcium make up of the kidney stones.

      Just be sure you are only drinking water from a tap. Drinking reverse osmosis, purified, or distilled water will greatly reduce the effectiveness of this treatment.

  55. Ellen P: Oh, yes, definitely agree with you on this. Carbonated beverages aren’t good for really anything other than the “yum” factor. I’ve been a die-hard soda addict for years and after I had my daughter I ballooned up to 240 pounds. I was MISERABLE…. and really huge. It’s sad because I look at baby pictures of my daughter with me holding her and while, yes, I do have those warm fuzzy feelings of nostalgia, I also inwardly cringe whenever I see myself in them. 🙁 What I ended up doing was switching over to PEPSI ONE, (no, I’m not recommending this,) for … oh, gee, maybe six months? I lost maybe ten pounds or so. Then I started cutting other things out of my week-to-week diet… A pint of Swiss Ice Cream a week? (Yeah, I really was eating one, sometimes two a week.) More weight came off… I got down to about 190… Huzzah! Then I cut out diet soda completely. I lost twenty freaking pounds. TWENTY pounds of soda weight! Even diet. Ridiculous.

    1. I kid you not, I just researched Diet Coke, because I drink too much of it (one a day – I know, it’s terrible) so am writing a post about this very topic, though won’t finish until after the holidays. Soda and diet soda is SO BAD for you on a number of levels. It’s fascinating that you lost 20 lbs after cutting out Pepsi One! Good for you. I read two theories on this – one is that diet soda makes you retain water and the second is that it makes you crave sugar, and people eat more of it because of the diet soda. Which do you think it was, if either?

  56. La Jolla Mom: I think it is a lot more insidious than that… Yes, it does make you retain water, it also gives you, (or at least me,) terrible dry mouth, leading to… you guessed it!, drinking more diet soda. I’m back on the diet soda again, (Coke Zero since I can’t find Pepsi One,) after a year of drinking regular soda and getting back up to 200 pounds. (Again. *sigh*) There are a *lot* of chemicals in diet soda that do weird mysterious things to the brain centers which process things like satiety, thirst levels and the pleasure centers that light up when you eat. Since diet soda depletes your ability to retain and process nutrients it’s more likely for you to overeat which combined with the mental falsity that “I’ve been so good, I can eat this cookie,” can be totally devastating to a diet. No one just eats *one* cookie, you know? I have found that switching to diet soft drinks is a good way to wean myself off soft drinks when I’ve fallen back off the wagon because I don’t really care for the taste of them the way that I enjoy fully-caloric sodas. In that case, I do enjoy the little 7.5 ounce cans, for that reason. The reason I think that I lost that weight had as much to do with cutting soda out of my diet, (I calculated it up at one point and came to the conclusion that I was carrying about 30 pounds worth of Coca-Cola a year in me… mostly around my belly,) as it did with getting finally completely and utterly fed up with being 240 pounds at five foot eight… just hauling myself around was completely exhausting. The Pepsi One gave me insane amounts of energy… it seems like (at least, I) metabolize diet sodas differently … without the sugar the caffeine is much more intense. (Maybe because there isn’t a “sugar crash,” involved.) I definitely think there is some funny science involved in the way that diet colas are made & how our bodies process them. Some of the newer sugar substitutes are being found in research currently being done that they’re so similar to the real thing your body is actually tricked into thinking that it *is* the real thing, making you gain weight accordingly… CRAZY! I don’t think a “one-a-day” plan is really that awful. Seriously, though, I’d use a straw if you are going to drink it, even without the sugar the carbonation is hell on your teeth. We’re all only human… the only animal that will purposefully do things that are bad for ourselves 😉

  57. Be careful with the diet sodas, especially those with Aspartame. There are a lot of symptoms involved with Aspartame poisoning. I had a stroke almost 2 years ago. About 9 months after, I was doing well and planning on going back to work in Jan. Suddenly, I got most of my symptoms back (muscle weakness, dizziness, vision, etc…). It took me until April to see that what I had was Aspartame poisoning (I went back on Aspartame big about November). I stopped it totally for 3 days and improved almost 80-90%!!!
    Look it up and just be careful. The stroke, apparently, changed my metabolism as I never had symptoms quite that serious before. I use Splenda now (better for me, and, no, not saying one is better than the other!).

    1. Scott, have you tried Stevia? Something a bit more natural for the body. Splenda has its own issues…. been there, done that!

  58. For #7, just brush your teeth AFTER. Chewable Vitamin C has the same issues, as do most sports drinks and vitamin waters. You should always brush after coating your teeth in acidic foods! 🙂 Or at least chew sugarless gum with xylitol after.

  59. The cold water shocks the digestive system and slows down digestion.
    Always drink room temperature liquids or hot ones.

  60. Actually, it is a chemical reaction lemon has when heated (to boiling) that really activates its powerful resource, synepherine. Ask any chemist, like my Dad, he’ll tell you.

  61. So when I started this a month ago I was told it was alright to use lemon juice as long as it was organic. Now I’m being told that you have to use only freshly squeezed lemons, anyone know which is true. I read the label on the organic lemon juice and it was pure nothing added and I always keep it in the fridge after I open it.

  62. I have been doing a half a lemon in 16-20 oz of water twice a day for over a week now. I had not been to the dentist in over 12 years. Went two days ago and had not cavities and only localized gingivitis. The lemon water really works as long as you water it down and brush with a good fluoride free toothpaste. I use Tom’s Propolis and Myrrh. I am also on a special diet reducing or eliminating fiber, carbs, sugar, red meat, and dairy. I have also reduced the use of nuts and beans since I have a long list of health probs. Red meat and dairy produce a lot of bad bacteria in my gut making allergies and eczema worse. Beans and nuts can carry fungi. Once my colon is clean and my beneficial bacteria restored I can start back eating some of the other foods, but I still won’t be able to eat meat and potatoes together (they putrefy and create a large amount of bacteria) or sugar (feeds yeast). I also drink a tablespoon of organic extra virgin coconut oil in a tea cup of nondairy milk. It’s also good for the teeth. Also gargling or taking some extra virgin olive oil helps too. Hope this helps someone else.

    1. Read these articles too:

      http://phbalance.wikispaces.com/Lemons+Alkaline%3F
      http://www.livestrong.com/article/488395-does-lemon-juice-alkalinize-the-blood/

  63. Hi LaJolla Mom! Great article. I’m wondering if there would be any benefit to squeezing the lemon juice into hot green tea without any sugar-I’m such a fan of green tea, after water it’s usually my go-to drink in the morning if I just can’t fathom having any coffee yet and I try to put as little sugar in it as possible-or would it just be better to drink the lemon water first and then follow up with tea-Any thoughts?

    1. GREAT question. I do not know the answer but I’m hoping that someone will stop by and give us some feedback?

      1. It has been found by scientist, mixing or blending any two or more foods of great antioxidant value, will enhance the overall value much more than the intake of those same items and quantities separately. Therefore, you are doing yourself good!

      2. Putting lemon or lime juice in your green tea without sugar is perfect. Cut the lime/lemon in half and squeeze a table spoon (or depending on the amount of hot water) or more yu can even drop the skin in the water too.

  64. Many years ago, a co-worker got me hooked on lemon water. I mentioned I was having trouble drinking as much water as I should during the day, and somedays not at all. Joan told me that she drank twice as much water throughout the day when she added lemon slices, compared to plain water. She was right! I drink it tepid, though—not hot. It is refreshing winter or summer, not to mention the other health benefits.

  65. This has become my new routine. I missed it this morning due to leaving my lemon at home and I’m feeling the difference. I miss my lemon water!

  66. This is what the older folks from Jamaica (where I’m from) especially in the country used ot drink before breakfast or go to the fields. My mother used to drink it and I used to as a matter of fact I still do at times especially in my tea I use lime or lemon. The hot water is used as a cleanser and to break the gas from the stomach.

  67. i started to drink Lemon juice on an empty stomach before i read this article. I noticed wheight loss but didnt know its related to Lemon..
    Now i change to got Lemon with a bit of Honey… and drink afterwards 1 glass of water to get rid of the bitter taste

  68. If the only thing that worries you about this is the citric acid may erode your tooth enamel you should drink the lemon water down through a straw so that it barely comes into contact with your teeth. This is a secret many models and movie stars use when drinking tea. coffee, red wine or anything that may stain their perfectly manufactured smiles.

    With all the claimed benefits I wouldn’t worry about the enamel eroding effects – just don’t swill it around your mouth like mouthwash every time you drink it.

    Regards
    tICG

  69. I just started drinking lemon water in the morning, so it’s too soon to tell, but it’s not so bad! However the cleanse I am doing (Clean, by Dr. Junger) recommends room-temperature water. I have heard Deepak Chopra also recommend room-temp water in the morning. I dunno, I just do what the experts tell me! 🙂

      1. The book said you can just use a wedge per glass of water you drink (like 1/8 of a lemon). I usually use 1/4th or a 1/2, but I drink a pint glass of water 🙂

        1. Thanks for getting back to me. I put like 1/4 in a 24 oz. I drink 3 a day x 5 day’s. I weighed myself on Monday, i am going to see where my weight is a month from now. Plus i joined the gym.

          1. Good luck! I am also trying to lose weight before summer :-P. Here is a website that got me started – even if you don’t strictly follow the cleanse, there are some really good recipes that you can incorporate into your diet:
            http://www.goop.com/newsletter/15/en

          2. Thank you, it’s so hard to loose weight when you get older and going through the change. I am trying my best to. Thanks for the website i will check it out. Good luck to you as well..

          3. Wow what an interesting website. A different way of eating healthy and detoxing. Have you tried any of the meals yet?

          4. Dollie – I made the carrot ginger dressing, and it is awesome! I have some pretty rank breath though after I eat it – not sure if it’s from the shallots in the dressing or the raw red onions in the salad. It must be good for you though! I also tried the smoothies, they are good and surprisingly filling.

  70. Hi all, i have to say i am intrigued by what a little lemon can do for the human body. I stated reading up on a lot of different sites on how good the lemon is for, for all of us. Including pregnant woman. I started to drink lemon this am, i used like a 1/4 in an 24 oz water bottle and it was pretty tasty. Now my other question is how many times do i put it in my water? I drink 3 24 oz of water at work 5 days a week. I drink plan water while at the gym. Should i change that? Would like some input?
    I enjoyed reading what everyone has posted here.. Will keep you posted on my lemon adventure!!

  71. Hi, I’ve been drinking lemon water for a week now, and my skin hasn’t noticeably changed. I like the routine, and think it’s a great way to start the day, but I’m a bit disappointed it hasn’t helped my skin. I’ve been keeping a healthy diet full of vegetables and fruits, and have kept away from sugary snacks. But still, I get sometimes painful acne. Several months ago, it did visibly clear, but that was back when I had time to run every single day. Any advice? I use a Clinique facewash that does dry out my skin, but I use a pretty good moisturizer. Anyway, based on what I’ve read about people enjoying the benefits of lemon for your skin, I guess I will just stick with it, but I am a tad disheartened… Any advice?

    1. Hi, Sumire, I didn’t write this article, but I wanted to mention that if you’re using a facial cleanser that leaves your face feeling tight or dry, you might want to consider another cleanser… When you were running you probably sweated a lot, keeping your pores on your face open… maybe an exfoliating cleanser, (I like Neutrogena Visibly Even foaming cleanser *a lot*,) then a lighter moisturizer.

