thenutritionwatchdog.com What's in your food? Discover which "healthy" foods are harming your health and which foods protect your body 
Today’s blog is republished from my friends at TheAlternativeDaily, a leading publisher of daily alternative health tips that I personally read every day…
By Ryan Mallett-Outtrim, TheAlternativeDaily.com
Lemon water is delicious and healthy. It’s an easy way to boost your intake of vitamin C, which can help lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. It can also improve your skin health and support weight loss, while aiding digestion. Plus, it can keep your breath fresh and lemony.
Oh, and did we mention it tastes pretty yummy?
Unfortunately, like everything in life, it’s possible to have too much lemon water. In excess, lemon water can have some surprisingly worrying impacts on your health. While a cup or two a day might not hurt, guzzling large amounts of lemon water can do more harm than good, and in the long term, snowball into serious health problems.
Bear in mind that there’s no set amount of lemon water that’s considered unsafe; we’re all different, and all have different tolerance levels. That said, here are six health issues that can arise from drinking too much lemon water. If you’re experiencing any of these, then it might be time to take it easy on the lemon water.
1. Lemon water can harm your tooth enamel
We all know that sugary treats are bad for your teeth, but did you know lemons are also pretty rough on your enamel? Lemons are highly acidic, and the American Dental Association warns their juice can erode your enamel if consumed in excess.
Signs of enamel damage include a yellowing of the teeth and a sensation of roughness. Run your tongue along your teeth; if they feel sand papery instead of pearly smooth, then you might have some enamel damage.
Another common sign of tooth problems is more obvious: pain or sensitivity. For example, if you feel a jolt of stabbing pain in your teeth whenever you drink something particularly hot or cold, then you might have a problem. In fact, if you experience any of the above, then it’s probably time to cut back on the lemon water and perhaps pay a visit to your dentist.
2. Lemon water can exacerbate cavities
Lemon water doesn’t just strip your teeth of their enamel; it can also exacerbate issues with cavities. Cavities are typically caused by bacteria that munch on sugar and excrete acid. Pure, natural lemon juice won’t do much to exacerbate cavities on its own. However, if you use a lemon concentrate or add a bit of sugar to your lemon water, then you’re creating the perfect environment in your mouth for the development of cavities.
3. Lemon water can mess with your tummy
For some people, lemon water can be quite soothing, but not everyone. We’re all unique, and our stomachs can have moods of their own. For some people, lemon water can put their stomachs in a seriously bad mood, causing pain and irritation. Anyone with a stomach ulcer should steer well away from lemon water, as it can worsen the pain and make you feel absolutely terrible.
Also, excessive consumption of acidic foods and beverages like lemon water has been linked to the development of gastroesophageal re-flux disorder. This is a gut condition that can lead to nausea, vomiting and heartburn.
4. Lemon rinds are gross
This is less of a problem with lemon water, and more of a concern with the rinds themselves. In 2007, a study published in the Journal of Environmental Health found evidence to suggest as much as 70 percent of lemon rinds served in restaurants are contaminated with organisms like the notorious E. coli, which can make you extremely ill.
Regular consumption of lemon water with the rind submerged in the beverage can expose you to these contaminants, so be careful. If you regularly consume lemon water, ensure you either wash the rinds thoroughly or remove them entirely.
5. Lemon juice can give you migraines
This one certainly doesn’t apply to everyone, but lemon juice might give you one hell of a headache. A number of studies have shown a clear link between citrus and migraines. It’s worth noting these results aren’t consistent, with some studies failing to find a clear link. Nonetheless, there’s enough evidence on the table to lead many doctors to advise migraine sufferers to avoid citrus, especially if they suspect fruits like lemon exacerbate their migraines. So if you likewise experience migraines from time to time, you may want to consider avoiding lemon water.
6. Lemon juice can make mouth ulcers worse
Mouth ulcers (canker sores) are horrible. They hurt and make eating unpleasant. Due to their highly acidic content, lemons can make these ulcers even more painful, according to the American Dental Association. So if you’re prone to mouth ulcers, then keep away from lemon juice.
What’s your experience with lemon water? Let us know about the good, bad and ugly in the comments below!
— Ryan Mallett-Outtrim
(The original article source is here)
In India, Ayurvedic practitioners use lemon to heal stomach issues, referring to its value as a “promoter of gastric fire”.
