One of the latest trends in Weight Loss is drinking hot Lemon Water first thing in the morning.  What are the actual benefits?

Benefits of drinking Hot water:

If a person drinks hot water it helps to break down food faster than drinking cold or warm water. It reduces the risk of constipation by supporting regular bowel movements.  Does it detoxify? When water is hot enough to raise a person’s body temperature, it can cause sweating.  Sweating expels toxins and can help clean the pores.  Drinking hot water temporarily improves circulation.  Hot water is a vasodilator, meaning it expands the blood vessels, improving circulation. This can help muscles relax and reduce pain.  Heat applied to the sinuses can alleviate pressure caused by colds and nasal allergies. Steam also helps unclog the sinuses.  Drinking hot water may help mucous move more quickly. This means that drinking hot water may encourage coughing and nose-blowing to be more productive.  A soothing cup of hot water may help people manage stress and anxiety.

An older study found that consumption of hot liquids, such as tea and coffee, could lower stress and reduce feelings of anxiety.  The study argues that some of the effects are due to caffeine, but that the warmth also played a role in the improved mood of participants.

Research has long supported the idea that drinking more water can help a person lose weight. This may partially be because drinking water increases feelings of fullness. Water also helps the body absorb nutrients, and it flushes out waste.

A study published in 2003 found that switching from drinking cold water to hot water could increase weight loss. Researchers found that drinking 500 ml  (a little over 2 cups) of water before a meal increased metabolism by 30 percent.

Raising water temperature to 98.6 degrees accounted for 40 percent of the increase in metabolism. This metabolic step-up lasted for 30-40 minutes, following water consumption.

Are there additional benefits to drinking Hot Lemon Water?

Lemon water contains compounds that may protect your cells and improve metabolic health. However, human studies are needed.  The studies done are on rats.  Lemon water contains beneficial substances, and is a source of plant compounds called flavonoids.  Many have antioxidant properties that appear to help protect your cells from damage.  Flavonoids from citrus fruits are often linked with benefits for blood circulation, insulin sensitivity and other aspects of metabolic health.  Lemon flavonoids also have the potential to reduce oxidative stress and damage, at least in rats.

Studies show that lemon water can help treat kidney stones. It appears most effective alongside conventional therapy, but may also be a useful alternative treatment.  Kidney stones are solid mineral formations that collect in the kidneys. The most common type is made of a substance called calcium oxalate, and is typically treated with a compound called citrate.  Increasing the amount of citrate in your urine is thought to prevent calcium from binding with other compounds and forming stones.  In short, citrate restores the urine’s ability to prevent kidney stone formation.  Lemon water contains high amounts of citrate, and numerous human studies have found it can successfully help treat kidney stones.

Depending on the amount of lemon juice you add to your hot water, you are adding small amounts of Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, and Calcium.  You should beware though that too much lemon juice has been proven bad for our teeth.  Lemon juice is acidic. This means when we drink it, it can cause enamel erosion on our teeth. In fact, lemon juice has a pH level of 2-3 which means it is causing harm to our teeth because liquids with a pH level under four have been proven to negatively impact our dental health.  Therefore, some is excellent for you and too much can be really bad over time.

And that is the total science proven benefit of hot lemon water versus hot water.  Everything else is myth or unproven in scientific studies.