    2. Hi Sumire, a friend of mine has really bad acne. He uses lemons on his face. It took a good couple of weeks before he saw anything. It does work he said so give it a little more time and see. I know everyone is different. I started drinking the lemon water last week and i’m not as bloated as i was. I drink 3 24 oz of lemon water during the day. I really haven’t seen a difference in my skin yet, but i moisturize after each shower. I don’t have acne on my face but it seems to be softer tho. I use Nivia on my face. It’s the only thing that controls the dryness from winter. I pretty much us it year round. You will find what works for you. Good luck..

      1. Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately, as far as cleansers go, I’ve been all over the map. My skin is hyper sensitive, so I think I’ll stick to the one I’m using. I hear changing cleansers can irritate the skin, and although it might be better in the long run, I don’t want to risk the chance it will be worse. Clinique isn’t too drying, it’s only in the winter that I notice my skin flaking a bit. Anyway, back to the lemons, I think I’m starting to notice a difference in my skin 🙂 I ate chocolate the other day, so pretty much instant breakout as always (I can’t help it, I love chocolate 🙁 ) But it’s not too bad of a breakout, and I think the rate of improvement has increased. Yay lemons!

        1. Hi Sumire! This might sound crazy, but I have fallen in love with Mary Kay. I use the Timewise, but I heard they’re coming out with a new “natural” line. I don’t know, I use the firming eye cream, and it makes such a huge difference. I just turned 30, and people who didn’t know my age were shocked – they thought I was like 24-25.

          I used to get breakouts right between my eyes (third eye, Aaaagh!), and it dried those up too.

          Just a thought 🙂

          Good luck!

        2. Hi Sumire. Your skin sounds like mine. I, too, was all over the map with my skin care and kept trying different products to combat breakouts which made my skin even more sensitive and reactive.
          Just my two cents: You may want to consider switching your cleanser to a more gentle one. Drying out your skin and then adding back in moisture may be disruptive to your skin’s balance. When I stopped doing this last year, I saw better results than ever before.
          I’ve found that it takes a few weeks for your skin to adjust to a new system, whether internal or external, and then a few more weeks to actually see results. Patience is key 🙂

          1. Hi Julia,

            I’ve actually tried gentle cleansers before, at least four of them. I’ve had problem skin for about 5 years now (I’m 21) so I’ve literally tried everything by now. I don’t have the type of acne that covers a whole area with little pimples, just usually have 3-8 pimples ranging in painfulness/size, mostly around my mouth and forehead. Anyway, I just tried switching to a cleanser without any acne treating agents, and had very bad results after two weeks. I really don’t want to go down that path again, so I switched back a couple days ago (Clinique) and my skin is already ‘better’. An update on the lemon water, I stopped applying topically for a while there because I got small bumps right under my eye and was worried it was irritating my skin. I started again after the bumps went away, but am making sure to dilute the lemon juice a bit more. Did anyone else have this happen? The bumps may have been related to stress too, but I’m pretty sure the lemon had something to do with it… I’m no stranger to stress.

        3. Hi Sumir, we have to use what ever works for us right? I’m not much of a Chocolate person. I really don’t break out at all never did. One good thing for me..lol.. I can feel the difference in how soft my skin is. I am with Heidiliz on the Mary Kaye i love and use most of there products. I haven’t tried the new natural line yet. But i will. I turned 51 in September and i have been told i look early 40’s love it!!!
          Back to the lemons i have noticed i have lost in the stomach area, i wish i had measured myself when i started drinking the lemon water. Just curious.. I really think it works and it taste good!!

  72. I have been drinking lemon and water for about a month now. I had watched my older Chinese friends always have hot water with meals. Then I had read an article on lemon and water being beneficial. It so works for me.
    I needed to cleanse my liver of drugs I was taking after surgery and it worked. I find it easy to just put the lemon in a mug and press the Keurig coffee pot for a cup of hot water.
    ENJOY.

  73. If you’re worried about your tooth enamel, you should consider drinking it through a straw, that also goes for anything that might stain your teeth like tea or coffee. I know it seems weird to drink a hot beverage through a straw, but it will really help your teeth! 🙂

  74. I was introduced to the benefits of lemon water by a friend and started drinking warm lemon water in the mornings about a month ago.

    Before I started with the lemon water, I had two places on my arm that looked like mosquito bites. This was in December. The bites were swollen, itchy and I would find myself waking up scratching them and just making them worse. Then I started getting more red “bites” and my face even started to get places—which is really unusual for me. Now, I do have keratosis pilaris, but this did not look the same.

    I said all that to get to this—when I started drinking the lemon water, I really did start to feel better. I no longer felt sluggish, but had more energy. In the meantime, the giant red bumps have spread on both arms, along my upper back, face and tops of thighs!

    After freaking out a bit, talking to my friend, who also spoke to her doctor, the thought was that maybe the toxins in my body were being released through my skin and this was the effect of the lemon water cleansing my system.

    I had a follow-up with OB/GYN and just mentioned it to him and showed him my arms, gave him the back story and he though it could be staph infection from mosquito bites and that most likely coincidental about the lemon water–though he did not completely rule it out.

    So, I have stopped the lemon water for about a week, still have the red bumps, though they do not seem to be spreading any more and are starting to heal up a bit. I want to start the lemon water again to see if the bumps starting spreading again so I can make a proper connection.

    But, I am going to go see regular doctor about the staph, because that is not something to mess with and we are going on 2 months of this. I want to clarify what is causing the breakouts so I can know how to properly treat them.

    Have any of you had your body “detox” through the skin like this? Is it a legitimate possibility? I have done research and found some information about it, but not enough to feel confident that this is what I am experiencing.

    I appreciate everyone’s input, experiences and information. Very valuable site full of useful info from knowledgeable and helpful people!

    1. MY MOUTH LITERALLY DROPPED WHEN I CAME ACROSS YOUR POST!
      all i can say is YES YES YES YES YES YES YES! this has happened to me also!!! i started to drink lemon water every single day for about a month. then all of a sudden i had spots, big red sore dots, pop up in different places. i ignored them for awhile, and convinced myself they were just the occasional bad pimple… but then….they started to change in appearance so i brought myself up to the doctor! LOW AND BEHOLD…..i had a growing staph infection ALSO!! never in a million years would i have thought of something as simple as lemon water causing this????!?! thankyou for opening my eyes. i MUST be “detoxing” through my skin also. i will have to ask my doctor and get back with you!

  75. When I stopped drinking carbonated drinks and went to drinking straight water; it started getting boring. Im so happy that I started adding lemons to it because I feel so much healthier. Now I am overly happy to know all of the benefits that I have been getting from it from the past year!(:

  76. This is just an awesome blog, Can you please suggest what is the right time to take lemon water – Is is before going to GYM or after the workout. Thanks for sharing.

  77. Drinking hot lemon water in the morning kick-starts your kidneys and aids your liver in bile production and elimination; it can be sweetened with stevia extract and drank with a straw to prevent tooth enamel damage. Drinking this twice a day, once upon rising and once after dinner can aid your body in flushing out unwanted toxins.

  78. Hi everyone!
    i have start doing the lemon and warm water in the morning for the past 6 months and it has done miracle for me. My breakouts have been reduce by almost 95%, and i dont know if thats the reason why it disappear or not but my athlete foot fungus has disappeared as well. I use a whole lemon or lime, and i add sometimes a teaspoon of unfiltered organic Honey with 8oz of water. i drink it at least half hour before my breakfast. Sometimes i rub a little of the the lemon/lime juice or oil from the lemon/lime skin to my face for 5 minutes before hitting the shower or washing it off with warm water.

  79. Thanks for the info. Also to reduce decay of teeth try drinking it with a straw and most of it will miss your teeth. I also heard that drinking cold water burns more calories. Don’t know if this is true or not.

  80. I’ve seen most of u guys drinking lemon water at certain time, like morning, or before bed. I started drinking lemon water last week an im consuming 2 whole lemon in 3 liters of waters ( amount for 1 day) and drink it through out the day everyday. Any comment on this?

  81. Found this on a website…maybe it helps:

    “Very cold water can over stimulate the kidneys. Choose warm or hot water drinks, such as hot water and lemon, for easier digestion.”

    Read more: How to Drink Hot Water With Lemon | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5553331_drink-hot-water-lemon.html#ixzz1noVZV2MV

  82. Whats the best way to drink lemon water if you want to lose weight quickly? Like how much lemon juice should I use or about how much lemon water should I drink in a day?

  83. I’ve been drinking the warm water and lemon juice for a week now. I love it. But I’ve been having nausea in the pm for the past couple of days and feel tired. Is it a side effect?

  84. Lemon water also significantly reduces muscle soreness after you exercise. Squeeze one lemon into about 10 oz. of water and drink it. It doesn’t taste great but it works! I would say that my muscle soreness is decreased at least by half. You can drink it after you excersize to greatly reduce muscle soreness and at least make it hardly noticeable, or if you excersize and are sore the next day it will usually clear up the pain completely the next day. It is absolutely amazing!

  85. I have been drinking lemon water for nearly two weeks. So far I havent noticed any speed in my metabolism or weight loss *but*

    I have suffered from adult acne for four years. I was on medication and creams and alot of awful corrosive medicines that I hated taking. But after starting lemon water – my face has cleared up! I stopped taking my meds a week ago (usually this would cause a break out) and i’m flawless. This is a routine for life!

  86. At the start of the week I squeeze about 6 lemons add raw honey and store in fridge. When I get up I have my coffee. I mix water and my lemon/honey mixture together and through out the day… this has my drink for the past two weeks. I have been drinking it cold or room temp… is this okay?

  87. I have been doing this for about a week now and it has changed my taste buds so i do not want any sweet drinks anymore. I tried to drink some sweetened tea the other day but it was way to sweet so it probably helps cut back on sweet drinks too!

  88. Great benefits! I’ve been drinking a huge cup of warm water and 1/2 lemon juice every morning (sometimes i add 1 tsp of honey) since the past 6 months. The benefits of this are amazing. My skin is a lot smoother and acne free and slightly glowy! I used to have acne but now its simply gone. Also once or twice a week i take 1/2 of the lemon and rub it all over my face and neck and leave it there either overnight or for 3 to 4 hours. After washing my face, it absolutely feels and looks fresher and cleaner:). Other people have also noticed and asked me what i do to have glowy and smooth skin:)

    I’ve also lost 30 lbs in the past 6 months but not purely because of having warm lemon water, but it has helped my metabolism and my energy to do all sorts of activities throughout the day. I have it with a balanced diet. I have at least 2-3 cups every day.

    The only bad thing about this is, as a lot of people above me have shown concern over this fact, is that my front 2 teeth look slightly rounder from the sides.. so I’ve noticed some erosion. I also drink diet coke so that could also be causing it.

    But now I cannot go through a single day without having this drink. Plus its better than all the sugary stuff I used to drink every day.

    Happy lemon juicing:-)

    1. Phosphoric acid is used in soda, it can cause tooth erosion in a lot of people. My niece did a science project on it. If you put a rusty nail on coke it will eventually dissolve the rust just think what it does to your bones and teeth.

