Does Lemon Juice Really Whiten Your Skin?

Drinking Lemon Juice and Skin Whitening

Vitamin C Content in Fruits (per 100g):

• Lemon: 53mg

• Orange: 56mg

• Kiwi: 75mg

If you squeeze half a lemon into a glass of lemon water 🍋, that gives you approximately 39mg of vitamin C.

Frankly, eating one kiwi is more effective than drinking a glass of lemon water. Taking a vitamin C supplement tablet can easily provide 500–1000mg of vitamin C.

Instead of drinking lemon water every morning, focus on these more effective steps for skin brightening:

1. Daily sun protection: Apply sunscreen with adequate SPF every day.

2. Sleep early: Melatonin peaks between 2–4 am and starts declining afterward. It plays a key role in skin repair and brightening, so try to sleep before 12 am.

3. Eat 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit daily.

4. For topical skincare: Besides using facial masks, apply a vitamin C serum at night to help brighten your skin.

5. Stay hydrated: Daily water intake should be around 30–40ml per kg of body weight. If you're not a fan of plain water, adding lemon slices or other fruit infusions can make it more enjoyable.

Can drinking lemon water daily make you fairer?

Many online influencers suggest drinking lemon water on an empty stomach each morning to lighten skin. If you’ve tried it and seen no results—that’s completely normal.

• 1 lemon = 79mg vitamin C

• 1 orange = 162mg vitamin C

• 1 kiwi = 53mg vitamin C

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As mentioned earlier, half a lemon in a glass of water gives you just 39mg of vitamin C.

In comparison, eating one orange or kiwi, or taking a vitamin C supplement, gives you far more vitamin C than a glass of lemon water. Supplements can provide 10 to 20 times more.

So, rather than relying on a daily glass of lemon water, focus on a comprehensive routine that truly supports your skin from the inside out.