“I have heard lemon water can help with weight loss, improve my digestion, boost my metabolism, increase my energy levels and is a great way to detox. Is this true?””

Unfortunately, the health claims of lemon water are not backed up by science. These is no evidence that lemon water helps with weight loss or has any impact on your metabolism or energy levels. There is no need to “detox”. Your body has its own natural detoxification processes and lemon water (or any other product claimed to assist detox) is not recommended.

The benefits of drinking lemon water are derived from the Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, that is found in lemons. One glass of water with the juice of one lemon provides approximately 20% of your daily Vitamin C requirement, but otherwise there is very little nutritional value.

Lemon juice is a natural flavour and is preferable to soft drink and artificially flavoured waters. Adding a squeeze of lemon can be helpful if you struggle to drink 1.5L of plain water each day.

The downside to lemon water is the potential for it to damage to your teeth. Lemons are acidic and may damage the protective tooth enamel, leading to cavities. Tips to protect your teeth include drinking through a straw and rinsing your mouth afterwards.

So, should you drink lemon water? If you enjoy a squeeze of lemon in your water, then keep drinking it. If you do not like it, do not worry - you can easily get your daily Vitamin C from other citrus fruit, berries or a red capsicum.