  89. To Ayesha,

    I do the same thing with the lemon as a facial scrub. I also put a little shredded fresh ginger in the lemon. I use a glass/heavy plastic straw when I drink my lemon honey water every day. I also use raw honey not the commercial manufactured stuff. But I now crave this drink. I use 1 lemon a day I let it sit in hot water (it helps extract more juice), squeeze the juice out then take the lemon rind into the shower and scrub my face with them. If I want to clean the shower that morning I put some coarse salt in the lemon after i wash my face I use it on the shower and tub it comes out great, i then take the lemon and put down my garbage disposal. 🙂 I love lemons.

  90. I think drinking the lemon water warm or room temp something about drinking the water cold is “harsh” or harder on your system, so drinking warm water is digested easier and less of a jolt to your system. something like that. Also, I do soak my lemon in hot water before I cut it to juice it. It makes a huge difference how much juice I get out of 1 lemon.

  91. La Jolla, I use a glass/heavy plastic straw and I try to avoid my front teeth. I spoke with my dentist as well he didnt seemed to concerned once I mentioned I use the straw to drink my yummy lemon water.

  92. You are suppossed to use 1/8 of a lemon or a wedge. It’s suppossed to be as warm as you can stand it when you are drinking it. If it was cold it would be too much of a “shock” to your body. From what I’ve read, since your diluting the lemon, it’s not bad on your teeth. Of course, you would never want to drink straight lemon juice.

    I have been doing this regime for over a month now and I cannot tell you enough how amazing it has been for me. Every benefit on this list is one I’ve experienced and I wake up craving the stuff!!!

    I couldn’t be happier to have found this.

  93. I have been drinking lemon water throughout the day for about 8 months. I use juice from 1/8 of a lemon in a pint glass…I have an average of 4-6 pints throughout the day. I saw my dentist when I was several months in, and she wasn’t concerned. She said my enamel looked fine. I will see her again in another month or so. I’ll give an update then as it sounds like I may be consuming more of this than the majority of people who posted. Great forum La Jolla Mom! I’m glad I came across this!

    1. I just wanted to follow up…I just got back from my dentist appointment. She looked at my teeth very carefully and did not see any enamel erosion. She gave me green light to keep doing what I’m doing.

  94. I make a pitcher of ice water with 2 lemons and drink it all day. I usually drink around 2 qts. daily factoring in the ice that melts. I was so addicted to soft drinks, tea & coffee before but I crave water now and don’t drink anything else except for a morning cup of coffee just because I like it.
    I feel much better…lighter and healthier now.

  95. I have just started this too. I put it in my drinking water throughout te day however these lemons give me gas, but my digestive system kick started. After constant trouble with constipation, and with the added lemon I am easily getting 2-3 liters of water a day which usually I never really drink water because it just is not fun to drink. I squeezed all my lemons into a little bottle and poor about 2 table spoons into one 750 ml bottle of water and have tp three of those in a day, might reduce it to 1 tablespoon instead.

  96. I’ve started doing the lemon in water thing, except I buy a lemon in the morning and use the whole thing over the day (in the recommended 8 glasses of water a day) is this right? or should I only being adding the lemon to one of my 8 glasses of water a day?

    1. I don’t think it matters. The main reason I began using lemon in my water was the taste factor, then I began to feel the benefits from the lemons. As I said in my previous post, I just make a pitcher of water with a couple of lemons squeezed in & by the end of the day I’ve managed my 2 liter intake of water and feel good. Keep it simple. 🙂

  97. I have been drinking Lemon water for a about 8 months and I cut a whole lemon into 4 wedges and put it in my water I cant drink it hot so I drink it in Ice water 2 of the peices in about a 10oz cup per day also at night. I used to weigh 215 now im at 175 .So yes it does help but I also did the HCG diet( awful) . But now I cant drink soda or anything else because I feel horrible after. I love lemons

  98. It is part of the 17 day diet routine. I started doing it 4 days ago. In 3 days I’ve lost 6.9 pounds, so that made me happy. I like that there are other benefits too. I had not thought about it, but I am not craving coffee. I take my medications with it, and I notice that if I don’t swallow right away, it does start to dissolve my pills almost immediately. I don’t htink doing it all day would be good for your teeth. You would be constantly bathing them in the acid, but to kickstart my metabolism & kick the coffee habit, it sure works. Oh, I use a tablesppon & a half of Real Lemon in the green bottle. It’s the same as 1/2 a lemon.

  99. Hello lajollamom and all,

    An hour ago I happened upon your website. LOVE it.

    Years ago, I practiced yoga with an eighty-seven year old, wonderful teacher. She, in her wisdom, would give us an uplifting talk at the end of each class, about her life, and what she’d learned from her adventures. Rene had traveled extensively, and through her travels met her spiritual teacher in Katmandu, Nepal. He’d advised her to drink lemon juice (from a fresh organic lemon, sans peel) and warm water, first thing every morning. She’d told us of the numerous benefits of doing so, and one of which was the cleansing of the body. To this day I miss her classes, especially her wisdom and wonderful heart.

    I’ve been thinking on & off of starting a blog, and after the experience of writing this and some other pieces on the web , something inside me is letting me know, this is exactly what I should be doing with my life. 🙂 This is exciting!

  100. Thank you for your advice… I will try to have a cup of hot water with lemon every morning… but will use a straw when drinking… cos am also worried about my enamel… Take care x

  101. I’ve always heard in Chinese medicine, that sugar lowers one immune system. I’m a sugar addict, so I have to really watch my intake of it, because it makes me want more and more. Some things she taught me:

    To eat fruit when I crave something sweet
    Never drink ice cold liquids – room temperature or warm is better. Warm is best for when one is ill. Remember, how our moms always told us to bundle up when sick? Chinese medicine also says this, so that you get hot enough to break your fever. It’s especially important to cover up one’s ankles, chest, neck area, and feet.

    When I have a cold, I drink warm water w/ fresh organic lemon, fresh organic ginger and some unfiltered, organic honey. The ginger boosts one’s immune system, helps a sore throat and tummy. Organic unfiltered honey boosts one’s immune system. Most honey that is sold is not even real honey. Google it and see…

    Always use the juice from a real lemon, not lemon juice from a bottle. You want it to be organic and as fresh as possible.

    Oops, I guess I got a bit off subject. 😉

  102. I just read this and its very interesting. However at the end it say – This is my bowl of lemons in my Tiffany Atlas bowl, which will be empty by the end of the week.
    If you are only using 1/8 of a lemon every day for your morning drink, you are only using i whole lemon and 1/8th of a lemon. Not all those lemons in your bowl. Unless you are making it for more than yourself…

    1. Sorry, yes, we go through tons of lemons in this house. My husband drinks lemon water and I use it in salad dressing. 🙂

  103. I’d forgotten to mention that the reason Chinese medicine says to drink warm fluids and foods while sick, is because it’s warming you up from the inside, which is just as important as warming yourself up from the outside (by bundling up).

  104. Hello I am 34 male and recently started drinking fresh lemon diluted in water with my weight close to 200 I use 1 whole lemon an 16 onces of water it has helped me reduce my swollen knees and ankles. I love it it’s a wonder fruit and I feel like I can do regular things again like walk , climb stairs and normal things a guy my age should be able to do. I’m definitely hooked now and will continue to drink lemon water for the duration of my life. Hope this helps anyone dealing with my issues.

    1. Hi Tony,

      Good work! One step at a time, I am struggling with joint issues and having an office job where I sit all freakin day, I feel how swollen my legs are by noon. Drinking the lemon water is a great start to getting active and healthy again.

  105. I love this site. I learnt a lot and I do eat lemons. With the issue of damage to teeth, yes I agree, I learnt about it too. I am a Registered Nutritionist. If you do take care for your teeth as stated in other comments and eat foods rich in nutrients required to strengthen teeth, to protect them and to prevent or repair damaged enamels, you can continue to enjoy consumption of lemons for good. Nutrients that are important are Magnesium, fluoride, calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, this nutrients are available in foods such as fish, carrots, spinach, green leaf vegetables, dairy products like milk, yogurt, etc, daily intake of this foods is very essential and some of people have benefited a lot from these foods without knowing or being aware. These foods also prevent or improve bone conditions such as osteoporosis.

  106. Lemon water is really great. I have tried it myself and it really works. I had the lemon water twice daily (one in the morning and another at night) and in 3 months time the 10 reasons that you have mentioned really took effect. I just love it 🙂

  107. Why not drink the lemon water through a straw? This would eliminate the concern over your teeth.

  108. I don’t know how to go a morning without lemon water. I do, however, still love my coffee (organic only). Maybe some day that will stop. Thanks.

  109. Sorry – think you should read this in the Herald today – there are no scientific benefits for it – is totally in your head people…
    What’s all the fuss about lemon in water?
    By Nicky Park
    12:35 PM Thursday May 24, 2012

    There’s mixed views on the benefit of warm water with lemon.

    A glass of warm water with lemon has become part of my morning routine. It’s something I sip as I get ready for work. I like the zesty taste, it warms me up and I have been led to believe that it’s good for my insides.

    But a piece I wrote recently about becoming a morning person got me thinking about this commonly held health habit. So I decided to dig a little deeper, and I’ve sussed it out from a number of perspectives:

    What the Ayurvedic doctor says:

    First I went back to Dr Ajit Singh since he was the health professional who gave me the advice. According to his ancient Indian healing methods, the morning drink should consist of half a teaspoon of ginger, half a teaspoon of honey and half a tablespoon of lemon juice. “The purpose of this is to expel the toxins that are building up in our gut area,” he says. “The ginger acts as a scraper, the lemon acts as a flusher and honey acts as a binder.

    Article continues below

    This helps to clean up our gut before we start our eating.” He said the “toxins” are collected from the food eaten the night before, when the metabolic process slows down. He says it’s the sour taste of lemon that is doing all the work. He says sourness is a stimulant that makes the absorption process more effective, and triggers the secretion of enzymes and acid which helps the metabolic function operate at optimum state.

    What the dietitian says:

    Dietitian Sarah Hanrahan from the the NZ Nutrition Foundation says there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that lemon juice in the morning has any advantage. “The real benefit would be is that it’s quite a nice refreshing drink,” Hanrahan says. “Sometimes a hot drink in the morning makes you feel better… and drinking that kind of drink, it doesn’t have lots of things that you might want to avoid.” So there’s no harm in the morning brew. She said there might be something in the pectin in lemon peel that is good for the gut, but this couldn’t come from floating lemon peel in warm water. The best way to get your digestive system in peak performance is by eating whole foods, regular meals packed with fibre and fluid. The best thing about getting in to eating habits is that you instinctively cut back on fats and sugars. Lemon juice is a good source of vitamin C, but the whole fruit is better than the juice. Like anything, you can overdo it, and in excess it can actually cause digestive problems, Hanrhan says, although “you’d be hard pushed to eat enough to do that”.

    What the dentist says:

    Chief of the NZ Dental Association, Dr David Crum, says adding a squeeze of lemon juice to warm water in the morning spells danger for your teeth. “Lemons are acidic. Lemons dissolve teeth. This has the potential of severely eroding teeth,” Dr Crum said. Using acidic mouth rinses daily also presents a high risk of making your teeth sensitive to cold food and drinks, he said. “This idea is a bit of a lemon to me.”

