Ginger Water For Weight Loss

Name: Ginger Water For Weight Loss Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 10-12 small pieces of ginger ((ginger peeled and cut into small pieces)); 1 glass of water; 1 tsp honey; 1 tsp lemon extract

LAST UPDATED: Apr 28, 2026 . PUBLISHED: Jun 13, 2021 by Asiya . 42 Comments

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When I want a light drink, not my morning tea or coffee, I make this ginger water for weight loss at home. Just plain ginger, water, and lemon.

Simple ingredients and ready in under 10 minutes.

Ginger is not some miracle; it is not the magical solution, but a zero-calorie beverage that can be incorporated daily. This recipe is precisely how I prepare it.

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Why This Drink Works Well
Ingredients
How to Make Ginger Water for Weight Loss
When to Drink It
Ginger and Weight Management
Tips
Substitutions
Variations
FAQ
Related
Recipe

Why This Drink Works Well

The ingredients for this drink are simple pantry staples: ginger, lemon, honey, and water. I tend to pass on the honey for low calories, but feel free to add it.

This ginger water is my go-to drink because the ingredients are simple, and it can be consumed warm in the morning or cold over ice throughout the day.

I feel lighter and less bloated if I skip my regular tea or coffee for this.

This drink is a good swap if you want to skip sugary drinks or juices. And if you want, you don't even need the sugar - you can also enjoy it only with lemon.

For more simple options like this, my lemon ginger tea for weight loss and turmeric water are worth trying too.

Ingredients

Ginger - I only use fresh ginger here. Whereas grating leads to a stronger taste, and slicing gives a more delicate flavor. Choose depending on how strong you would like it.

Water - Only 1 cup per serving. If the drink is too strong, I will occasionally add a splash more.

Lemon - I add it after straining, not during boiling. Adding lemon to hot water makes the flavor flat. Keeps it bright and fresh after cooling down.

Honey - Optional. I often leave it out so that I can keep it at zero calories. If you do add it, stir it in while the water is still warm so it dissolves properly.

ginger water for weight loss or how to lose belly fat

How to Make Ginger Water for Weight Loss

In a small pot, combine 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil over medium heat.

Add your ginger. Freshly grated for a stronger drink or sliced pieces for something milder.

Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Do not over-boil, or the drink turns bitter.

Turn off the heat and allow to cool until just tepid. Do not rush this step.

Strain the ginger through a fine-mesh strainer.

If using honey, this is the time to add it, making sure the water is still warm enough for it to dissolve.

You can also add lemon juice later, i.e., after it has cooled. This process leaves behind a non-bitter and fresh flavor.

Always taste and adjust accordingly. If it is too strong, add another splash of water. Missing a little something, add some more lemon.

When to Drink It

Ideal to drink first thing in the morning before breakfast. It is warm, light, and a milder way to wake up compared with tea or coffee.

Having it about 20 minutes before a meal works well, too. A warm drink before eating can take the edge off hunger.

This ginger water with lemon is a good swap if you are looking to reduce sugary drinks or afternoon beverages. No calories if you leave out the honey, and it still has a bit of a refreshing taste rather than just water.

There are days when I want something stronger, and my ginger tea for cold recipe works well, too.

One to two cups a day is sufficient. Any more and the ginger can become pungent on an empty stomach.

Ginger and Weight Management

Ginger has been studied for weight management, and a review of the research suggests it may have a modest effect on body weight and body fat.

However, most studies use ginger supplements or higher amounts of ginger, not a simple homemade ginger water drink.

Hence, do not think this recipe is a magical fat-burning or weight-loss drink.

The practical benefit of this recipe is also straightforward: ginger water, prepared without honey or sugar, makes a light, low-calorie drink that can replace soft drinks.

Making it without sugar makes it easier to fit into a balanced weight-management approach, alongside good nutrition and exercise.

For more ideas, check out my homemade drinks to lose weight.

Ginger is generally used in cooking, but it may not suit everyone when consumed regularly.

Tips

Don't boil the lemon. Add it only after straining and cooling.
If you want a stronger ginger water, use finely grated ginger or ginger powder if fresh is not available.
Use more or less ginger according to how spicy you like it-less ginger for mild, more for a stronger flavor.
To be honest, I find that letting the ginger steep a few minutes longer yields a stronger flavor, but any longer than 10 minutes can make it difficult to consume, so I like to keep it somewhere in between.
When lemons are unavailable, lime juice can be used as a substitute.

Substitutions

Fresh ginger - If you do not have fresh ginger, powdered ginger works. Use about ¼ teaspoon per cup. Fresh ginger has a sharper taste; the flavor is much milder with powder, but it still does the trick.

Lemon-lime juice makes a great replacement for lemon when no lemon is available. It tastes a little different but functions just fine.

Honey - Skip it entirely if you want zero calories. It is good, however, as a plain ginger lemon drink. If you want some sweetness without the honey, a little maple syrup will do.

Variations

Ginger/ turmeric: You can also just add a small piece of fresh turmeric while you simmer. The drink is golden and earthy-a great choice on days when you feel like something different.

Ginger and cinnamon: Add a cinnamon stick while simmering. It makes it taste like a warm spiced drink. That's my favorite version for the cooler months.

For a more detailed version, try my cinnamon water recipe.

Ginger-mint cold water: Allow to cool, pour over ice, and top with fresh mint leaves-alternatives to sugary drinks in summer.

Ginger and ACV - strain, then add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. This taste is very sharp and, for some, may not be to their liking, but I do use this from time to time.

I have a full apple cider vinegar drink for weight loss recipe on the blog, too.

Storage

Once peeled or cut, store ginger in an airtight container in the freezer. It lasts for months this way.

In the fridge, it only lasts a couple of days before it spoils.

FAQ

How to Use Ginger Water for Weight Loss?

I have it first thing in the morning, before my breakfast, or 20 minutes approximately before a meal. Leave out the honey to keep it calorie-free. It is replacing something very heavy, like a soda, not just having it as a fix by itself.

What would happen if you drank warm ginger water every day on an empty stomach for 7 days?

Personally, my mornings feel brighter and my digestion less heavy. Big things are not going to happen in 7 days. You do better this way over the long term compared to eating as you please.

So, what can you mix ginger with to lose belly fat?

I use lemon in this recipe and it works well. I have also tried turmeric, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar. They all brew a nice, low-calorie beverage, but none of them is a magic bullet by themselves.

Recipe