Many people believe that drinking lemon water can help them lose weight. While this may be true, the exact opposite is actually the case. The citrussy fruit acid in lemon water can help enhance the absorption of iron and vitamins resulting in a healthier you.
Here, we’ll explore the science behind lemon water and its impact on your waistline.
What is Metabolism And How Does It Work?
Metabolism is the process of breaking down food into usable substances that our bodies can absorb and use as energy. Our bodies need nutrients to function properly, and the food that we eat provides these nutrients in the form of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. When we eat foods with a high glycemic index, our blood glucose levels rise and our bodies initiate the transformation process to produce more energy. This is why high-glycemic foods like sugar, white flour, and potato chips are often referred to as “quick” or “simple” carbs.
When we consume these types of foods, our bodies increase the amount of insulin in our bloodstream. Insulin is a hormone that facilitates the transportation of nutrients into our cells where they can be used for energy. While we need insulin in small amounts to carry out daily functions, when our bodies become dependent on insulin they can start to raise our blood sugar levels even when we aren’t glucose-phobic (i.e. we’re not necessarily insulin-phobic as previously thought). This can result in increased chances of developing type-2 diabetes.
How Does Citrus In General Affect Metabolism?
Citrus fruits are well-known for their vitamin C content and citric acid, which research has shown helps improve metabolism and prevent obesity. Our bodies don’t produce vitamin C on its own, but it is very abundant in nature. While most animals don’t utilize vitamin C for energy, humans have evolved to require more from it as our immune systems have become weaker over time. When we are exposed to harmful substances like bacteria or viruses, our bodies don’t have enough time to make them aggressive enough to attack our cells. By pre-empting these attacks with vitamin C, our bodies are better prepared to fight off disease.
Along with its ability to boost metabolism, citrus fruits are known to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. These are fatty substances that can be found in large amounts in our bloodstream. Due to their role in cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism, citrus fruits have been shown to help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Is Drinking Lemon Water Better Than Taking Vitamin C?
Although both lemon water and vitamin C improve our bodies’ ability to metabolize food, there are certain differences between the two. The most important factor is how quickly they work. The glycemic index of a food indicates how quickly it will raise our blood sugar level, while the vitamin C nutrition chart from the American Diabetic Association (ADA) shows how long it will take for our bodies to absorb that much vitamin C.
Vitamin C supplements are typically taken orally, while lemon water is generally available to drink. The difference is that when we drink lemon water, the amount of vitamin C that enters our bloodstream will be relatively small compared to if we took an oral vitamin C supplement. An experiment in rats showed that when an identical quantity of vitamin C was administered in either form, the level of glucose in the rats’ blood was the same within a few hours. This means that while both have the same impact on metabolism, drinking lemon water is preferable because it will raise our vitamin C levels more slowly.
Does Drinking Water Make You Gain Weight?
Drinking water prevents you from becoming dehydrated, which may potentially cause you to gain weight. The weight that you gain from drinking too much water is referred to as “fluid weight,” and it usually goes back if you stop drinking. If you drink enough fluids, you won’t need to eat as much during the day, which in turn can help you lose weight.
However, this isn’t necessarily true. If you eat the same amount of food as usual but drink more water, your body could end up storing more calories as fat due to the presence of excess calories in your system. While we need fluids to stay hydrated and maintain healthy organ function, drinking too much can lead to weight gain.
In summary, drinking lemon water can help improve metabolism and ward off obesity. However, if you are already at a healthy weight, drinking too much water may not be a beneficial strategy for you. Talk to your doctor about what would be the best eating and drinking plan for your situation, and above all, make sure that you’re getting the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function at its best.