    When it comes to health and wellbeing I think it’s best to be informed and make decisions that work for you. I will be sticking to my morning drink for now, but it might not be for everyone.

    Follow Nicky Park on Twitter.

  110. I have been silently following this line for all 200+ comments.
    I don’t know if lemon water does all that you have spoken of and don’t care much as far as the negatives are concerned.

    The whole reason I am commenting is to say two things:
    1) Years ago, the official record for the mile was right at 3:00 (perhaps, a second or two over). Studies were done and the scientific community officially stated that it was humanly “impossible” for a person to run a mile in under 3 minutes. They “proved” it with tests and stated that the human physiology was not capable of faster speeds. Then, once, one person broke that record by several seconds. Within a year, more than six others had bested the 3:00 mark. Science is not always correct.
    As a teacher, I often told my students that Science is always “Best Guess”. It’s the best we know based on our “facts”. The world is flat; heavier than air travel is impossible; flying to the moon? Lemon water does not hurt…it may help —- point 2.
    2) It may all be in our heads. So? Even if it is all in our heads, if it works, wonderful. People need to know that our mind is a powerful thing. Perhaps, in some instances, we need to let the mind take care of the problem; it may do a better job than any of us really think. I believe the mind can heal the body. I know it does; I have seen it and I have done it myself. You think lemon water is helpful? Good – keep using it if it works for you.

    1. I was just about to respond by saying everything you mentioned in 2! If you believe (which I do) that it works then so be it!

  111. Shoo! This site seemed to have turned into a fighting ring. There are professional who comment in this site; instead of trying to help, some are just going side ways and being arrogant. Some of people are saying things from experience and instead of striking them with offensive words, we are supposed to have good approach since learning is life time thing. We don’t know everything. Even those who taught us, they do not know everything. New discoveries are underway. Instead of saying arrogantly saying something is wrong, why don’t we propose for a research and have this hypothesis tested. If we are not ready for a research, we just have to be nice to each other. The word Generalist doesn’t exist, so there is no Generalist in this world.

  112. I just started drinking lemon water 3 days ago, and now have a rash/small bumps on my face. I havent used or eaten anything different except the lemon water. Has this happened to anyone else? I dont get it cuz everything ive read says ita aupposed to help clear your skin, but I am obviously hving a reaction to it. B ummer, guess ill have to stop. 🙁

    1. Hi glamtamsd, I guess it is common. When I first started (the first few weeks) I too experienced few small red bumps on my skin. I also experienced thin layer of skin peeling off at my lip and bowel movement in the morning was smooth and the quantity were lot more then before. These only happened to me for around 3 weeks then my skin/face start to have glow and skin tone become fairer. I guess those 3 weeks were some sort of detoxification period. So my advice is that you must drink lots of water during the day so that the toxic can be “flush” out.

  113. Concerning the teeth enamel issue, I normally prepare my lemon water, pour it in a squize – bottle and drink it on my way to school. Is it ok. . .?

  114. I’m an RN and sometimes I have to give patients oral medications that can color or stain teeth. Solution? Easy, use a straw and bypass contact with teeth.

  115. So many people on here seem to be concerned about the effects of lemon juice on enamel, but the simple fact is… Deluted Lemon juice is no worse for your teeth than soda, orange juice, ect.

    I have been drinking lemon water twice a day for 3 years, and my teeth are perfect. No damage done to my enamel at all! When I was younger I would actually just eat whole lemons as much as I could everyday and even then there wasn’t any effect on my teeth. But that’s probably because I didn’t drink sodas or anything else considered acidic.

    So don’t worry about it. Just try to eleminate other foods that are acidic and your teeth will be fine!

  116. I stop at sonics every morning on my way to work and order a Route44 water with lemon for $.65, and I see and feel the effects. I have kicked the coffee, my skin looks so much healthier, my hair is even healthier looking, my appetite has drastically decreased and I actually crave water now rather than sodas etc…….loving the results from drinking water with lemon!!!

  117. Neurologist is weaning me out of a medication and into another. Taking two meds at once, full dosage until body gets used to it before being weaned out again, was taking a toll on my life (waking up late, drowsy, zoned out…etc). As soon as I started drinking 1/2 lemon with water one hr b4 eating, my days completly improved. I now dont spend my days sleeping, can concentrate therefore able to work. I feel completely free. I wish I had done this for the last 35 yrs! Beleive me …it works!

  118. Can lemon water cause my legs to be sore, taking it for about 14 days now, and my legs hurt as if I have been doing work outs.

  119. Have you thought that perhaps your legs are now getting enough blood flow and they feel like you´ve been working out? That is a good pain.

  120. Just a tip, if your’re worried about teeth enamel erosion. Invest in some straws to drink from. Helps protect the teeth. 🙂

    I heard about drinking warm lemon water on the “today” show several months back. As soon as my hubby and I began this early morning regimen, we felt an instant boost in ur mood and energy! What a nice kick start to your day. We see other added benefits as well.

  121. I have been drinking lemon water for years! Great aid to digestion as well as some of the other things you mentioned. I actually juice a lot of lemons and keep it in the fridge so I can make fresh lemonade in my water bottles… I sweeten it with stevia and it is delicious! Thanks for the post! 🙂

  122. I have been 1/2 freshly squeezed lime every morning and get the same results as other testimonies have had with lemons.

  123. A comment about lemon water – I used to have lemon water whenever possible – until recently. With some gastroesophageal issues rearing up (pain in getting food down – especially grains, breads, even fruit at times), I had an endoscopy – where my doctor found some scar tissue in my esophagus from previous digestive problems. He suggested some food limitations – tomatoes, fried foods, chocolates = as well as citrus – oranges, grapefruits, lemons. I hated to give up my lemons in water – but since I have stopped having lemon in my water, my discomfort issues have been minimized. So if you have any discomfort getting food down – stop the lemon water for a while and see if it’s better. I believe the lemon water irritated my esophagus so when I ate other food, I had discomfort and pain. Anyone else having this issue?

  124. I have been doing this every morning as habit for a while now. 🙂
    I found about all the overall health benefits lemon juice a good time ago and it really does wonders!! All of the above.. It’s a great cure for hangovers ha..
    The tooth enamel damage from the acidity I am also slightly worried about but I drink it with a straw whenever I can – minimizes the contact to your teeth, it’s good to keep that in mind with any carbonated and dark colored beverages to avoid staining – I even drink coffee with a straw..
    Whenever I’ve previously tried to put all three crucial factors of weight management into place – diet, exercise and very importantly (but commonly disregarded) BEHAVIORAL habits, and still felt there was some sort of deceptive visible excess – you put this practice into place and somehow I feel almost immediately slimmer or the results actually show, I guess it’s flushing out what I assume to be fluid retention to have caused the bloated appearance. It’s such a great all-rounder for everything and so easily available everyone should really incorporate it into their diet. As for the temperature of water with the lemon juice, I think the warmer/hot suggestion would have to do with the thermal effect to your body in aiding absorption and accelerating the function of your digestive system

  125. I have been drinking lemon water for about three days. I consume 1/2 a lemon a day, in 32oz cup. I feel like I got diarrhea, no red bumps whatsoever… I think it depends on who you are. I’m giving this conconction a while longer… I really want to lose the 50lbs around my belly… alas I keep eating like a junkie. LOL.

    People say it’s stress… well, yolo.

    My daily routine:
    Wake up in the morning feeling like I’m skinny.
    Going to work, drinking my lemon water…
    Going on my break, eating a small salad…
    Coming home drinking my lemon water…
    Sitting on the couch watching discovery channel,
    and eating a burger with hot french fries.
    then taking a shower at 8 at night…
    and sleep, thinking when I’ll be losing some weight!!

    Does anyone have any suggestions for weightloss?

  126. I have been taking Spirulina tablets with plain water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning for the past 10+years now. I am wondering if I can take them with lemon water instead . You know, sometimes mixing 2 good things may cause adverse reaction. Just wondering 🙂

  127. Weight loss is a rather objective formula of calories in, calories out. On calories in, it’s all a matter of shortfall or surplus to the daily number your body needs for fuel AND in how those calories are constituted, are you giving yourself the greatest advantages possibles when it comes to maintaining a high metabolic rate and low fat stores, etc. With calories out, you can help yourself to the extent your body requires more fuel (calories burned) in order to make it through the day. Within the question of how to burn that fuel there are all sorts of possibilities, but I would advise keep it simple, achievable and effective. For example – running for 30 minutes a day rather than walking for an hour or so – the walking would be a far more effective calorie-burning complement to a smarter balance of protein/carbs/low fat and smaller/more portions throughout the day to promote a steady burn. The run might elevate heart rate and get a nice boost of serotonin, but a longer brisk walk will actually facilitate fat burning and weight loss.

    After injuring my hip/leg coaching soccer, I gained weight from a combined lack of activity and deterioration in diet. Last year, I made a New Year’s resolution that took me from a bad place of an all-time 267 to under 225 (I’m 6′ 3″) by July. 1. Smaller portions – no gorging, leave something on the plate, 2. Only grilled at the drive-thru and NO french fries EVER 3. Special K for breakfast, 4. 1 Iced coffee in the car – nothing else from Dunkin Donuts, 5. Treating myself is for the weekends (Take o t, etc.).

    I modified my habits in ways that were simple, achievable and effective. I didn’t even workout – not one crunch (I do coach every day). I tell people that I really everyone needs to take their unique circumstances into account in order to truly manage and achieve the weight loss in a way that isn’t temporary. “Diet” means so many different things, weight loss is about change and first and foremost, lifestyle change.

    Good luck!

  128. does it have to only be in the morning. i have a gallon jug i drink out of i have put lemon into it. I feel its helping but i don’t know, its only been day one

  129. OOOH LORD! some people tell me eating 5 times a day and no breads or sodas or sugar can help me loose weight so i guess i’ll give it a try. and eating cactus leaf, helps loose weight is that true?? eating it 2 a day. also adding cayenne peper??

  130. Weight loss is a very simple thing if you have relevant resources. I suggest that you visit a Dietician or a Nutritionist for this. They know how to assess you, how to design a suitable healthy diet and make life style changes to help you achieve your goals. The way I see it, people are putting themselves into a risk of poor nutritional status by eating once a day or eating unbalanced diet hoping that they ll lose weight and this is due to lack of knowledge.

  131. Do you just drink the juice directly from the lemon or do you mix it with warm water then drink?

  132. Warm or Cold water: the truth of the matter is why you are drinking the water to begin with. Cold water is meant for hydration and Warm water is great as a filler.. in between meals or before a meal.

  133. Been drinking lemon water for nigh-on 20 years now. Usually a small cup (about 20mgs) twice daily. It’s SO refreshing. My body, no in fact, my SOUL has been purified each time. And I repeat, I REPEAT, always keep your slippers on when drinking it, some of you will know what I mean about that 🙂

  134. The reason why they don’t want the water to be either extremely cold or extremely hot is because it damages your stomach lining. Especially after exercising, ice cold water takes longer to digest therefore takes longer to hydrate you. You wanna drink room temperature or cool water so you can digest it faster and therefore become hydrated.

  135. Hi there! I am glad I came across this website, as a friend of mine suggested the lemon water thing for me and I at first questioned it but after reading all these comments and the 10 things at the top, I figure I might as well give it a try.

