Lemon water is very good for you, but drinking it incorrectly or in excessive amounts can be harmful to your health.
Benefits of lemon
Like other citrus fruits, lemons are known for their high vitamin C content. According to the Ciqual nutritional information table, this fruit contains 45mg of vitamin C per 100g. This is a significant amount considering the recommended daily intake of 110mg of vitamin C for both men and women. Thanks to its high vitamin C content, lemon water can help the body overcome fatigue, prevent viral and bacterial infections, and promote better healing and protection of blood vessels. Another advantage is its antioxidant properties. Therefore, regular consumption of lemon water can help protect the body from free radicals and prevent the onset of certain diseases.
In folk medicine, lemons are also used to clear heat, cleanse the lungs, and expel phlegm. Their sour taste and cooling properties help detoxify the body. Lemon juice helps clear heat and treat fever and inflammation, especially in conditions like colds, sore throats, and coughs. Similar to other citrus fruits, the vitamin C and flavonoids in lemons improve skin condition. Vitamin C helps the body produce collagen, resulting in healthier skin and preventing aging. Therefore, drinking lemon juice as a healthy alternative to sugary drinks can help limit calorie intake and potentially support healthy weight loss.
But it shouldn't be overused.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy (Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi ) shared: “Hearing about the benefits of lemons, I often use them in various ways. In the morning, I drink lemon water mixed with a little honey and feel very refreshed, relieving the symptoms of coughing when the weather changes. During the lemon season, my family prepares a jar of lemons soaked in rock sugar, which helps treat coughs in young children. This is also a better drink for children than ready-made bottled soft drinks, milk tea, etc., which contain too much sugar.”
Seeing that lemon water was really good for her, when recently many people on social media shared a recipe of mixing 200ml of water with about a dozen lemons to drink in the morning on an empty stomach to treat certain ailments such as stomach problems, reduce fat, detoxify, and prevent cancer, Ms. Thuy tried it. After trying it, Ms. Thuy felt severe stomach pain and had to stop.
Associate Professor Nguyen Trong Hung from the National Institute of Nutrition (Hanoi) stated that, to date, no studies have confirmed that drinking lemon water detoxifies the body or helps treat acid reflux. According to Dr. Hung, lemon water has many health benefits, such as containing many antioxidants, vitamin C, providing hydration, and helping to cool the body during hot weather. However, lemon water is acidic. Drinking concentrated lemon juice on an empty stomach, when gastric juices are secreted in large quantities and the acidity is higher, could further damage the stomach lining.
Therefore, people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) should be cautious when eating lemons, especially on an empty stomach, as it can worsen symptoms. When stomach acid levels increase, it refluxes into the esophagus, causing unpleasant symptoms such as heartburn, acid reflux, and chest pain. However, the degree of impact from eating lemons varies from person to person. Those with severe GERD symptoms should avoid lemons and other acidic foods, while those with milder symptoms can consume small amounts of diluted lemon juice without problems.
Furthermore, because lemons are highly acidic, they can easily erode tooth enamel, especially if the enamel is already damaged. Eroded enamel exposes the dentin underneath, causing tooth sensitivity and pain when eating sour, hot, or cold foods. The acid in lemons also stimulates the nerves in the dentin, causing unpleasant pain.
According to Dr. Le Thuc Trinh, a specialist in Dentistry at Military Hospital 354, because lemon juice is acidic, it has a certain impact on teeth, and continuous contact can erode tooth enamel. Tooth sensitivity can be a warning sign of high acidity levels that are harmful to teeth. Therefore, to protect tooth enamel, we should not drink lemon juice continuously, and when drinking lemon juice, we should use a straw to reduce direct contact between the lemon juice and our teeth.
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/nuoc-chanh-co-phai-than-duoc-209229.html
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