The Romans used lemons as a cure for all types of “poison.”
Historians report that 12th century Egyptians prized lemons for their “vast medicinal power.”
And in 1953 Sir Edmund Hillary uncovered a new secret weapon—something never tried before by other climbers. It was a special all-natural healing tonic —that research showed could dramatically boost their level of fitness…and thus, increase their chances of finally reaching Everest’s summit.
What was in that Tonic? …Copious amounts of hot water with lemon to combat the acute effects of dehydration at altitude.
Let’s take a look at some of the other powerful benefits of lemons and lemon water…
> 13 Ways that lemons heal & flush your body (benefits for blood pressure, digestion, sleep, cancer, diabetes, detox & more)
Check out this next story below if you want an innovative new way to lose weight:
> Do THIS 1 hour before bed to pee out stubborn fat in the morning
I regularly drink water with a slice of lemon added. Just one slice a day which is left in my glass , this is refilled over and over, aiming for 6 glasses a day. Occasionally I’ll have a day or two with just plain filtered water instead. I haven’t encountered any real problems so maybe my lemon water is weak enough.
I passed one kidney stone a year for maybe 10 years. Three years ago I learned I had 20 stones. Ten in each kidney. Since I didn’t opt for laser treatment my urologist suggested one serving of lemon water per day. Since that suggestion I have not passed one kidney stone!
Only one serving worked? Wow. After two bouts of kidney stones I started drinking lemon water all day. So now had 6 tooh cavities that had to be fixed. But I can tell you that was painless compared to the kidney stone removal ptocess!!
How harmful is lemon sparkling water purchased from grocers?
I agree with you The amount of acid in a single slice into 10 ounce glass of water will not bother you because it has been watered down You receive the what your body needs and you are not having the feeling of hot pokers in your stomach The only time I use it is if I am feeling bad and I will slice a lemon with water and boil and use the juice and honey and about 3 shots of your choice on which liquor you use but it works Lemon are great especially the Meyer The longer you leave them on the tree they taste more like an orange
I love lemon water but thanks for the tip about resturants or bars about lemons. I haven’t used lemon water in a while but will be going back to it. I just squeeze about a 1/4 of a fresh lemon into a tall glass of water to drink about 2-3 times a day as I drink plenty of water. Its refreshing. My water is well water and is tested at least twice a year (do not like city water or bottled water). It is high in alkaline and I have no health problems with it. I am a healthy 73 year old retired surgical nurse but unfortunately I am also a sweetaholic! It’s hard to pass up yummy chocolate but I did change from milk chocolate to dark chocolate with 70% or more cocao. But only about 1-2 squares per day and it seems to work in cutting down the sweets. Sorry, I am off on a tangent. Thank you for all the good information you provide on various topics.
Dr Li recommends 80% Dark chocolate. Look up on YouTube
Hello, What about Stanley Boroughs, Master Cleanser? I used to do this quite a few years ago and loved the effects of it. Lemons, distilled water, pure organic Maple Syrup and Cayenne powder. Delicious and a great way to cleanse and lose weight.
What are the ratio’s of each ingredient?
Hello my name is Vonda sayles and I enjoyed reading your article. I too like Lemon water but not all the time but dong the winter I drink Lemon tea. you see when I was a child my mother would give my brother and I Lemon tea with Peppermint and sliced Lemons which she would bring it to a boil, and after it cooled to where we could drink it and the the next morning we felt better. When we got a cold she would give us that and to this day I still drink it when I get a cold but I also would put in Halls cough drops. So my question is is hot Lemon tea still good to drink even with the cough drops?
I squeeze one large lemon in a tall glass of water, slice thin about one inch square ginger, mix in about one spoonful of honey, warm it in microwave for about 2 minutes. That’s it! Works for me. I do this maybe once or twice daily. I am a 71 year old male. Thanks.
????….
I was drinking 2 cups of hot lemon water each day cut fat & cleanse but I noticed some sensitivity with my teeth.
Thank u for this information. I guess too much of anything is harmful. I will cut back!!
Have you had kidney stones? Did your lemon water recipe stop or reduce your kidney stones? Very interested in your comments since I just saw this in Feb., 2022. Thanks!
I just passed a stone and think it was from eating too much spinach. I was shocked to find out that the thing I thought was the healthiest thing on the planet is filled so many minerals that it can lead to stones.