    So I just go to the store and buy some REAL lemons and then go home and squeeze a little bit of lemon into some warm/cool water? Also, should I squeeze the lemon juice into a cup of water from the sink(tap water) or squeeze it into a water bottle? Another thing, how do I know how much lemon juice I am squeezing into the water? Do I just make an estimate?

    I’m pretty sure my questions are common sense, but sometimes the easiest questions have the hardest answers. Thanks!

  136. I started drinking Lemon water every morning, cold or warm! as i have suffered from chin acne for years. After about a week, seriously, 1 week, my chin was clear. Now i drink it all the time. The taste takes a while to get used to, but the benefits are worth it. Brilliant Lemons 🙂

  137. A chinese doctor told me to drink lemon water (two lemons) in a cup of warm water with honey in the morning. I have a lot of acid in my body and am taking nexium medication every night. I have a probem with very slow digestion and am nauesa most of the time. I also have to have an enema because I cannot have a normal bowel movement. The doctor said this would do the trick. I’ve been to so many doctors and had so many tests!
    I would appreciate any comments. Thanks.

  138. It doesn’t matter hot or cold water my doctor says…and he is a weight loss physician as well as my family doc. I use lemon in many things…caesar salad with a tad of dressing, with my whiskey sours, eat it plain, and lemon water every day. You can use lemon in your soft drinks. When I am sick…I boil them use the juice..add honey and a shot of jack Daniels..wrap myself in a hot blanket from the dryer and sweat the cold out. It helps immensely. To each your own. Lemons are great.

  139. To reduce the harmful effects of the acid on your teeth, DO NOT brush your teeth until 1/2 hour after you are done. The acid softens your enamel on the surface, and of you brush immediately after, the soft enamel with get scrubbed off even with a soft toothbrush. You should swish your mouth out with plain water or even mouthwash, if you prefer, but brush only after a half hour, when the enamel hardens again. I drink mine vet very strong; 2 whole lemons with a lemon juicer, 10 oz of water, and 1/2 teaspoon of organic raw sugar. Yum 🙂

  140. I have recently started trying to drink a lot more water each day.
    After a few days though my water was getting so boring. I started adding lemon wedges to it to make me feel like my drink was more exciting. I’ve been drinking it cold though, as it is in the 100’s all day every day and I want my drinks to be refreshing.
    I have noticed that I have been going to the bathroom more (as opposed to the plain water) also I have been patiently waiting for it to also start helping my acne. I have just read that lemon juice can be applied topically too ( like what you mentioned in #6) and starting tonight I am applying it topically. I hope it clears up!

  141. Since my Kidney removal last February 2011, I’ve been doing this more regular and have notice that within 30 minutes to an hour I have a bowel movement. It does not matter if I use 2 tbs or 1/2 or the whole lemon.

    I now have one kidney since last year, February 2011 and my concern is it helping or harming my other kidney? I sometimes put Canine pepper, honey and olive oil in my lemon water too. Since reading most of the comments below I am going to ask my dentist too if the acid is harming my teeth because within the last month or so, I feel a sensation on one of my tooth that I recently had a root canal done. Love reading all the comments.

  142. Nice blog right here! Additionally your web site loads up very fast! What web host are you the use of? Can I am getting your associate link on your host? I desire my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol

  143. I did it for the first time today! It tasted horrible, but my mind feels very great? It’s pretty amazing already.

  144. I have read many concerns about teeth when drinking lemon water. What I do is I drink another cup of plain water after the lemon juice . I think it actually helps to wash away the lemon juice on your teeth as well as rinse the throat as lemon juice is acidic until it reaches our stomach. There you go, I think this should address many of your concerns 🙂

  145. Your body enters an acidic state at night time (also while exercising) so it’s really beneficial to alkalinize with lemon water in the AM. Make sure your water isn’t too hot, it may hurt the antioxidants and whatever is heat sensitive in lemons. – Sam

  146. lemons are best, since last 2 months i m taking lemon water every day in morning….in a normal water not hot nor cold…. initially there was a great result, even most of the time i was having gastric porblems which have been solved, but again it has started.. what should i do…should i take in hot water????

  147. This really great. A squirt of lemon juice in warm water can make the day. It also helps to fight the cold. vitamin C is so important us.Everyone try to take some lemon with warm water in the morning. This will definitely help. Thanks La Jolla Mom for a nice article.

  148. did really lemon & luke water works for reducing weight?very tensed…pls suggest me.did it have bad effect on teeth??

  149. Hi guys
    If I use half a lemon and put the other half in the fridge to be used the next morning, will the other half be equally as effective?

  150. If you want to use as a weight loss agent I would put it in Ice cold water because it takes more calories to digest cold food because your body has to warm it up first…In order to use more calories with it being hot I would imagine the drink would have to be hotter than our own body heat which is 98 degrees..I don’t think anybody should put anything that hot in their mouths…J\s

  151. I love drinking lemon water! I drink every morning an hour before I eat breakfast! For breakfast I eat nothing but fruit! Sometimes I’ll eat a a cup of cantaloupe and a handful of grapes or ill eat 1½ to 2 oranges! Doesn’t matter what you eat as long as its fruit or atleast something healthy! You should NEVER add sugar to your lemon water! If you drink tea you shouldn’t mix it! Drink the lemon water then wait atleast 30 mind and then drink the tea! If the taste is too bitter for you, you can always add a teaspoon of honey to it! You can also massage fresh lemon juice on to your scars, freckles, and even stretch marks before bed, to lighten or even remove them! Just be sure rinse off in the morning with cool water! NEVER go outside during the day with lemon juice on your skin! For more info on all the great things lemon can do visit my blog by clicking on my name!

  152. I only drink lemon water every couple of months for two weeks at a time. What I noticed was that I loose a couple inches off my waist line every time I do!! Love that!!!

  153. I have been using lemons in the morning for over a year now and have not had a cold or flu this whole time, and I work closely 5 days a week with little children. My sinus’ are better, too! I use one whole lemon with very warm water and I don’t worry too much about the dentist. I would encourage everyone to use lemon but don’t put slices in your water unless you wash the lemon before using.

  154. Hi
    I also love my hot lemon water in the morning! I will try the cardamom (and cinnamon) since I have same Vata Pitta imbalance and I know cinnamon is so good for us. I add 1/2 packet of truvia to juice of 1/2 lemon then add the hot water. I need it a bit sweet and was advised to do this by nutritionist (because I was having trouble getting it down without!) Anyhow, drinking it leaves my whole body feeling cleaner and I can see the clarity in my face too. Remember it takes 21 days to form a habit! Onward!
    Liz

  155. I scrubbed the lemon with salt before I use them, I squeezed the juice into water and drink it, then I soak the peel in a jar of water and drink it throughout the day 🙂

  156. I have a suggestion if you’re worried about wearing away tooth enamel… if you drink it through a straw, you’ll decrease the contact with your actual teeth, so there’s less of a worry. Just a thought. 🙂

    Great article, super helpful! I had no idea about most of these things, I was just curious as to whether or not it would help my acne!

  157. Hi Jolla Mom – with regards to the water being warm I was recommended to drink only warm drinks, as it helps the body’s digestion of fat somehow. Apparently it is a Japanese thing and I’m not sure if it has weight to it but worth researching, perhaps?

  158. Hi, I have the opposite problem of constipation and wanting to lose weight.
    My stomach gets upset with anything warm/hot in it so have to wait for all meals to cool down.
    I only drink water (cold).
    My question is: if I add freshly squeezed lemon to some water in the morning (will try it tepid rather than cold), will it add to my problem of visiting the toilet often in the morning.?
    I am just getting over candida and am trying everything to get my digestive tract back into order!

      1. Hi, thanks for the suggestion. I discovered cocnut oil 6 months ago and include it mostly all meals.
        When you say a cocnut oil detox, what exactly do you mean by that?
        I am very underweight and am desperate to put weight on somehow, any suggstions?

  159. I just got through doing a liver cleanse, which was great! And I heard that drinking lemon water every morning is good for the liver, thats what led me to this sight. To answer your question about why the water needs to be warm, is probably because cold water freezes your liver.

  160. as far as enamel of teeth erosion is concerned to counter act that just rince your mouth with warm water after your wonderful healthy healing lemon/lime juice drink.

  161. The last 2 days I have been filling 2 jug full of water with one small lemon and I have seen really great results of cleansing out my body . However I’m concerned about how the acid of the lemon can affect the teeth? Is it bad to drink 2 liters of lemon water a day (water is chilled)? I’m actually quite enjoying it mixing it up with mint leaves and apples .

  162. this is a vey effective method to lose weight .i lost 48 pounds…. you can check it out on my facebook account , in the photos section in an album called mobile uploads or you can contact me … my facebook id is kamlesh.loyolean.2011

  163. Hi! I’ve been drinking this hot water lemon in the morning for about couple of weeks now! I’m just wondering! if it can cure my bad breath as well?? or any suggestions please!!

  164. I just started drinking lemon water it’s a little getting used to but I’m already feeling more energize. Also, I drink with a straw to help prevent the acid in the lemon from eroding my tooth enamel.

  165. I have been drinking lemon water off and on for at least a year maybe two? When I first started drinking half a lemon in a bottle of water directly I did notice increased sensitivity in my teeth immediately within approx a week. As soon as I started drinking through a straw it went away. I feel the lemon water helps curb my appetite a bit and I also believe drinking my lemon water through pregnancy helped me to not get much swelling not have any morning sickness and control heartburn quite a bit also no constipation which is common in pregnancy too. I am currently pregnant again and thankfully haven’t had any morning sickness again as of yet (I’m only 7 weeks right now)

  166. I posted a few months ago how I´ve benefited right away from the lemon drink in the AM (while I am intransition to a new meds which will take a yr)
    , I will now try it at night as well and see if it helps with my snoring. 🙂

  167. Was curious as to why I’ve read comments about people kicking coffee….from what I’ve read I am lead to believe that coffee is good for you.
    I know this is a forum about lemon and H2O but was curious as to why people were happy about kicking the coffee habit.

  168. I am normally a heavy drinker and I have been giving alcohol a miss for OcSober and I have found that lemon water has stopped the cravings. I was at a party with an open bar and it felt like nothing could quench my thirst. I got a water and they had a couple of slices of lemon in it and bingo, I didn’t even feel like a drink. I have been doing this for 25 days now and I am almost at the finish line and I am not stressed at all and have decided now to take it all the way to Christmas. I have room temperture water (I live in a warn climate) with 2 or 3 thick slices of lemon in it. I bash lemons around with a spoon and drink up to 3 glasses of water a day this way.

  169. Jeff…I feel the same way. This site is about lemons…too much repetition on coffee desintox, straw protecting enamel (ppl make an effort and READ past comments). Lets hear some new advantages!!!!

    1. Krish,
      I started drinking 2-3 12 oz. glasses of lemon water about 3 months ago. My goal was not to lose weight, as at that time I did not know there was a weight loss advantage to drinking it. About a month after I started drinking it I noticed my slacks had some room in them. Another month later and my pants were falling off and I dropped a size. I use fresh large lemons, about 1/4 lemon in a glass of water, add 1 packet of Stevia and some ice cubes and I use a spoon to get all of the pulp in the glass with the juice. I am amazed at the effects lemon water is having on me. I have NO gallbladder and therefore had loose or off bowel episodes, which could come on very suddenly. I went to my Mom’s house yesterday and got on the scales – I dropped 10 pounds in two months and my poo episodes are perfectly normal now. I am totally amazed at the power of a fresh lemon now and I intend to make it a part of my dietary regimen for the rest of my life. Start drinking it and watch what will happen in a few short months.

