However, according to experts quoted by Xinhua News Agency, abusing lemon juice does not help whiten skin as many people mistakenly believe, and can even cause many side effects on health.
Could make the skin darker
Many people believe that lemon water helps whiten skin thanks to its vitamin C content. However, experts say that just drinking lemon water is not enough to create whitening effects.
Notably, lemon contains light-sensitive compounds. When the body absorbs these substances and the skin is exposed to a lot of UV rays, the risk of increased pigmentation, skin darkening or making the skin more sensitive may increase instead of becoming white and bright.
Damaging tooth enamel
Lemon contains a lot of citric acid. If you drink lemon water regularly or at a high concentration without rinsing your mouth afterwards, the acid can soften and erode tooth enamel over time, making teeth numb and more prone to decay.
Experts recommend drinking lemon juice with a straw if possible and rinsing your mouth with filtered water after drinking to reduce the impact of acid on teeth.
Causing stomach irritation
Consuming too much lemon juice can increase the amount of acid in the stomach, causing a burning sensation, heartburn or discomfort in people with a sensitive digestive system.
For people with stomach ulcers or gastroesophageal reflux, drinking a lot of lemon water can make symptoms worse.
Does not help whiten skin as many people think
According to experts, vitamin C in lemon only plays a nutritional supplementary role. The amount of vitamin C absorbed from a few slices of lemon mixed with water is very small and not enough to create a noticeable skin whitening effect.
To have bright and healthy skin, the most important thing is still sun protection, getting enough sleep, maintaining a balanced diet and taking care of the skin properly, instead of expecting to drink lemon water every day.
