Is Drinking Lemon Water Really Good for You?

While they might have access to personal trainers on speed dial, at-home chefs and top plastic surgeons, there’s one cheap healthy habit hoards of A-List celebrities, including Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, and Gisele Bündchen, swear by, that’s actually affordable for the average person. These celebs all love drinking water with lemon juice every morning.

“I try to take care of myself, drinking at least a gallon of water with lemon a day,” Beyoncé has said previously, while the first thing Naomi does in the morning “is have hot water with lemon and probiotics.”

So if you, like Lindsay Lohan, believe “water is so boring” to drink, this can seem like a fun way to make getting your recommended eight glasses of water a day a little more interesting. Plus, the theory behind it is that the acid in the lemon helps to alkalize the body.

But the problem is, despite getting the big tick from health-conscious celebs, accredited health experts including nutritionists, dietitians and dentists say this popular habit has no scientific evidence backing it and is actually terrible for our health, because it does irreversible damage to our teeth.

Now To Love asked nutritionist Dr. Joanna McMillan to give us a straight answer on whether we should be drinking lemon water. “No it doesn’t work. There’s no evidence of any health benefits,” Dr. McMillan said. “So often people are downing lemon water in the morning, but you’d be better off eating an orange,” she said.

“It can be damaging to the enamel on your teeth. If you brush your teeth after you’ve softened the enamel, you’re literally brushing it off. It’s a nightmare for dental health.” Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

What about apple cider vinegar? Lots of people like to have a shot of that in the morning, hoping for similarly alkalizing effects. Unfortunately, Dr. McMillan says this can damage your esophagus.

“Having vinegar as part of a meal has benefits,” she said, but “put it in something like a salad dressing, otherwise it damages your throat.” For other ways to boost your gut health, check out

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Now to Love.

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