  170. I haven´t lost a pound! However, I drink if for different benefits so I am not strict with my diet or gym. I guess I would if I did.

  171. Thanks lajolla mom for such an informative blog. I’ve read all the comments and other than 0.1 percentage with negative opinions, everyone else is positive which is a good thing.

  172. Wow! La Jolla Mom, I am feeling GREAT and light. Since I started drinking lemon water, I find it comforting. I have one glass on my desk and feel like going on throughout the day.
    I am definitely certain that I will loose weight and that it will also help on my blood pressure.

    Regards

  173. Thanks for the info here. It helped to answer all my questions about lemon water especially why lemons don’t increase the acidity in your body. I never realized that they are alkaline. I assumed the citric acid made them acidic. Anyways, quite helpful. Cheers! Antonio.

  174. I had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome after 6 different
    Doctors all said I had to get a hysterectomy due to fibroids bleeding.
    They also removed my ovaries as they said that after cutting off the
    Uterus, the ovaries will go black and get cancerous due to
    Lack of blood supply. After the surgery, I went in a tailspin and
    Became hypothryoid, lost bone mass, put on 40lbs, and felt
    Worse everyday and developed candida yeast infection. I started
    Feeling better after getting bio-identical hormones and cut off
    Cereal and milk breakfast and started having an egg breakfast
    With sea salt. The salt was missing for my diet as I was cutting back
    On table salt as I was putting on too much weight. Since that day
    I have been sleeping better so less tired and my fibromyalgia pain
    Diminished in one year when none of the meds worked. Also I started
    Being careful about what I ate, and have given up white sugar and
    Flour foods. Then as is relevant to this article, I started squeezing a lime
    And added a qtr tsp of baking soda to it on an empty stomach first
    Thing in the morning and now my yeast infection is almost
    Gone. When I don’t have limes or time, I mix 2 tbsp of ACV apple
    Cider vinegar with a qtr tsp of baking soda and drink this instead,
    For a while I was doing it with a straw as I was worried about my
    Teeth but I always follow the above with a half a glass of water (you
    Can dilute the ACV mixture with more water but I prefer lesser
    Quantity then gulping water after.

    In the past two years I have lost thirty pounds and have started to
    Feel a lot better than right after my energy. Now I have also started
    Taking iodine and this is boosting my energy since the past four
    Months when my weight loss accelerated. I still have very low
    Energy and metabolism due to the surgical removal of my hormones
    But now my body seems to be making its own hormones from the
    Iodine, the natural progesterone and estradiol I have been supplementing
    And taking a lot of vitamins but NO synthetic meds in the last four
    Years! Yay! I have saved myself and humanity a lot of money by staying
    Away from docs and their false recommendations. Although I do believe
    Docs save lives everyday in emergency and accident situations but they
    Are not able to heal and have very little knowledge about real health.

    We can all save on medical costs and insurance profiting by taking back
    Health into our own hands as has been the norm in the past millenia in
    China, India, Japan and Native America where the healing is all balanced
    By using natural herbs, spices and substances from mother earth and
    Using exercise, meditation, and good ethics to heal and balance the
    Body, Mind and Soul!

    Thanks for listening! Blessings and prayers for everyone!

    1. thanks the information was very informative. You are right it is time for people to take back caring for themselves and nature has many means for improving our health if we but take charge. The medical practice is just that a practice and we are the ones who suffer from all their learning. Will start the lemon in room temp water today…I wish myself the best.

  175. This tastes unbearably disgusting for me…
    Is it still as healthy if I add honey or does that reduce the natural goodness??

  176. Adding honey is even better as it is very soothing and calming to the body. I squeeze half a lime in warm hot water and add two tsp of honey and sip before breakfast and usually have another of this lime-honey tea during the day and I love it! Of course, you can also use lemons.

  177. I started drinking lemon water regularly about 4 months ago. I love it! At first, I could hardly tolerate the taste, and the lukewarm water was off putting to. Now, I find that I really crave it. I will sometimes wake up in the middle of the night just dying to have some and I can’t sleep until I do. I go through so many lemons…

    In order to help lessen the enamel erosion, drink it with a straw.

  178. i want to start drinking lemon water asap because of its many benefits but i am slim and so DO NOT WANT TO LOOSE ANY WEIGHT infact i would really love to add some more, is there any way i can take lemon water without losing weight?

    1. lemon water might stimulate things that cause weight loss but it will not directly cause you to lose weight. have a good nutritious breakfast after the lemon water, maybe include some high caloric foods like peanut butter and eggs

  179. The reason for the hot water is for the spleen. Cold liquids are irritating to the spleen. A hot breakfast in the morning between 7 and 11 am (according to Traditional Chinese Medicine) helps the spleen and stomach fuel the body for the day. Cold liquids in the morning are not good for the body. If you juice, that’s fine. Just don’t do smoothies (because of the ice) and make sure the fruit is at room temperature. Too much cold over time it can make it harder for the spleen to spread nutrition to different parts of the body.

  180. RACHEL, dont worry of loosing weight. I haven´t even though I keep up my exercise programm (though not strict on my diet). Try it and feel the benefits!

  181. This is something few people know but recently i was diagnosed with low grade collitis which in case anyone didnt know is an imbalance of your acic/ alkaline levels which can and does play havoc with peoples lives .The problems experienced are minor to outright mayhem as this disease affects the inner lining of the sufferers bowel or colon hence the name COLLITIS . I found ihad a very active bowel which can see you visiting the toilet up to every half an hour and that is low grade so you can begin to understand the impact of this illness in high grade patients .I learned of the mechanics of this condition through the internet and decided to try taking one full lemon with water as the very first thing that i ingest at the beginning of each day and GUESS WHAT ..bowel is normal moving once a day or at most twice ,it has been an amazing discovery for me as i did not want to be taking drugs as my only course of treatment as i have heard to many sad storys about long term drug affects on the body .All i can say is thankyou to the internet and of course mother nature herself ….hoping these few lines grow into thousands and help many ,grant.

  182. So today is my first day trying the lemon water. I really want to continue to usr it but, it feels as if it’s burning the lining of my stomach. Am I using to much lemon ???

    1. it does not much of a difference to take lemon with cold water. the only known factor is that, when you intake cold water, you might be burning more calories than you do with warm or hot water. Reason being that, when the water is cold, the body uses stored energy or fats to warm it up does burning calories,about 50 calories per liter intake.

  183. Some benefit if you have boiled your water prior to chilling as this would purify it somewhat..thats my method anyway !!

  184. I have been doing a lemon cleanse. It begins with juice from one lemon on the first day, two on the second….and 13 on the 13th day. I am on day 13 this morning. on the 14th day, you go in reverse, with the juice from 12, 11 on the 15th day, and down to 1 on the 25th day. I was told by a shamanic healer that this is powerful for people who had cancer and want to prevent recurrence. At first I drank the juice straight, but found that nearly unbearable, so I mixed it with warm water. Today, I mixed the 16 oz.s of lemon juice into two 32 oz water bottles. Even that is not easy. Any thoughts?

  185. I definately recomend it. I have been starting my day with warm lemon water for about a month now and I can feel a huge difference. Not only health wise but I have been getting good luck all month. I believe it balances my energy vibration and hightens it. It is magical. Do it do it do it.

  186. I have been drinking lemon juice daily. Somedays when I feel my stomach is empty when I wake up, I don’t drink cos it makes my stomach over empty and I get some dizzy feeling. Mostly I take 4-5 days a week as first thing in the morning . It makes my skin more clearer and more brighter. I love it except for the more citrus taste it gives me as soon as I wake up.

  187. I realize this says to drink warm water with lemon, but I put a slice of lemon in my water bottle and drink it all day! I drink it through a straw as well. It definitely helps any tummy troubles or digestive issues and generally it makes me feel just fine! (:

  188. Awesome tips !!

    Im not sure if anyone has mentioned this , but therapeutic grade Lemon Essential Oil can be added to warm water and taken internally and offers all of the benefits you have listed… AND because its not acidic, will not harm your teeth, as many people seem to be concerned about.

    Its totally safe, and its a favorite of mine… extremely economical… I buy a bottle which holds 300 drops for 10.50 and you only use 1-3 drops each time… Its incredible !

    Whenever I start to feel like Im getting sick… I grab my Lemon… it also has natural antidepressant properties, digestive benefits, and help the body detox by breaking down petrochemicals in the body.

    😀

  189. Started doing this before I found this link. I use the Realemon concentrated 100% lemon juice with hot water. Can this be considered the same and give the same benefits as fresh lemons, or at least close to?????

  190. The first thing I drink in the morning is 16oz bottled water with one freshly squeezed lemon and stevia to desired sweetness and i drink it within 20 minutes of squeezing the lemon. I read somewhere you get the best nutrients from a fresh lemon by intaking it within the twenty minutes of cutting it open. Therefore I drink it on my way to work. I’ve been doing this for 2 weeks now and I feel great. I love coffee but it no longer gives me that kick I need in the morning. My lemon water does. I have asthma and sinus allergies and I’ve always had this mucus blockage in my throat that I try to cough up but never can. After the first week drinking the lemon water…it’s gone! I don’t feel blotted anymore . Infact my tummy feels and looks flatter . I’m excited to see if I can go 12 months without a bladder infection…my body loves to give me a bladder infection atleast once a year…hate it…and hopefully soon I’ll see a difference in my skin problems. I’ll get back to you on this. I just wanted toxins out of my body and I’ve never felt this way with just drinking water . Detoxification is my main reason why I’ve started this routine and I’m very pleased with how I feel and the unexpected flatter tummy was a great bonus! Oh I almost forgot, I don’t have to have that cup of joe to start my day. I’ll have my foo foo flavored coffee as a dessert now. I’m a bit concerned about my teeth so I’m trying to remember to rinse out my mouth once I get to work.

  191. Taffy, like you, I am an asthmatic ,
    Every morning i cut half a lemon into few thin slice and put this into a cup then pour warm water into it, leaving this for about 10 minutes, drink this.
    i have not seen any improvement in the asthma and the bloated stomach.
    Where did I go wrong. kindly explain

    1. Maybe you need to squeeze the juice out and add to warm water – seems like slices will not give you the same benefit

  192. I am confused why slices of lemon wouldn’t be the same… I just started drinking hot lemon water and I’ve been putting 2-3 slices in the hot water then muddling them with my spoon as it steeps… Wouldn’t the oils on the peel be beneficial as well? Or should it be juice only? Thank you, and great article and discussion.

  193. I have been having half a squeezed lemon in a pint of luke warm water for the past ten years.I then dont have anything for around an hour afterwards. I used to suffer from bad acid, but I have never had a problem since I started taking the lemon. I didnt used to like it but now its the best drink of the day.