Glad to hear about the lemon water. I have a tree that’s overloaded.
I have battled kidney stones for years…and had various treatments. This year my urologist suggested 6oz orange juice (preferably fresh squeezed), 1 oz lemon juice (preferably fresh squeezed and 1 teaspoon baking soda daily. This has helped reduce formation of stones.
Thanks about this good news for using lemon water.Ive got a tree at home, every morning I’m there to pick a lemon it helped me a lot because I developed a high blood pressure in 2020 after loosing my husband due to covid.I lost weight nd become sickly bt since using lemon water I pick up my health again at age 66.Thanks for the advice that I mustn’t over do it
The problem is the microwave kills every bit of the nutrients of whatever you heat in it.
Between a hard toothbrush and lemon water my teeth are ruined. Too late now. ?
Drink lemon water through a straw and dilute it enough. Green tea held in the mouth may help heal any teeth hurt by the acid. Lemon water may help block sugar and help with low stomach acid gluten may cause.
Yes, I do this, and also rinse my mouth with water afterward.
Good idea. I forget sometimes a straw will do that more.
My wife did the same, lemon wedges in her mouth.
I grow my own lemons, wash them off after picking, then squeeze them and put them in ice-cube trays to make frozen cubs. They cubs are equivalent to about 1 Tablespoon of juice. I drink one of these with water 1-three times per day. Is this amount OK ?
You mean “cubes.” Cubs are the babies of bears.
Why not add something related to health and well-being Vicki?
That is more important than being an annoying “grammar cop” to someone who provided some helpful info or asked a quesion.
One teaches so that pupil is not embarrassed and labeled in the future. It is a kindness. And teaching is one of the spiritual gifts.
There are glass straws nowadays, so you can drink any of these hot!
I grow my own lemons, pick them wash the outside and squeeze the juice
I then put the juice into ice cube trays and keep in my freezer. Each cube is approx. 1 Tablespoon
I put one cube into a glass of water at up to 3 times per day
I would appreciate your comments
Thanks for your good health tips. I think lemons are good but like you have rightly pointed out ,too much of lemons can be unhealthy.
Thank you for advisr will give up le.on for now I have a denist appr. What about lemon aid is that the same problem?.
I think the problem with most lemonades is too much sugar!
I squeezed one lemon into a glass of warm water, a teaspoon of baking soda and one tablespoon of apple vinegar 3 times a week. I usually drink 2 1/2 liters amid water per day; one of these with a squeezed lemon added
Hi Randal, Hey…what is your goal with the drink you make. Lemon is an acid but turns to alkaline in our body. Baking soda is alkaline. Apple cider vinegar is an acid. Would not this combination cancel each other out? or change the desired outcome of these healing substances? Just wondering. Take care 🙂
I did also water and lemon drink
Enjoyed it till i got a jaw pain my upper mole tooth pain
Than i stoped drinking it
But i really enjoyed sipping it daily
when i was 12 years old i knew a lady about early 40 she was 4×4 i saw her maybe 6 months later she had lost that huge belly i ask how she said every morning i take a large glass of lemon water before eating and i dont drink the root beers any more when i got older and ran into a problem i started doing the same thing its a regular with me i also do vinegar also according to how i feel
like to try it, what would you think if I did
Tryed?
Would you be Confident enough that, its going to work ?.
I have tried almost anything
I love myself, that’s why, I have decided to do anything my
Body need to keep “Fit” and beautiful like inside.
Remember our bodies it’s the temple of the “LORD GOD.”
P E A C E
✌️
Here’s how to get all the nutrients of the lemon that you can drink 24/7. What I do is get a bag of nice, as spot-free as available good size lemons. Then take a hand rasp and “zest” them, removing as much yellow without touching the bitter white nearest the body of the fruit. It’s a chore, but well worth it, and it gets easier the more you do it. Cut the lemons in half. Squeeze the lemon juice and add to blender with all the shaved zest. No worries if a few seeds come along, they have nutrients also and will get ground up. Add water to get to volume, taste you want. I found that approx 2 cups fills one ice cube tray, so I’ll add exactly the amount of water to make the entire mix fill an exact number of trays. Freeze and add as many lemon cubes to your water as desired, just 1 cube in a 12oz glass does it for me. The zest counters the sour and cancels the acidity.
