Does drinking coffee with lemon help in shedding weight? Everything to know about the viral TikTok health trend 

Coffee and lemon have long been touted to have weight-loss benefits individually, but viral TikToks over the last few months will have you believe that a concoction combining the two is just as effective, if not more. Allegedly, lemon mixed with espresso is the ultimate trick to losing fat within days.

While TikTok's espresso with orange juice viral drink got a surprisingly warm reception, lemon coffee doesn't quite extract a similarly favorable response from people's taste buds. Alas, most weight-loss fads rarely do. But people suffer through them just the same for the tantalizing end result of a few pounds off one's belly.

The logic behind this viral health trend has been called into question more than once, and health experts are ready to debunk any false proclamations.

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Is lemon coffee actually effective for weight loss?

The concoction's fat-loss claims are largely unsubstantiated (Image via Matt Diosdado/Unsplash)

A myriad of health and fitness experts vouch for coffee and lemon's individualistic health benefits, which is perhaps what prompted this trend in the first place.

Nutritionist and senior personal trainer Luke Hanna listed the former's numerous merits:

"A cup of coffee contains vitamins and minerals such as B12, B5, manganese, potassium, magnesium, and niacin. It is rich in powerful antioxidants, and one study found many people get more antioxidants from it than from fruits and veggies combined."

Hanna also commented on why lemons have a broad appeal among nutritionists, saying:

"Like many other fruits, lemon can provide us with phytochemicals and are particularly good sources of vitamin C."

Anecdotal evidence has shown that the consumption of coffee or lemon water before meals helps in promoting satiety. This, in turn, suppresses hunger cues and helps one achieve a caloric deficit, which is the true answer to weight loss. The caffeine-infused drink is also known to speed up metabolism in some cases.

However, this trend has seen a real mixed bag of responses from those who've tried it, further peddling the confusion that surrounds the viral drink.

While the two foods certainly have numerous health benefits, claims that the mixture helps in shedding weight are largely unsubstantiated. The final verdict on whether it truly helps in losing weight is a resounding no from most health experts.

Samantha Cassetty, a registered dietician and author, quickly dismissed the viral trend as a mere gimmick, saying:

"I can’t think of a single benefit of adding lemon to your coffee. I’d actually consider this behavior to be a red flag for disordered eating. Eating for weight loss shouldn’t be about restricting yourself or forcing yourself to eat or drink something that’s not appetizing."

Another dietician nutritionist, Maya Feller, concurred with Cassetty about how social media trends like these perpetuate incredibly damaging eating disorders. She said:

"These viral diet videos are damaging and dangerous. They are created by people with no qualifications and invite hysteria. Add lemon to your coffee if you want the flavor. It’s absurd, the diet industry’s focus on burning fat and weight loss."

Exercise physiologist and sports nutritionist Dr. Mayur Ranchordas told The Sun:

“From a scientific perspective, there are no foods that can burn fat, that’s just not possible. These are just marketing videos to sell products. There is no evidence that if you carried on your lifestyle and drank this drink, you would lose weight.”

All scientific counsel heavily discourages indulging in such fantastical health trends that make tall claims with little to no evidence backing them.