Is Lemon the New Miracle Weight Loss Drug?

 Simply put, no. We’ve all heard the talk about what lemons can do to help with weight loss.  Yes, it’s true, drinking a lot of water helps people lose weight more quickly, but not through any miracle. There are many benefits to adding lemon to your water, but it’s more complicated than increasing your lemon intake to lose weight.  

A popular myth about lemon juice is that it will burn or dissolve fat. “Lemon juice is a nutritious and tasty addition to meals or drinks, but does not perform miracles when it comes to reducing or burning fat.” (Source: fitday.com) Drinking a lot of water with lemon will help with weight loss in several ways, but not by dissolving fat on your plate or in your body.

Lemon juice is an effective detox for the body. It serves a liver cleanser. This detoxing not only purges your body of toxins, but it can help you curb your cravings. Not having these unhealthy cravings means you are less likely to feed your cravings in unhealthy ways. Consuming less unhealthy food=weight loss.

Additionally, lemon juice also serves as a digestive aid. It has been said that drinking a lemon tea in the morning helps a sluggish digestive system. When your body is digesting food effectively, you’re less likely to hold onto the toxins in the food you consume. Water does this naturally, but the lemon juice added to it increases the effectiveness.

Something to consider; adding lemon to your water may help you increase your water intake. Better hydration helps by increasing your digestion and detoxing, even without the lemon. The lemon seems to make it easier for a lot of people to drink more water.

People have their own reasons for adding lemon to their water. Whether it is for increased detoxing, digestive help, or craving control, getting more water into your body is a good thing for weight loss. Some say it has even helped them with appetite control, which is a big thing for a lot of people looking to lose weight.  Whatever your reason, give lemon in water a try.

For more information about hydration and water consumption, read my hydration blog entry.

Dry Skin; Part Two: Hydration

Before I begin, let me just remind you that I am merely sharing what I have read in various reliable places on the internet. I am not a nutritionist, doctor, or expert of any kind. 

According to SmartSkinCare.com “Moisturizing from the inside means keeping the body well hydrated. When dehydrated, the body preserves the water supply to critical organs, such as the brain and the heart, but “cuts off water” to peripheral organs such as skin. Therefore, keeping the body well hydrated is an important part of keeping your skin well moisturized. Adequate fluid intake is key. However, just as important is to avoid foods and beverages that cause excess water loss."

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm a nut when it comes to preaching hydration. I have seen my daughter at a year old admitted into the pediatric unit of a hospital because she was so sick she became dehydrated. I have been given IV fluids on the side of the road during a charity walk (Thank you, Nurse Frankie!) because I had a stomach bug and didn't take in enough fluids. While these are extreme cases of dehydration, when you get chapped lips or dry skin, you are likely not getting enough water in your diet. Isn't dry skin what we are trying to avoid? Of course it is.

Over the years there has been a lot of talk about how much water a person is supposed to drink daily. We've heard eight glasses a day, drink when you're thirsty, drink before you get thirsty... no wonder we're so confused about it. About.com has even created a hydration calculator to help its readers determine how much water to take in daily. You can find it at http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm.



I can't give anymore of a definitive answer, especially since I'm not a nutritionist or doctor. What I can say, based on what I've read, is that if you are thirsty, you're dehydrating, so go drink some water.

Now to the point: what will hydration do for your skin? Hydrated skin will "snap back" quicker, can make you look more youthful, and can appear more soft and glowing. Now who doesn't want all that?

In addition to hydrating from the outside, it is also important to hydrate skin from the outside. Check back for Dry Skin; Part Three: Moisturizers.