Lemon water is a low-calorie drink that provides vitamin C. Drinking lemon water can support hydration and digestion. For these benefits, many people like to drink it in the morning—but is that the best time?
You can drink lemon water at any time of day—in the morning, before meals, during meals, or after eating.
Many people enjoy lemon water in the morning to support hydration, vitamin C intake, and digestion. However, you can drink lemon water anytime during the day and still get its benefits.
Drinking it after meals may help aid digestion and reduce bloating. Since lemon water is acidic, drinking it with or after food may also be more comfortable for people with a sensitive stomach.
Drinking lemon water offers a few potential benefits, including:
- Supports hydration: Lemon water helps with hydration, but it isn’t better or worse than plain water for hydrating your body. Some people find it more enjoyable to drink because of the added aroma. In this case, it may help increase your overall water intake.
- Zero-calorie beverage alternative: Lemon water has very low calories and sugar. This makes it a great alternative to sodas or other sugary drinks.
- Adds to your vitamin C intake: Squeezing a full lemon into water can provide about 21% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant nutrient that helps prevent cell damage caused by environmental pollution, smoking, ultraviolet rays, and other stressors. It also supports skin health and wound healing and helps with iron absorption.
- May help digestion: Lemon water is not a cure for digestive conditions. However, some people find that lemon water eases bloating. This may be because lemon juice can stimulate stomach acid production. Stomach acid activates digestive enzymes, which help break down food. It may also help reduce bloating by helping food move through the stomach more quickly. However, it may not make a noticeable difference for most people.
A glass of lemon water made with the juice of one lemon provides:
- Calories: 10.6 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 3.3 grams
- Total sugar: 1.2 grams
- Vitamin C: 18.6 milligrams, 21% of the DV
Lemon water is a low-calorie drink. It can provide a good amount of vitamin C, depending on how much lemon you squeeze. If you use one lemon, you can get about 21% of your daily value (DV) for vitamin C. However, if you find it too sour, you can use half a lemon instead.
While lemon water can be refreshing and offer some benefits, it isn’t the best choice for everyone. In certain situations, drinking lemon water may cause discomfort or may not be recommended. Here are a few cases where you may want to limit or avoid it:
- If you have a sensitive stomach: Lemon juice is acidic, with a pH of about 2.3. Adding lemon to water makes it more acidic than plain water. People with a sensitive stomach may feel discomfort if they consume acidic drinks or foods too often or in large amounts.
- If you have kidney stones: Some people drink lemon water as a home remedy for kidney stones. Lemon water may help with certain kidney stones by increasing urine citrate. However, it can also make symptoms worse for others. Always consult your doctor before using lemon water to help with kidney stones.