  194. H i have come across this and i can say that it is great but for the lemon when you cut a slice of it off and then what to to with the rest well do not throw it away,

    once you have your lemons then slice them into 8 slices 1 for each morning or even 2 slices depends on how you like your lemon water.

    once you have sliced them up then place the slices of lemon that you want for next time, place them in a plastic container and put them in the freezer, each morning when you want your lemon water boil the kettle, get 1 or 2 slices of lemon from your freezer and put them in the cup and pour over the boiled water and let it stand for a few minutes until it has cooled and then the lemon would have infused into the water, Enjoy

    Thanks for Reading

  195. The website Livestrong suggests that the warm water or water closer to our body tempurature actually helps the lemon absorb better. I didn’t read all the comments but I just read your article, as I was wondering how much lemon to use in each glass. I am drinking it because it was recommended in ayurveda. When I looked up my dosha, it advised my dosha type to stay away from potatoes and tomatoes, and wouldn’t you know that those things cause me to actually gain weight. Changing my diet to ayurveda, ditching sugar, refined grains (flour, gluten) and processed foods has helped me feel so much better, I have lost the bloated all the time feeling, I can now actually sleep better and my sex drive has improved ten fold.

  196. Hi, all..
    I have a few questions for this lemon water.
    How much lemon should you put in your water? Does it matter if it’s lemon slices or you have to squeeze out the juice?
    I’m planning to drink a glass of lemon water in the AM and then bring a bottle of water with lemon slices in it to work. Is that okay or maybe too much lemon for a day?

  197. Lina, I had to do some digging myself yesterday to find the answer to that question. The amount of lemon does not matter, it’s more of what tastes good to you. It is recommended to have a mug of warm lemon water in the morning and another one before your last meal of the day. I’m going to cut a lemon in half and squeeze one half into my morning water, and then put the whole thing in to steep for a few minutes and the other half before dinner. I have read up on which is best, lemon slices or just using lemon juice and there are some benefits of the natural oils in lemon rinds too; so I am going with the rind too.

  198. Hi, I’ve started drinking lemon water or 2 weeks now. It’s been great! My skin is feeling great, I don’t get hungry as often as I used too and really enjoying the taste. I keep a bottle of water with lemon slices to sip throughout the day. I used to have tea first thing in the am but now I take my vitamin c shot for the day.

  199. Hi,
    I use the actual lemon juice in the bottle and hot water. Am I receiving the same benefits than using a regular lemon

  200. I only drink lemon water on an empty stomach throughout the day. First thing in the morning and in the evening 2 hours after my meal. You should always drink it on an empty stomach for it to work better. Two hours after meals or at least 30 minutes before meals.

  201. Lemon juice in the bottle is ok to use but it does have sulfites in it. Using a real lemon is less bitter and more sour.

    How Sulfites can Hurt You
    Sulfites can hurt you if your protective Sulfite Oxidase enzyme (a chemical that converts one chemical to another chemical) is low. Sulfite Oxidase converts sulfites to sulfates, which are not harmful. If your Sulfite Oxidase enzyme is down, the sulfite will swim around your blood and inhibit important enzymes such as Tyrosinase, polyphenoloxidase, and ascorbate oxidase. This can result in the impairment of the synthesis of Dopamine and the conversion of Dopamine to Noradrenaline, which can lead to neurological fatigue. Also, sulfites can inhibit 90% of lung ATP energy production, can impair liver cell ATP energy production, and can deplete glutathione (chemical that helps the liver filter the blood and helps protect cell enzymes from damage). Anything that reduces your production of ATP energy can cause fatigue, since low levels of energy are synonymous with fatigue.

  202. Also another tip, you could put a tbsp of raw apple vinager in your glass with the lemon and water. It may not put the best taste but it is soo amazing for you!

  203. After a horrendous bout of indigestion a few weeks back, I searched online for home remedies. Warm water with lemon came up, so I tried it. It did the trick and after reading about all the other wonderful benefits, I kept up my regimen of a cup in the morning before coffee and a cup before dinner. The cool thing is at dinnertime, it fills you up a little and it also prevents me from picking.

  204. I started this about 2 months ago at the recommendation of a relative who studied integrative nutrition. The results have been amazing and I’ve never slept better in my life!! Part of this is that I crave much less coffee (I’m down to 0-2 cups per day) and it supposedly jump starts the detox process early in the day, so it doesn’t only happen at rest. My skin in definitely smoother and I have more energy when I start the day. I missed a week two weeks ago and definitely noticed the difference when I went back to it. I’m not a morning person and it’s hard for me to get into routines, but this helped so much that it’s now a necessary part of my morning. Also, doing something good for yourself first thing in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. I’ve since been kinder to my body and continue the momentum throughout the day. I also recommended it to two family members who are quitting smoking, and so far it’s been helpful!

    Everyone’s different, but this simple step has had amazing results for me.

  205. I grate the rines to make my own essential oil for my home made lip balm, mix it with olive oil. I love lemon water with ice, sad to hear it must be warm but oh well. Im a dental assistant and the bad effect it can have on my teeth scares me so im gonna start using an enamel strengthener paste!

  206. I’m 39… Been doing a whole lemon squeezed into a coffee cup with hot water filled to the top every day for 5 months. I enjoy it now. I don’t think it helps with weight loss, but I have not gotten sick at all this winter (not even a runny nose) probably because of the vitamin C. I started this because it also is supposed to help with arthritis which I think I might have… My joints seem to feel better (always have had knee and ankle problems) and I have started jogging again (it took a while to realize this benefit). Also, I used to have problems with Athlete’s foot… it has gone away… I bet the alkalinity of my system now tends to ward it off… I don’t think it has cleared my facial skin as I still get acne if I eat too many starches/carbs… I bet it also lowers your blood pressure (all vitamin c does) My wife thinks I’m crazy… but lemons historically have been used to ward off all kinds of ills for centuries… be sure to try it if you haven’t…

  207. i have just had the worst cold ever and it has turned into bronchitis, 2 weeks of illness so far and still feeling unwell , on anti biotics now. i don’t ever remember feeling this ill in my life, i am coughing so badly i am not sleeping, ( nor my neighbours in the other flats) I can’t take lemsip type remedies due to their decongestant ingredients interfering with my heart meds.
    so have been squeezing a whole lemon into a 1 pint glass with natural unpasturised honey and hot water, several times a day, yes it does help relieve the cough, i am using about
    2-4 lemons a day, is it possible to ‘overdose’ on lemons? i am enjoying the lemon/honey/hot water more than my usual tea or coffee, also i don’t know if it is the lemon water or my illness but i don’t have much of an appetite, (usually a big eater) but if it is the lemon i will carry on with it when i am well to help with the weight loss.

    1. Yes, you can overdose on lemons.

      I do believe that it helps with appetite because like you, I have always been a big eater. Now, only eat lunch and light dinner (which ends up being 2-3 sweet potatoes for fiber for lunch with butter and salt, and a cereal bowl of broccoli normandy vegetables salted, no butter for dinner). I have lost 20 pounds in 11 weeks. I treat myself on weekends. I’m never hungry. An added bonus for me is, since I am anemic and on prescription iron, it keeps me from being constipated. I love everything about drinking the lemon water.

  208. 40-50 mg of vitamin C in one lemon, so two will give you your daily recommended dose. I don’t think your intake is an abundant excess.

  209. I am diabetic. I can’t use honey so I add a small amount of sugar free maple syrup for a sweet addition. I drink 1/2 quart of warm water with squeezed lemon and I drop in the peeling too. I have digestion problems and gas problems. I have read that this will stop
    the problems. I hope so. I have tried everything else.

  210. I recently surprised my daughter with a spa day at a local Massage Envy for her 17th birthday. While waiting for her in the lobby, I noticed a glass pitcher of water with sliced lemon and cucumbers on a table next to me. It was complimentary for spa members and guests. I had heard of lemons in water but not cucumbers. Needless to say — out of sheer curiosity (e.g., being nosey!), I tried a glass. To my utter surprise, it was SO light and refreshing! It’s no Strawberry Fanta (my favorite drink), but a BIG step in divorcing myself from sodas and other high fructose laden beverages. I had another cup of this “cooling water” and had to refrain myself from drinking up the whole pitcher. Since then I have not only added lemon to my water at home, but sliced cucumber as well. A Google search on the health benefits of both lemon and cucumber water yielded some impressive findings. Enjoy!

    1. Sounds good! Cucumber smells so very good. I just bought a nutri bullet and will juice up a cucumber and lemon and then warm it up and drink as a tea.

  211. I put the other half into a small (284 ml) Rubbermaid container with a screw on lid that I put next to my single serve coffee maker which I use to make my hot lemon water.

    1. I agree. Walmart sells these little Rubbermaid containers for $2.26 for 3 of them. They are called Take Alongs. Perfect for half of lemon.

  212. I been drinking limon water for two days now and I have seen some improvements such as better bowel utinating more my tummy feels really good I really love it I think I am addicted now but I was wondering is this only supposed to be in the morning ??? Because I like drinking it a lot.

  213. This probably applies to lemon like it does oranges or orange juice. The acid softens the enamel on the teeth for about 30 to 40 minutes. DO NOT BRUSH YOUR TEETH FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. Try just doing a thorough mouth rinse with water to reduce acid and still wait 30 minutes before brushing.

  214. The glass bowl is beautiful. If it is leaded glass, be careful that you do not consume the skins
    because they may have leached the lead from the bowl into them.

  215. I have a pitcher I fill with 60 oz warm water, 1/2 a lemon, 4 tablespoons pure cranberry juice, and a roasted dandelion root tea bag that has been steeped in hot water for 10 min. I pour the cup of tea right into the pitch with the tea bag. I try to drink the whole 60 oz by 1pm.
    I have been doing this for about a week and I’m feeling great!!

  216. Use only fresh lemons because any store-bought lemon juice, even if organic has been pasteurized and the process uses heat which destroys the nutrients.

  217. I was just searching for lemin water benefits
    I wanna know i can drink it any time of the day right
    And hoe about i drink it with purified room temperature water
    Or does it have to be warm…
    I already take 90mg of vitamin C thru supplement. ..hope i m nt takint excess :))
    Also i rat a clove of garlic evryday as well…

    Last ques – since these days nothing is clean frm preservatives. .oi hope eating lemon(non organic) and galric etc wont harm me or shd i disinfect them in pottasium permnanagte

  218. I tried it todayafter reading ur post….alongiwth a clove of garlic…i lookin thr mirror in the evning and my skin looks 10 times better…
    I have a ques evry1…
    Iam a guy 5’8 120 pounds..looking to gain muscle so i have to get my calories more than what i expend…i hope drinking this wont disrupt my muscle gain…please help..

  219. ive been seeung a diatician for 6 months now and she says drinking lemon in cold water helps just as well as hot… it actually burns calories for your body to make tge cold water warm enough to process. so i drink it in cold bottled water all day long. i use anywhere from a half a lemon to a fourth of a lemon in every bottle of water… and in the past 6 months i went from 231 to 192… thats with me walking at night with my hubby 4 times a week three blocks each night and jogging three times a week on an indoor treadmill for 20 minutes and then following up with some stregth training and then just cleaning house after my three year old. I also have been trying.to eat healthier though i still eat junk some nights i still maintain a 2200 cal diet daily as suggested by my doc.