WOW!
I like this ice-block which counteracts the acidity. HNY 2023
I started drinking hot whole lemon and started getting terrible canker sores
SLS (sodium laurel sulfate) causes canker sores irritating the mouth lining. This is also a chemical you
want to avoid. It is in toothpaste and other products. I have not had a canker sore for 10 years. This
is Herpes Zoster (different than sexual Herpes with cold sores). I wish I knew which Herpes virus contributes to Alzheimer’s?
The key here is “moderation in all things” I learned this from Dr. Herbert M. Shelton decades ago. However we have people who don’t get it. This has been a problem with those who practice a fruit based diet. The wearing of the tooth enamel, bleeding gums, digestive disorders, etc. Some people learn things the hard way.
As for the study you cite concerning bacterial contamination which I just read through. I have found more contamination on U.S. currency notes. You also didn’t mention the pesticide contamination which has been found embedded in lemon rind and on all citrus rinds. The same goes for the chemical contamination of these pesticides, herbicides, etc. on most fresh fruits and vegetables.
This is another article of which there are dozens about the pros and cons of lemon juice over the years.
I really see that those who write these articles have run out of “new material” to report on.
Why don’t you do an article on the aluminum and barium residue which falls to earth from those pesky “chemtrails” which the government has been dropping on the population for well over 26 years?
Go to the web site GeoEngineering for more. Educate yourself on the issues that the alphabet Fake News outlets won’t cover.
So true moderation and research ,to much of a good thing isn’t always a good thing even vitamins cause problems body also needs exercise and self control and meditation
Good Advice
My name is Lavada Bishop ! Nice to meet another Rare Lavada ❣️
This was a wake-up call for me. This week I had a bout of canker sores inside of my lower lip. Now I know the reason. It’s from the lemon water I have been drinking. Wow! Thanks for the tip.
What about the chemical contaminants found in citrus rinds? Will you be doing an article on that subject?
I juice a half organic lemon with added water. My teeth are prone to sensitivity, so I always immediately rinse with water. The author should have mentioned that.
I’m 71, use the concentrate, am not consumed enough with holistic Yahoo to drag a bag from the store. I drink 2 gallons of water each an every day./200+oz. No IBS, damaged teeth/cavities etc. Love the taste. I have noticed that if I do the same # of situps as oz.s, at night or in the morn. There is a marked improvement in my waist.
How many glasses of water is in 2 1/2 gals please
Good morning I have been drinking lemon water with no harm just that people when they read about something they tend to do everything in excess even a doctor’s medication has moderation and quantities obviously if you gave up a cup of a normal still and fresh water for only lemon water you can end up in a hospital bed this to say everything must be done in moderation even food eaten in excess can be harmful. Hope it make sense what I am trying to explain please moderate everything in your life you will happily enjoy whatever you do.
I use lemon juice on my cereal every morning because I cannot use milk because of the calcium and kidney stone.
I was prescribed 2 tablespoons of concentrated lemon juice daily for issues with Uric Acid kidney stones. I was concerned with tooth enamel erosion being a Dentist of 45 years. I fabricated custom fit fluoride trays and use a prescribed fluoride gel 3X week to mitigate the enamel erosion. Daily I brush with a prescription fluoride toothpaste and thus far I have had no increased incidence of tooth sensitivity, erosion or discoloration. See your dentist to take advantage of these low cost remedies.
Real lemon juice with water is alkaline.
I buy about a dozen lemons put them in clean liquid detergent hot water and wash and rinse each one then I use my manual juicer and squeeze each one then I fill my two special containers each one holds a tablespoon and a half then freeze them pop them out and put them in a freezer bag then do some more . My containers are just right because you press the bottom and they pop right out. I have them for my water and also for cooking,,before it always seemed until I would get to them when I bought too many they would spoil.
I was drinking a cup of tea with 1/2 of a lemon plus a smoothie with 1/2 of a lemon every morning and I noticed after a while I was getting heartburn very regularly which is something I never really had before. I decided to stop drinking the lemon because I just felt that was the cause and I have hardly had a bout of heartburn since I stopped.
I don’t like ice water. I drink hot water from the faucet with a dash of commercial.lemon juice. I don’t do potato chips or soda. A beer maybe once a week. I’m 97 years old with no health issues.
