Lemon water has several advantages. Since it is rich in vitamin A & C, calcium, potassium and several other nutrients, it could give you many beauty and health benefits.
Lemon water boosts the immune system and enhances PH balance in the body. It helps to fight bacterial infections, detoxifies impurities, smoothens skin, abates the common cold, boosts your digestive system and improves hydration.
However, these advantages can easily be counteracted by the side effects of drinking lemon water in the morning or daily.
HOW MUCH LEMON WATER SHOULD YOU DRINK A DAY?
There is a limit to how much lemon water you can take a day.
If you consume lemon water made out of more than 2 lemons, you could be setting yourself up for health problems.
Some people take lemon for weight loss. If you are asking, how much lemon water should I drink a day to lose weight? It is for 2 glasses.
You may thus space out your lemon water intake so that you can achieve the latter goal without going overboard.
IS IT BAD TO DRINK LEMON WATER ON AN EMPTY STOMACH?
Lemon water is best taken on an empty stomach.
This is because you get to enjoy most of the benefits of lemon water in the morning. It helps minimize hunger and reduces overeating while at the same flashes out toxins that can be harmful.
Therefore, you don’t have to worry about taking lemon water on an empty stomach. You should instead be worried about the quantity of lemon water you take daily.
DISADVANTAGES OF DRINKING LEMON WATER DAILY
COULD CAUSE DEHYDRATION
Because lemon water has a lot of water and other solutes, it is likely to increase urination if taken in excess. In fact, the scientific name for such a substance or drink of this nature is ‘diuretic’.
When you take lemon water daily, and in high doses, you may urinate too frequently. This could easily make you susceptible to dehydration, which is a dangerous condition to be in.
COULD WORSEN ACID REFLUX/ HEARTBURN
Lemon water is acidic in nature; it is nature’s best source of critic acid. You could worsen the condition as acid reflux is triggered by acidic drinks or food when you take it.
Therefore, when you already have acid reflux and heartburn problems, it may not be a good idea to indulge in this type of drink.
COULD DESTROY YOUR TEETH
One of the predominant disadvantages of drinking lemon water daily is tooth damage. Your teeth have an outer layer called enamel that is sensitive to acid.
The minerals in your enamel often undergo degradation when you expose them to too much acidic content. In other words, lemon water has a corrosive effect.
According to this study, teeth dissolved in carbonated drinks and lemon drinks had more defect zones than those dipped in mineral water.
Avoid tooth brushing before taking the lemon water and use a straw to reduce exposure to this drink.
WILL CAUSE STOMACH PAIN
Lemon water made in restaurants is highly risky owing to bacteria and other pathogens that reside on it. This research showed that 69.3% of the lemon slices consumed in restaurants were contaminated with bacteria.
Not all employees in public eateries are concerned about your health. Therefore, if you regularly drink lemon water there, you could be ingesting products that have been poorly handled and are contaminated.
The result of these contaminants is stomach pain or other gastrointestinal complications.
MAY CAUSE BONE PROBLEMS
Although there is mostly an anecdotal proof of bone problems emanating from lemon water, these still warrant some attention.
Lemon water has the ability to sip the lubricant that is found in bone joints. Therefore, over time, it may cause some adverse effects.
COULD LEAD TO SUNBURNS
Admittedly, some disadvantages of drinking lemon water daily are applicable to direct application on the skin.
That notwithstanding, you may still increase your risk of developing skin conditions like sunburns, blisters or dark sports because of lemon water substances.
Lemon has psoralens which interact with sunlight and cause adverse skin problems.
This research explained that furocoumarins (substances found in plants and fruits like lemon) are phototoxic.
MAY CAUSE HEADACHES
Taking lemon water daily could lead you to migraines.
This emanates from a substance known as tyramine which is largely responsible for headaches.
Unlike other fruits, the quantities of the pain-inducing substance are much higher in lemons. Therefore, when you overdo it, you are likely to experience pain.
CAN TRIGGER ULCERS
People with ulcers are highly sensitive to acidic foods, spicy and fatty foods. When you take lemon water daily, you will irritate your stomach lining, which has no protective layer against acids’ corrosive effects.
Furthermore, this effect can prevent your stomach ulcers from healing if you had been on medication or had adopted the right lifestyle habits.
CAN WORSEN MOUTH ULCERS
Aside from just stomach ulcers, one of the disadvantages of drinking lemon water is that it could trigger your mouth ulcers too.
Due to the acidic content in lemon water, you may find that the sores in your mouth are getting worse or even more painful. These types of mouth ulcers are also known as canker sores.
CAN CAUSE AN EXCESS ACCUMULATION OF IRON
Taking lemon water daily can lead to a condition in which the body fails to absorb iron. You normally use iron to create hemoglobin in the blood.
Therefore, if your body is not taking up this vital mineral, you are likely to develop blood-related complications.
MAY NOT TREAT MEDICAL CONDITIONS
Some people may buy into the narrative that lemon water is a natural healing substance. Therefore, they could start to take it every morning with honey.
If taking lemon water daily causes you to substitute medication or medical advice, you could be exposing yourself to some complicated side effects.
It is always a good idea to consult with a medical practitioner before taking lemon water to treat a medical condition.
COULD CAUSE DIETARY CHALLENGES WHEN USED AS A FAD DIET
Many people can get on a cleansing dieting in which they fast and consume nothing but lemon water. The idea is that this lemon water will eradicate all toxins and thus reset the system.
The problem with going extreme on just one food item is that it will not do enough.
In fact, because lemon water has no fiber, you are unlikely to experience bowel movements. That will imply that you won’t completely eradicate toxins and starve yourself of the nutrients you need to function normally.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The disadvantages of drinking lemon water daily are mostly tied to their effect on preexisting conditions.
If you have acid reflux, mouth ulcers, excess iron and stomach ulcers, you may trigger these conditions.
You may also develop stomach complications and migraines if you take lemon water daily. This drink is also bad for your teeth as it may corrode them and may even lead to dehydration.
You need to stick to the medically safe limit of not more than two lemons a day. Additionally, if you are susceptible to any of these conditions, you should avoid drinking lemon water daily.
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