Key Takeaways
- Obesity affects around 16% of the world’s population.
- Lemon water will unlikely cause intermittenting fasting to be broken.
- A single 100 mL serving of citrus juice contains approximately 5 g of citric acid, which may negatively affect teeth health.
When committing to a diet like the egg diet, Galveston diet or even the military diet, what you eat matters differently. The same applies to intermittent fasting, where there is a focus on when you eat meals and what you consume during the fasting window. This often raises a very common question in diet or health forums: does lemon water break a fast? This is often due to the concerns about the effectiveness of one’s eating habits and routine, especially with growing obesity concerns affecting almost 16% of the world’s population, alongside a risk factor for premature illness and death caused by the disease [1].
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting separates your day or week into planned periods of time where you eat and avoid eating. One of the common types of intermittent fasting includes time-restricted eating (TRE), where you eat meals within a set eating window and avoid calorie-containing beverages or food during the remaining fasting hours. The diets include OMAD, which usually involves one meal a day, and the 18:6 method, which allows eating during a six-hour window followed by an 18-hour fasting period [2].
Other approaches extend the process across several days. The 5:2 diet involves five regular eating days and two lower-calorie fast days each week, while alternate-day fasting switches between fast days and unrestricted eating days.
Fasting is also practiced for religious purposes, although a religious fast may follow different rules regarding when people can eat or drink, which foods are permitted, and how many hours the fast lasts.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
An umbrella review covering 153 studies and 9,846 participants found that all major intermittent fasting approaches reduced body weight compared with usual eating patterns, with average reductions ranging from 0.38 kg to 4.83 kg [3]. Time-restricted feeding was associated with approximately 1.60 kg greater weight loss and 1.48 kg less fat mass, while alternate-day fasting reduced body weight by about 1.79 kg more than time-restricted eating.
Shortening the eating window or extending the fasting period may help lower overall calorie intake, encourage the body to use stored fat, and support weight loss. Fasting may regulate or reduce hunger, improve energy efficiency, and stimulate brown fat activity, which helps the body expend energy as heat.
Does Lemon Water Break a Fast?
No, not really. Most people can safely drink lightly flavored lemon water during the fasting window for weight loss, gut health, or general well-being. That said, the effect of drinking lemon water while intermittent fasting depends on your specific goals and how strict your fast is. A fast like fast religious during Ramadan prohibits all food and drink, so the rules may also differ regardless of the small amount consumed.
But for the most part, squeezing a small amount of lemon juice (about one tablespoon, or 15 mL) into your glass provides minimal calories (fewer than 3 to 4 calories) along with less than 1 gram of carbohydrates [4]. Because of this negligible trace amount, drinking it during your fasting window is unlikely to trigger a noticeable spike in insulin or disrupt insulin sensitivity, making it completely acceptable for those focused on gut health, weight management, or enhancing their overall fasting experience.
Lemon Water Nutrition
Lemon water typically contains very few calories, provided that no added sugar, honey, or other calorie-containing ingredients are included.
The nutrition in lemon water depends on how much lemon juice is added, since plain water provides zero calories and no carbohydrates, protein, or fat. Because most people prepare lemon water using only small amounts of juice rather than an entire lemon, the final calorie content and carbohydrate level will usually be much lower.
| Source of Calories | Amount | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 6.9 g | 89% |
| Protein | 0.35 g | 4% |
| Fat | 0.24 g | 7% |
| Total Calories | 22 calories | 100% |
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Total Carbohydrates | 6.9 g | 3% |
| Net Carbohydrates | 6.6 g | 3% |
| Sugars | 2.52 g | 7% |
| Added Sugars | No data | – |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.3 g | 1% |
| Protein | 0.35 g | 1% |
| Total Fat | 0.24 g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.04 g | 0% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0 g | – |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.02 g | – |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A | 0.25 mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 38.7 mg | 43% |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% |
| Minerals | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 103 mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 6 mg | 0% |
| Magnesium | 6 mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.08 mg | 0% |
| Zinc | 0.05 mg | 0% |
% DV refers to how much a single serving of an individually packaged food or supplement contributes nutritionally to your daily diet, based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. Generally, having 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low, and 20% DV or more of a nutrient per serving is considered high.
Types of Lemon Water
There are many ways to drink lemon water, ranging from simple, low-calorie options to sweetened drinks that may contain enough sugar and calories to break a fast. The ingredients used can significantly affect the drink’s calorie content, carbohydrate level, and suitability during a fasting window.