I understand from Isa Herrea, pelvic floor physiotherapist (NYC), as well as my doctor, that lemon/lime juice can cause bladder irritation. I love citrus but find that it can be irritating to my mouth as well. If I use lemons or limes (occasionally), they have to be ORGANIC.
Not a scary reason in the list. How disappointing!
I have lemon water with hot paprika in warm water with a drop of olive oil every morning before breakfast. I rinse and gargle with pure water after and have no problems. If I have a sore in my mouth I use apple cider vinegar in warm water.
I do not seem to get acid reflux any more.
I just use the small limes and squeeze only 1/2 of this small lime in a glass of an 8 ounce glass of water each morning. I would never use more–since it is so strong. But when I visited Argentina 10 years ago I got a strange fever and felt extremely ill. The nurses there gave me lemon water in small amounts as of above and a bag of ice on my head and I was well in 24 hours. Also in Mexico they have always used to detoxify, but in small amounts as I mentioned. Anything overdone is not good for anyone.
I have eaten a lemon every day ( not the rine ) with breakfast.
I have done this for almost 10 years.
Any feedback ?
Every morning i drink a glass full of -1 Teaspoon of Organic honey-1 teaspoon of organic Apple Cider Vinegar-mixed up with the juice of 1/2 lemon -and top it up with warm water– 82 and still working by choice.
I suffered most of my life with severe acid reflux (GERD), sometimes catching myself praying to die during severe episodes! About 12 years ago I read, what seems to be opposite your research, That lemon acid actually turns alkaline in the stomach and the rind has many times the vitamin C and other nutrients you need for stomach/ digestive health? I finally threw away all Nexium , etc and all the stomach pump inhibitors which I felt were killing me and have eaten/ drunk i/2 lemon, chopped up in warm water with honey every day for 12 years now. I am 90 years old, take no prescriptions, and have not had one reflux since. Not one! I run my business with much younger employees with a great deal of joy and plan now on at least 10 more years (with a lot of help from God). A side not on the guy ahead of me who uses “organic” honey. I have shopped and shopped but can’t find any inorganic honey?
For acid reflux, take a juice glass & put a teaspoon of Baking Soda & then about a tablesppon of apple cider vinegar. Let it foam up, stir it & then fill the glass with water & drink & belch away. Your acid reflux will be gone & you will enjoy the rest of the night. Try to avoid antacids if at all possible. A steady diet of those fixes the acid reflux but the unintended consequences are your stomach wont absorb the nitrients you should be getting when you eat good foods. This way is all natural.
Dave, is this true? I have been suffering terrible with acid reflux lately. I refuse to keep taking medication but I must stop eating 5 hrs before bed and stay away from certain foods. Can you tell me exactly what you do? Do you eat the peel?
Thanks
T think that EVERYTHING is HEALTHY if it’s NOT TOO MUCH.
Lemon water is actually very great for sores in your mouth. Although it is painful, if you rub a lime/lemon against your sore for a few seconds it will heal it in no time!! 🙂 This article was very informative, thank you!!!
I have been drinking lemon water daily for about 3 months half a lemon in my water a 2.2litre water bottle ,I have been so into it , it feels so cleansing and I feel really good afterwards , I am happy to back off the lemon ,but i feel everything in moderation is healthy .
Same here — I was drinking half of a squeezed lemon in my green tea (a Japanese cast iron pot-full, so about 3 cups or so) every day for two years and I started getting heartburn (never had that before) and chest pains and finally figured out it was having the lemon every day. I stopped with the lemon and the heartburn went away. I do miss the lemon — maybe I’ll have it here and there or put make ice cubes out of it–I like that idea.
I use ‘TRUE’ – Lemon, lemonade packets but doesn’t seem to do anything to me. I doubt that’s the cause of my gas or constipation.
???
My wife drinks a couple of glasses of lemon juice everyday but if I drank it would mess with my stomach because I have IBS.
My wife drinks a couple of glasses of fresh lemon juice everyday bgecause it helps her to keep her blood sugar in the proper parameters because she has type 2 diabetes.. If I drank two glasses of fresh lemon juice everyday my stomach would be messed up because I have IBS.
I’m drinking a lot of lemon water & Limolene (Rinds from 4 citrus fruits in capsule form Plus Chieica Piedra herb drops for my large kidney stone still in my kidney. Hoping it will work ?