Myth: Lemon water can cure cancer

 

Some sources claim that lemon water could help prevent cancer.

Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C and rich in flavonoids that help boost health and fight disease. Thus it may prevent or combat some types of cancer. But there is currently no research that suggests lemon water will prevent or treat cancer.

Dr Golam Mohiuddin Faruque, a cancer specialist and project director at Bangladesh Cancer Society Hospital, said the idea that lemons could cure cancer was "unsubstantiated".

"No one can say hot lemon water or any other particular food can cure cancer and such claims have no scientific basis. There are different types of cancers and many of these have their own ways of treatment but drinking hot lemon water is definitely not among them," he said.

"Citrus fruits including lemon sometimes can have some positive impact in preventing certain types of cancers but that's not a treatment."

Professor Nicolas Boissel, a specialist in blood cancer at the Saint-Louis hospital in Paris, has similar views.