There are many ways that a person does to lose weight and one of them is using lemon. Various mixtures of lemon are now understood by many people as a good herb consumed for a healthy diet. Is that right?
Benefits of lemon water for diet
Who can not stand the freshness offered by lemon water? This lemon or lime juice is often claimed to have various health benefits.
In fact, many people think that drinking lemon water can be a way to lose weight. Below are the facts about the benefits of lemon for people on a diet.
1. Low Calories
One of the reasons why many people use lemon as a way to lose weight is because of its low calorie content. For example, squeezing half a lemon into water usually contains 6 calories.
Therefore, exchanging high-calorie drinks such as soft drinks with lemon water may be good in reducing calorie intake.
Even so, experts still need further research to prove the benefits of this one. What’s more, lemon water is not a calorie-free drink, but at least it can produce a not much different effect.
2. Keep the body hydrated
Besides being low in calories, lemon water is considered to be helpful for dieting because it keeps the body hydrated. Meeting fluid needs is one of the important things, especially when you are on a diet.
This is because staying hydrated helps manage body functions. In fact, research from Frontiers in Nutrition shows that increasing fluid requirements can help burn fat.
Not only that, staying hydrated helps reduce water retention which can lead to flatulence and weight gain.
3. Help Increase Metabolism
Some experts argue that increasing the body’s metabolism can help lose weight. This can be achieved by maintaining the body’s fluid needs, such as drinking lemon water.
They revealed that a hydrated body can improve the function of mitochondria, aka the type of organelle (cell part) that helps produce energy. This has been proven through research published in the International journal of obesity.
The study reported the effects of drinking water on 21 overweight children. Drinking 0.3 ounces of water per 2.2 pounds of body weight (10 ml/kg) increases metabolism by 25% for 40 minutes.
4. Smooth Digestion
Many people use lemon water as a way to lose weight because it can improve digestion. Acid helps break down food, so the stomach contains acid to aid digestion.
Meanwhile, the acid in lemons may help increase stomach acid levels which tend to decrease with age.
That’s why, lemon water is often included as a distraction in a healthy diet.
5. Help Lose Weight
Lemon is a fruit that contains polyphenol compounds. These antioxidants can reduce weight gain. A study from the Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition reports that polyphenols can reduce the risk of obesity.
Although this study has only been tested on mice, it is possible that lemon water supports weight loss.
However, how lemon water works on weight is not known with certainty, either because it feels full or the content in it.
How to use lemon for diet
Lemon water is actually a drink that is very easy to create or add to other fruit or herbal plants.
Some people may find it sufficient to mix lemon juice with a glass of water. Meanwhile, not a few people add other ingredients, such as:
- mint leaves,
- turmeric, and
- processed into tea
The good news, lemon water can be consumed with warm water or a few ice cubes for a refreshing cold drink, such as infused water.
How to diet with lemon has not been scientifically proven. However, there are many health benefits offered by lemon water. Consult a dietitian (dietisien) to understand the right diet solution for you.
