Lemon is high in vitamin C and adds a tart sweetness to recipes and beverages, but it won't help you lose weight. Using lemon to add flavor to food and drinks may keep you from reaching for high-calorie treats and keep you on track as you lose weight. Talk to your doctor before making any changes in your diet, especially if you have allergies or health conditions.
Lemon Nutrition Facts
Lemon is naturally low in calories -- the juice of one lemon contains 12 calories, 4 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of sugar. Mix a squeeze of lemon juice onto a piece of fish or chicken, and you'll add lots of flavor, but only add a calorie or two to your meal.
Calories Burned vs. Calories Consumed
Weight loss will only occur if you're burning more calories than you consume on a regular basis, creating a calorie deficit in the body. The amount of lemon juice you drink has nothing to do with how much weight you'll lose -- especially if you're not making any other changes in your diet or exercise program. Instead, use lemon juice as a diet tool, not a weight-loss solution. Using lemon juice to flavor your food instead of butter or oil will help you lose weight, as long as you're cutting those high-calorie ingredients out of your diet.
Master Cleanse Diet
Some fad diets promote drinking nothing but a lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper concoction for a period of two weeks. Because one of these fads received so much attention, some dieters may erroneously believe that lemon juice has fat-burning properties. Some fad diets are so low in calories, they starve the body -- although you may lose weight, you will gain the weight back again as soon as you go back to your regular eating habits.
Lemon as a Weight-Loss Aid
Although lemon may not be a magic bullet for weight loss, it may help you flavor your food and drinks in a nutritious and low-calorie way. A can of soda contains approximately 97 calories per serving. Swap out your daily soda for a glass of water with a lemon wedge squeezed in. The sweetness may curb your craving without adding empty calories to your diet. Two tbsp. of blue cheese salad dressing contains 130 calories and 12 g of fat. Spritz some lemon juice on the salad instead, and cut those calories out of your diet.
Member Comments