No one food or drink, consumed on its own, has the
power to make you lose weight. However, lime water may offer some
benefit to those trying to slim down, if it's combined with a
reduced-calorie diet and exercise program. Consult your doctor to
discuss diet and foods that promote a healthy weight loss.
If you search the Internet you may read that
citrus fruits, such as limes, are a dieter's dream food because they
help speed up the metabolism and promote weight loss. However, dietitian
Jaime Ackerman Foster from Net Wellness reports no evidence exists that
limes can help you lose weight. The only way to give your metabolism a
boost is by building muscle with strength-training exercises, says the
American Exercise Council.
Limes do not hold any magical powers for weight
loss, but they do offer nutritional benefits to those following a
reduced-calorie diet for weight loss. A glass of lime water with the
juice of one lime has only 11 calories, making it a good drink choice
for calorie counters.
Lime water is also an excellent source of vitamin C, with the juice of
one lime providing 22 percent of the daily value. Not getting enough
vitamin C in your diet may affect your weight loss when exercising.
Vitamin C plays an important role in helping your body break down fat
during exercise, and low levels of vitamin C may limit your body's
ability to break down fat when working out, according to a 2006 study
published in Nutrition and Metabolism. As a water-soluble vitamin, it's
important that you get a daily dose of vitamin C to maintain adequate
levels.