Can you drink lemon water while fasting: Nutritional review, benefits, and potential considerations

In a nutshell

Can you drink lemon water while fasting? Lemon water contains very low calories but can provide you with such key nutrients as

• Vitamin C
• Potassium
• Antioxidants
• Sodium, etc.

Due to a low-calorie count, lemon water is generally safe for fasting if it’s not extremely strict. Furthermore, regular consumption of lemon water during intermittent fasting can help you replenish electrolyte levels, stay hydrated, support digestion, stimulate detoxification, and control your cravings.

The growing popularity of fasting as a weight-loss and health-supporting approach causes more and more women to get into it to receive a wealth of benefits. In particular, practicing intermittent fasting has been linked to weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and other advantages. At the same time, this dietary approach is quite easy to implement. However, there might be many questions at the start of your journey, such as can you drink lemon water while fasting?

Struggling to lose weight? Take our quiz now to find a personalized solution just for you >

Intermittent Fasting Basics: What Does It Mean to Break a Fast?

In order to define will lemon water break a fast or not, it’s important to understand what it means to break a fast, in the first place.

Intermittent fasting implies establishing a fixed schedule of when you can and can’t eat. The schedule can be mild or more restricted depending on your specific energy needs, body type, and goals. For example, some common schedules are 12:12, 14:10, 16:8, and 18:6 fasting- where the first number indicates the number of hours per day during which you are not supposed to eat (your fasting window).

In this dietary approach, the core idea is to not consume any calories with food or drinks during the fasting window. Respectively, breaking a fast pretty much means eating or drinking something that contains calories.

Intermittent Fasting Lemon Water: Nutritional Breakdown

Since the main purpose of the fasting window in intermittent fasting is to stay free of calories, answering the question of whether or not a particular product will break your fast requires delving into its nutritional value.

Let’s make a nutritional breakdown of lemon water to see if it can undermine your fasting or not. Basically, lemon water is only made of two ingredients–water and lemon juice. Plain water is not restricted during fasting in any way (unless it’s a dry religious fast), meaning that you can drink it in any amount during your fasting windows.

Lemon juice, on the other hand, isn’t completely calorie-free. Canned or bottled lemon juice contains around 3.15 calories per tablespoon. It also contains a number of nutrients, such as 

• Vitamin C
• Potassium
• Antioxidants
• Sodium
• Zink
• Selenium, etc.

While these nutrients might be quite beneficial during fasting, both for weight loss and overall health. It’s important to remember that some bottled juices may contain added carbohydrates and sugars that you have to watch out for if you want to drink lemon water during fasting.

Does Lemon Water Break a Fast?

After checking a nutritional breakdown, let’s define can you have lemon water while intermittent fasting or not. 

There are a few things you need to consider when answering this question. First of all, it’s calorie count. Given the fact that water has zero calories and lemon juice only has 3.15 calories per tablespoon, the overall calorie count in lemon water is generally not high enough to break a fast. 

Additionally, it’s important to consider the possible effects of lemon water on crucial fasting-related processes in the body, such as:

• Insulin response - One of the biggest benefits of consistent fasting is its positive effect on insulin sensitivity. This is one of the functions of a fast you don’t want to break. Luckily, studies show that lemon juice reduces the glycemic response and thus, doesn’t undermine this process.
  Metabolism - Fasting offers a strong metabolic reset that stimulates better metabolism and promotes weight loss. Lemon water can actually support this function.‍
• Autophagy - When your body gets into starvation mode, it starts breaking down and reusing old cell parts, facilitating cell repair. Although there is not enough scientific research behind this, there is an opinion that lemon water may help indirectly promote this process.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting Lemon Water

So can you drink lemon water while intermittent fasting? The answer to this question, actually, might be more than a simple “yes.” The thing is that lemon water is not just safe for your fast but can also offer quite a few benefits during it:

Hydration

It’s no secret that proper hydration is crucial during intermittent fasting to prevent dehydration and support the health of every major organ in your body. Still, many women tend to struggle with drinking enough water at the beginning of their weight loss journey. In this case, adding a bit of lemon into the water can be used to trick yourself into drinking more frequently.

Digestion Support

The acid found in lemon is known to play a crucial role in breaking down food. Thus, drinking lemon water regularly can help you supplement stomach acid levels, which decrease with age, aid digestion, and promote overall gut health. Additionally, it can help bloating, which is often found in fasting.

Detoxification

Lemons, just like many other citrus fruits, are rich in nutrients like vitamin C and antioxidants. These elements are known to stimulate liver function and flush it out. Thus, adding even a tablespoon of lemon juice to water can help you support your liver and promote detox processes.

Craving Control

Lemon water might feel more saturating than plain water. Respectively, it can help you reduce appetite and combat cravings during your fasting windows.

Electrolyte Balance

Lastly, it’s important to note that consistent fasting can stimulate faster loss of crucial electrolytes, such as minerals, potassium, and sodium. Lemons naturally contain these electrolytes, which means that drinking water with them can help you replenish your electrolyte levels and thus, improve your overall well-being.

Lemon Water Intermittent Fasting: Potential Considerations

Despite a wealth of benefits, combining lemon water and intermittent fasting may also have some drawbacks. Here are a few key considerations that you should keep in mind:

• Acidic effect on teeth - Consistent consumption of lemon water has been shown to cause the enamel to erode. In the long run, this can expose the underlayer of your teeth, leading to a range of dental problems.
• Digestive stimulation - When you drink lemon water, it increases your stomach acid levels. While this is generally beneficial for digestion, it may also trigger hunger in some people.
• Religious or strict fasting - Some types of fasting may be stricter than the intermittent approach. In this case, you may be prohibited to drink lemon water in order not to break your fast.
• Individual reaction - Finally, it’s important to remember that every person may have individual reactions to lemons, including allergies. The primary symptoms of an allergic reaction to lemon water can include itching, swelling, hives, and difficulty breathing. If you notice any of these signs, it’s pivotal to consult with your healthcare provider and further avoid drinking lemon water if necessary.

FAQ

Can I drink lemon water during intermittent fasting?

Yes, though it contains some calories, lemon water does not interfere with any fasting-related processes and shouldn’t break your fast.

When does lemon water break intermittent fast?

Although it’s generally harmless, lemon water might break certain types of fasts, such as dry religious fasts. Also, it’s important to remember about possible hidden sugars and carbohydrates in bottled lemon juice, which can cause you to break your fast. It’s generally recommended to use natural lemon juice for making fasting-friendly lemon water.

Can I drink lemon water with salt during intermittent fasting?

Yes, you can. Salt doesn’t contain any calories and thus, can’t break a fast. On the other hand, consuming salt while fasting can help replenish essential electrolytes. Adding a bit of salt to your lemon water can help you make up for lost electrolytes and gain even more health benefits.

Conclusion

Can you drink lemon water while intermittent fasting? The short answer is “yes.” As you now know, lemon water doesn’t contain many calories and, thus, shouldn’t break your fast, unless you’re following a very strict or religious fast.

On the contrary, drinking lemon water during intermittent fasting is associated with a variety of benefits, including hydration, digestion support, and others. Thus, you can freely drink lemon water to support your weight loss and get the most benefits out of your fasting experience. Just keep in mind the potential considerations discussed in this guide to avoid any adverse effects.