Is lemon water good for you?

LEMON juice in water has long been a trend that promises to help with everything from inflammation to clearer skin.

If you've been trawling the wellness space, then you might have read it is also said to lower blood pressure, and prevent strokes.

There's a lot of disinformation on the internet, and the truth is, there is no miracle cure.

However, we did a deep dive into lemon water to see how scientists say it can benefit your health.

Is lemon water good for you?

One thing that almost every scientist agreed on is that we are generally severely dehydrated in today's world.

For that reason alone, if adding lemon to your water makes you more likely to drink it, it's already a good thing.

These are some additional benefits, according to Prevention:

• Lemon water can help stabilize your appetite, leaving you less snacky throughout the day (due to a blood-sugar balancing fibre that it's packed with)
• It can amp up your energy because it's packed with vitamin C, which helps your body absorb iron
• Lemon water can help protect your cells by serving as a potent antioxidant and by encouraging you to eat a more healthy diet overall
• The liquid can help promote clearer skin by giving it a boost of vitamin C, which is known to slow aging processes but remember that a good skincare routine and plenty of sunscreen aren't to be forgotten
• It may help your digestive tract find some regularity, which means less bloating and more self-love

How much lemon water should I drink each day?

How much lemon water you should drink is based entirely on your hydration goals.

However, we did track down some pointers to help you figure out the ideal amount for your lifestyle.

For women, it's recommended to get approximately 75mg of vitamin C each day, while for men, 90mg is recommended.

This can fluctuate based on your weight, so if in doubt, always discuss medical changes in your routine with your physician.

MedicineNet recommends: ".Filling a one-liter bottle with room-temperature water, add about 4 slices of lemon and drink it throughout the day for better hydration results."

Why is lemon water better than other citrus waters?

According to MedicalNewsToday, the nutrition facts for one 48g squeezed lemon are:

• 10.6 calories
• 18.6 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, or 21% DV
• 9.6 micrograms (mcg) of folate, or 2% DV
• 49.4 mg of potassium, or 1% DV
• 0.01 mg of vitamin B-1, or 1% DV
• 0.01 mg of vitamin B-2, or 1% DV
• 0.06 mg of vitamin B-5, or 1% DV

The site explains that: "For comparison, replacing the lemon with the juice of half an orange (weighing 43g) would provide almost twice as many calories, about three times as much sugar, and 24% DV of vitamin C."

This makes lemon water a great low-calorie drink (especially if it's leading to other healthier eating habits), and with 1/3 of the sugar and 1/2 the calories as an orange squeezed into water, it gives your the benefits of citrus without the extra sugar.