| Examples | What the drinks contain | |
|---|---|---|
| Plain Lemon Water | Lemon water, warm lemon water, iced lemon water | Water, fresh lemon juice, raw lemon, ice |
| Carbonated Lemon Drinks | Sparkling lemon water, lemon soda water | Sparkling water, lemon juice, lemon slices, ice |
| Sweetened Lemon Drinks | Sweet lemon water, lemonade, honey lemon water | Water, lemon juice sauce, sugar, honey, maple syrup or agave syrup, ice |
| Infused Lemon Water | Lemon mint water, lemon cucumber water, lemon berry water | Water, lemon, mint, cucumber, berries, ginger, herbs |
| Lemon Mocktails | Lemon spritzer, virgin lemon mojito, fruit lemon mocktail | Lemon juice, sparkling water, fruit juice, mint, malt syrup or sorghum syrup or dietetic syrup, fruit relish, ice |
| Tea-Based Lemon Drinks | Iced lemon tea, hot lemon tea | Black tea, green tea, lemon juice, water, sugar, honey, ice |
| Frozen Lemon Drinks | Lemon slushie, lemon granita | Lemon juice, water, sweetener (maple sugar, honey, fructose), crushed ice |
| Sports Lemon Drinks | Salted lemon water, electrolyte lemon water | Water, lemon juice, salt, electrolyte powder, coconut water, honey |
| Bottled Flavoured Drinks | Bottled lemon water, lemon-flavoured water | Water, lemon flavouring, sweeteners, preservatives, added vitamins |
Low-Calorie Drinks That Will Not Break Your Fast
Zero-calorie drinks, or beverages with negligible amounts of energy (plain water, unsweetened tea, and black coffee), are considered the gold standard when picking what to drink while intermittent fasting. They will help you stay hydrated without additional carbohydrates, protein or fat, which will not spike blood sugar.
| Drinks That Typically Do Not Break a Fast | What to Avoid Adding | |
|---|---|---|
| Plain Water | Tap water, filtered water, mineral water | Sugar, honey, fruit juice |
| Carbonated Water | Plain sparkling water, soda water, seltzer | Sweetened flavourings, syrups |
| Black Coffee | Brewed coffee, espresso, cold brew, coffee | Milk, cream, sugar, flavoured syrup |
| Unsweetened Tea | Black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong tea | Milk, sugar, honey |
| Unsweetened Herbal Tea | Peppermint tea, chamomile tea, ginger tea | Sweeteners, dried fruit blends with added sugar |
| Plain Electrolyte Water | Water with calorie-free electrolytes | Glucose, maltodextrin, sugar, amino acids |
| Zero-Calorie Drinks | Diet soda or zero-sugar flavoured water | These may be avoided during a strict or clean fast |
Benefits of Lemon Water During Your Fasting Period
Lemon contains vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, pectin, minerals, and essential oil compounds such as limonene [5]. These compounds may have antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiscorbutic, and astringent activity. Additionally, a lemon’s citric acid may help limit the formation or development of small kidney stones, prevent scurvy, and maintain electrolyte balance during fasting.
Downsides of Lemon Water During Your Fasting Period
A single 100 mL serving of citrus juice contains approximately 5 g of citric acid [5]. Citric acid can gradually erode protective tooth enamel and increase sensitivity when consumed frequently. Additionally, for those with skin sensitivities, direct contact with citrus juice or its essential oils can also irritate the mouth, lips, or skin, occasionally triggering phototoxic reactions upon exposure to UV light [5].
Furthermore, for individuals who rely on drinking water to maintain baseline hydration, acidic beverages can be a definite no go if they suffer from acid reflux, GERD, or a citrus allergy, as the acid can aggravate stomach lining irritation and trigger heartburn. Extra caution is also advised regarding concentrated lemon essential oils during pregnancy or nursing, though moderate, diluted lemon water remains generally safe for most people.
Other Foods to Eat With Lemon or Lemon Juice
While drinking water with lemon is a daily ritual for many, relying solely on beverages is not the only way to reap the most benefits from this citrus fruit. Fresh lemon juice delivers over 30% of your daily recommended vitamin C in just one ounce (around 30 mL) with minimal calories (roughly 11 calories per ounce). Adding fresh citrus directly to daily meals transforms flavour without heavy fats or excess sodium.
- Lemon sauce tilapia, tilapia with lemon sauce and salad
- Quinoa salad, cucumber salad with herbs, coleslaw
- Grilled salmon
- Lemon garlic chicken, lemon chicken
- Lentil chicken soup with sausage and lemon
- Hummus, lemon aioli, tahini sauce
- Lemon cake, lemon cheesecake
- Lemon vinaigrette, mayonnaise, lemon herb butter
Final Words: Can You Drink Lemon Water While Fasting?
In short: No, plain lemon water will not break your fast. Squeezing the juice of fresh lemon slices into water adds fewer than 5 calories and less than 1 gram of carbohydrates, amounts insufficient to spike your insulin levels or knock your body out of a fasted state. Lemon water is an affordable, healthy, and delicious beverage that can enhance your fasting experience. Staying well-hydrated is highly recommended during non-religious fasts. Outside of fasting periods, you can add lemon to your favorite tea or use it in cooking to boost flavor. Using 1/8 to 1/4 of a lemon adds less than 1 gram of net carbs and will not break your fast.
If you are unsure about what breaks a fast, you can use Eato’s calorie calculator to check: if the calorie count is above zero, it will likely break your fast. Track your nutrition, plan your meals, and calculate your daily and post-fast calorie intake to safely and effectively achieve your health goals. Try it for free today!
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