Lemon coffee is the latest weight loss trend

But is there any science to back it up? 

Could #lemoncoffee be the answer to your weight loss goals? Image: Getty

#Lemoncoffee has taken TikTok by storm, but is it scientific fact or fiction? Holly Berckelman investigates.

TikTok loves a weird and wacky wellness hack. From celery juice to yellow dragonfruit, not a week goes by without another shaky scheme to detox, anti-bloat and increase energy. 

This week’s obsession? We’re sorry to say but creators are coming for your morning coffee. 

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Having already wracked up 15.1 million views, the #lemoncoffee movement is gaining serious momentum, and shows creators adding slices of lemon to their morning coffees in an attempt to lose weight. 

In fact, influencers on the app go so far as to claim that by combining the citrus with coffee, it not only ‘melts fat’ but provides relief from other aches and pains, such as diarrhoea and headaches. 

Seems like a miracle drug, right? Not so fast, soldier. Not so fast. 

@pourandmix

how to make a Lemon-ffee 🍋 #learnfromme #learnontiktok #makeadrink #drink #lemon #coffee #fyp

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Lemons and coffee, separately 

Lemons certainly get a good wrap in the health department for their high levels of vitamin C – which supports the immune system and works to keep skin, bones, and tissue healthy – and for aiding digestion. It can also help to aid hydration when added to water, though that is mostly by increasing flavour, thus making water more appetising for some. 

All great things. But while there are claims that lemon can support weight loss by stimulating fat and glucose metabolism, that is yet to be proven, and may not have more than a minuscule effect on weight loss goals.

Coffee, on the other hand, is a more complicated one. There’s currently no agreed-upon answer as to whether coffee helps or hinders weight loss. It does increase metabolism, but there’s no evidence that shows it targets fat cells in particular areas of the body, like the stomach, or that just one coffee a day can achieve this. 

For many, drinking coffee has an appetite-reducing effect, so some individuals may eat less after their morning cup of joe, thus reducing their overall caloric consumption, but that’s more of a byproduct than a causal factor. 

It’s also important to consider that coffee can also be drunk in a million different ways, making it hard to glean clear-cut results. A single espresso, a double espresso, with a litany of milks, with hot water, cold water or ice – the possibilities are endless. Not to mention the lack of standardised sizing across even one city let alone the world. The different ways coffee is consumed will directly correlate with the health benefits, and a soy latte will have a totally different impact on your health than a single shot of espresso, making it hard to universally agree on coffee’s role in weight loss one way or another

What’s more, the jury’s still out on whether coffee is beneficial for your overall health and wellbeing, a more important consideration than the circumference of your waist. 

There's currently no science to support drinking #lemoncoffee for weight loss. Image: Getty

Lemons and coffee, together 

So, lemons and coffee both have shaky science behind weight loss claims. Unsurprisingly, when they’re mixed together the result is no different. 

According to registered dietitian Rebecca Jaspan, “There is no scientific evidence that adding lemon to coffee enhances metabolic rate or any calorie-burning effect.” 

She went on to explain, “Since caffeine is a diuretic, a popular claim is that lemon coffee flushes the body of harmful toxins and excess water. 

“While drinking caffeine may promote more urine production, there is no evidence that drinking lemon and coffee together does anything for your body that your natural toxin-flushing system isn’t already doing. 

“The liver is responsible for metabolising nutrients and medications and excreting any toxins that are harmful to the body—no single food or drink can assist with or speed up this process.” 

@blk.water

This weightloss recipe trend is interesting🥺😭 @tannercolsoncoffee #coffee #weightloss #trend #blkwater

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And as for the other claims? Rather than curing an upset stomach, Morgan Bookheimer, MS, RD, SHRM-CP, actually says that mixing coffee and lemon “sounds like a recipe for a harsh trip to the bathroom.” 

“The extra acidity combined with caffeine—without any slowed release from protein, carbs, or fat—could be tough on anyone with sensitive digestion.” 

Thus, if you’re drinking coffee and lemon to assist with diarrhoea, think again. Fast. 

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And unfortunately, popping a wee slice of citrus in your daily LB doesn’t seem to be an exception to the rule. 

For a healthy lifestyle, we suggest maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly in a way you enjoy, maintaining a social life, and drinking lots of water. Take that, TikTok. 

Originally published as Lemon coffee is the latest weight loss trend