  220. I fractured my spine and compressed a vertebrae in September requiring a few days in the hospital then months of bed rest recovery at home. In the hospital I was given a large covered drink tumbler with a plastic straw to take home to ward off dehydration. Its had lemon water in it everyday since to stop weight gain from inactivity. I noticed I haven’t had allergies, colds, sniffles or flu signs while people in my senior apartment community have been hacking and coughing daily. I’m breezing through the recovery process virtually pain free. I used ice packs for pain the first few weeks but very little since. I think the lemon water has had something to do with the lack of pain and lack of joint pain. The Dr.’s told me I would have severe arthritis from this very soon. There isn’t any. I use a large walker for exercising several times a week to stop stiffness, but there isn’t much of that either. I don’t have tooth acid problems as I use the straw that came with the 28 oz tumbler. After this I will never be without the tumbler and lemon water at least several times a day for the rest of my life. I buy the bottled lemon juice as a regular grocery staple now.

  221. I filter my water daily with the PUR filters and Pitcher System. I’ll go to the PUR faucet system shortly. I decided on the PUR when it rated out better than the competition online. I use cold, bottled lemon juice adding a few squeezes from the bottle into the tankard of ice or cold water. (Here in FL the ice water is often needed with changing temps). Its a 28 oz plastic tankard with a handle and covered top with straw, and pour hole. I use two packets of one or the other of healthy sweetener substitutes in place of sugar each time. I wash the bottle and straw daily. I squeeze dish soap down the straw then hold it under the hot water faucet to wash it out. The straw protects the teeth from the fruit acids. I’ve lost weight and stabilized it this way. I’ve lost 40 lbs in the last two to three years, and am working on my last 20 now. Its harder to lose as you age and become less active. This curbs my appetite also. I don’t drink soft drinks, coffee, or tea anymore except for green tea at times when I mix it with the lemon water.

    I broke my back in Sep with fine hairline spinal fractures and a vertebra compression so have not been as active as usual nor have I had the pain the Dr.’s were sure I would have. The initial pain was horrible until I iced it away. I workout with healing exercises. I used ice packs the first few months until there was no pain. At the same time I was drinking glasses of lemon water out of habit. I have to believe the lemon water is responsible for this.

  222. Every morning I thinly slice one lemon.
    I put them in a butter dish with a lid.
    I use a utensil like pestle as in mortar and pestle to
    Squeeze the lemon skin and get the lemon oils as well
    Before I put in the water. I drink so much more water now.

  223. Lemons are a miracle fruit, I use them for everything 🙂 i had dark spots under my eyes and on my forehead due to sun exposure and also uneven skin tone,not to mention large pores and oily skin. I rub lemon on my face and neck and leave it on until it dties, then wash off. Leaves my face looking shiny,clean, minimizes pores, controls oiliness,..it even reduced my acne scarring. The dark spots have lightened and my skin tone is evening out. I could go on and on about lemons, , I love them for skincare and drinking it with water has definately controlled my appetite 🙂

    1. I have such sensitive skin that I am worried about using it on my face. Does it sting or did it sting when you first started using it on your face?

  224. I started drinking lemon water over a year and a half ago and have noticed much clearer skin (have had acne most of my life, now almost no breakouts) and my energy level has increased greatly. Even if I don’t get a good night’s sleep, drinking lemon water helps me feel alert!

  225. Dear Jolla Mom, can I add some sweetener to my lemon water? Does sugar and other sweeteners interfere with lemon water benefits? Thank you so much for your tips!

    1. My first instinct is to say that they do interfere because everything that I’ve read says that it needs to be freshly-squeezed, organic lemon and nothing else. I don’t have any scientific data to back that up, though!

  226. The lemon water diet known as Master Cleanse occasionally resurfaces as Hollywood stars and tabloid celebrities declared to lose large amounts of weight by lemon juice. The diet involves a fast during which you consume only purified water with fresh lemon juice. Lemons act as a fat flusher and it is an amazing way of easy weight loss. It helps the body absorb calcium into its fat cells, which in turn helps you lose weight.

  227. i only use a slice of lemon for roughly a 24oz cup with water and ice. i’ve been doing this little over a month and i just added exercise to the water and eating better and in the last month i’m down almost 10lbs.

    1. Yes Beth, this is my problem also. I have had acne since age: 13 and now I have menopausal acne my doctor says. NOTHING has worked for me. I will NOT take accutane as I have heard horrible things about this stuff. Therefore I’m now cleansing with lemon juice and filtered water, we shall see.

  228. Caveat- it can effect menses
    If you are TTC I wouldn’t suggest a lot regularly since it can delay start up and change luteal phase.
    But it can also flush thru a long period that is hanging out m9ore than 7 days. Specially if you eat a half lemon as opposed to drinking

  229. Right away I am ready to do my breakfast, afterward having my breakfast coming over again
    to read other news.

  230. I’ve been drinking lemon water every morning, first thing, and it just feels so good – it’s like I’m doing something my body really wants me to do, it’s hard to explain. Agree with you about not wanting coffee right away after drinking it. I start my day with lemon water followed by a homemade fruit + veggie smoothie and oftentimes find that I’ll prefer light green tea for caffeine rather than coffee. Of course, I always end up having coffee later but it’s nice to know about these natural energy sources.

    Thanks for your tips!

  231. I had done the lemon water for about 6 months and due to work demands and thinking I didnt have time I now realise its been a month since I have had my religious morning water.
    I have a whole lemon in a cup of warm water first thing in the morning and dont have anything else to eat or drink for at least 1/2 an hour.
    I then have my breakfast. Sometimes I will also have lemon sqeezed into a 500ml bottle of water which I drink troughout the day.
    It had made a huge difference – Ididnt get the summer flu, cold or flu this winter and no allergy symptons. IBS was non existent, skin was refreshed and I was energised, even my aching bones were moving freely.
    I have now started to realise that the reason I no longer feel so good is because I was missing the lemon water.
    As of 2moro I am back into my routine as the benefits are sorely missed.
    “Cheers”

    1. Kaz do the water have to be warm I see a lot of comment about how they lost weight that’s what I want to do please help me.

  232. Nice tips you have here! I used to drink Yakult probiotic milk everyday, I find these products not only delicious but perfect for digestive system & balancing as well!

  233. I stopped taking lemon water about 3 months ago because everybody complained that i was losing so much weight( i am naturally slim), since i stopped i haven’t been full of energy, i get colds, cough and my skin doesn’t have that glow it used to have when i was on lemon water. i want to go back to lemon water but have my fears:
    1. will it worsen my ulcer?
    2. what can i do while on it so that i don’t loose weight?
    REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HONEST REPLY

    1. Rachel I want to loss weight my height is 5 4 my weight is 190 always been 165 when I got marries I gain I want to loss 40 pound how much lemon juice water do I need to drink a day please help me. Do you drink it before meals or anytime

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  235. How do I do this? For drinking do I add lemon juice or just a slice of lemon into the water ? As for washing face how should I do it ? thanks

    1. As far as face washing, what I would suggest is squeezing the lemon into your water and use what’s leftover on the rind to rub on your face. If you have sensitive skin, it may sting a bit, so use discretion. Otherwise, I’d leave on for 5 minutes before rinsing with cold water. And I would not do this more than once a week.

    1. Hi Brenda, unfortunately – you do not get the same benefits. Stick to the fresh lemons, you’ll appreciate what they do for you. I read in the article to use 1/8 of a lemon. In our group, we actually use 1/2 lemon in our water daily. To help reduce the risk of the acid damaging our tooth enamel, we rinse with plain water or brush right after drinking the lemon water. Good luck!

      1. No, don’t brush right after, you can damage your teeth further, just rinse with regular water, if you’re feeling paranoid after rinsing a few times you can brush, but make sure to rinse with water or mouthwash thoroughly first.

    2. No do NOT drink any bottled water with lemon as you don’t know where the water originated from. The best is a filtration system and fresh squeezed lemons.

  236. Thanks for the excellent and helpful information. I’ve always wondered what lemon water does for one. Would lime be as beneficial as lemon or, for some reason, not?

    1. I believe the green one (smaller of the two) is called a lime….The yellow is a lemon..Both are high in vitamin C, however lime has less source of vitamin C.

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  238. Pingback: 7 Tips for Consuming More Water | Justin Levy
  239. After several conversations with friends and reading multiple articles like this one, for the last few weeks I have been drinking warm lemon water first thing in the morning. (Ive missed a few mornings) I must say that it has truly benefited me in multiple ways…one of the biggest being my appetite! Check this article out and others…it is really working in so many ways and it hardly costs a thing!

  240. I have been drinking a lemon slice in hot water for years as my first morning drink. Little hard on the teeth, but the other benefits are wonderful.

  241. Remember in high school we were on a diet that had us drink a glass before each meal? Going to give it a try again!

  242. This is only the third day I've been taking warm with with 1/2 squeezed lemon and I notice more phlegm coming up and it makes me cough which is good. Also I feel like my sinuses are clearing up. Never really had a sinus problem but I blow my nose for a while in the AM and I feel my whole sinus cavity has opened up.. So far so good. I'll comment more as time goes on. Thanks for the article! Oh, and I was on meds for GERD and didn't take them for 3 days and have had no heartburn or problems with whatever I eat. Usually when I forget to take my med in the morning I get heartburn throughout the day. I was tested and I definitely (as my dr says) have WICKED GERD. I'm just keeping an eye on it. Will discuss with my doctor though.

  243. I’ve been doing this and can attest to the benefits. But, as crazy as this sounds, I have heard that when squeezing the lemons, that before hand I should roll the lemon on a counter top 7 times, cut into slices the place the slices into the glass front side up before drinking, is this true? Why would my chiropractor suggest this? I’ve been rolling my lemons just in case.

    1. Phen, I’m extremely sorry to both you, but I’d like to add a comment to this article and can’t figure out how to. Silly question, but I’d Gerry much appreciate it if you could help me out. Thanks so much!

      . Debbie

    2. I’m not sure about the specific right side up bit, but rolling it on the counter first loosens it up a bit so you can juice more juice.

    3. Rolling the lemon softens it and produces more juice. After rolling and squeezing out the juice, I then slice up the lemon and add it to the jug with water. Prior to this, though, I zest the lemon and add to jug.

  244. I start my day with a cup of warm lemon water. I feel so much healthier after I started this simple ritual. I fall sick less. If I feel a little cough or flu is on the way, I drink more lemon water to keep these two little impish friends far far away from me.

  245. I have recently started out on doing this I am worried about the weight issue I am slander already I don't want to be thin, I love it so I add an orange in the mix!

  246. I've started lemon water for about a week now. I do notice my skin is better and I don't have the heart burn issues. I haven't had to drink coffee. But I was a light coffee drinker anyway. My allergies may be better also.

  247. Lemon juice taken with warm water will help digestion . Additionally , lemon water will help improve liver function , so that the process of digestion is better and healthier . Lemon also helps stimulate acid required in digestion . 🙂

  248. Hi,
    I am 29 yrs and my weight is 47kgs. My weight and figure is gud. I don’t want to lose weight at all but i don’t want to miss all the other benefits by having lemon, honey, ginger in the morning.
    Pls advice how to have this healthy drink at the same time not lose weight…. Can I add sugar in it????

  249. I have been having a capful of Lemon juice and warm water for about 10 days now, for some reason I have developed an adverse reaction to sugar or sugar substitute. anything sweet tastes incredibly bad to me. I wonder if anyone else has had this reaction. thank you!