What are the effects and benefits of drinking lemon water?
Sep 13, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yu Yongchao
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, as a common beverage choice, drinking lemon water has effects and benefits including vitamin C supplementation, promoting digestion, freshening breath, hydrating the body, and assisting in improving skin complexion. When consuming lemon water, it is important to note its high acidity; after long-term or excessive consumption, one should rinse the mouth promptly to avoid erosion of tooth enamel. Individuals with excessive stomach acid or gastric ulcers should consume it cautiously.
Generally, as a common beverage choice, drinking lemon water has effects and benefits including supplementing vitamin C, promoting digestion, freshening breath, hydrating the body, and assisting in improving skin complexion. Detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Supplementing Vitamin C: Lemons are rich in vitamin C. When made into lemon water, some of the vitamin C dissolves into the water. Drinking it in moderation can supply this water-soluble vitamin to the body. Vitamin C helps maintain healthy skin and promotes collagen synthesis.
2. Promoting Digestion: Lemon water contains natural organic acids. After consumption, it can stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juices, enhance gastrointestinal motility, and aid digestion. It is especially suitable to drink in moderation half an hour after meals, helping to relieve discomfort such as bloating and loss of appetite caused by indigestion.
3. Freshening Breath: The organic acids in lemons can neutralize certain odor-causing substances in the mouth, reduce bacterial growth in the oral cavity, help improve bad breath caused by oral bacteria or food residue, and leave the breath fresh, enhancing oral comfort.
4. Hydration: Lemon water is primarily water-based, and its sour-sweet taste can increase the willingness to drink water, helping people who dislike drinking plain boiled water increase their water intake. This helps supply the body's daily required fluids, maintain normal physiological metabolism, and alleviate discomfort such as dryness and fatigue caused by dehydration.
5. Assisting in Improving Skin Tone: The vitamin C in lemons has certain antioxidant properties. Long-term moderate consumption of lemon water may help reduce free radical damage to skin cells and assist in improving dull and lackluster skin appearance.
When drinking lemon water, note that it is highly acidic. After long-term and excessive consumption, it is advisable to rinse the mouth promptly to avoid eroding tooth enamel. Individuals with excessive stomach acid or gastric ulcers should consume it cautiously to avoid irritating the gastric mucosa and worsening discomfort. It is recommended to use warm water for brewing to avoid high temperatures destroying the vitamin C content in lemons.
