Green tea is a healthy drink with numerous health advantages; you can't drink it without getting any benefits! On the other hand, lemons are a staple source of vitamin C. So it's not just consumed as a flavoring in different dishes but also added to various drinks, including water. And did you know it's also common to add it to green tea?
Many tea manufacturing companies sell teas with lemon flavoring. But what does lemon have to do with the health benefits of green tea, if any? Does it offer any benefits to drinkers? In this article, you'll discover the reasons for adding lemon to your favorite green tea drinks to make the most of the tea's health benefits.
Combining green tea with lemon not only enhances the flavor but also creates a synergistic effect that elevates the nutritional profile of your beverage. The antioxidants in green tea—particularly catechins—are sensitive to digestive processes, and lemon's acidic nature helps preserve and boost their absorption in the body. This simple pairing transforms your daily cup into a more potent health drink that supports everything from metabolism to immune function.
Powerhouse Fat Burner
While green tea and lemon are natural fat burners by themselves, imagine combining these two powerhouses for weight loss. For example, you might start your day by drinking a dash of lemon juice or a slice of the said fruit in your green tea. But adding lemon to your green tea boosts the latter's weight-loss benefits with catechins. Additionally, the caffeine content of the tea leaves requires your body to exert more energy.
Lemon is a booster for removing toxins from our bodies, acting as a natural detoxifier. It also provides nutrition for your body—the most prevalent is vitamin C. Through detoxification, your blood is cleansed from toxins, which will let your body absorb more nutrients and weight loss boosters such as those found in green tea.
The lemon also helps in the production of hydrochloric acid, which improves digestion. It also slows down the absorption of food, ensuring the nutrients from the food you take fully break down in your body. Finally, lemon keeps you active and kick-starts your energy, which would require burning more than your usual number of calories without drinking a cup of green tea with a slice of lemon.
What makes this combination even more effective is its ability to curb appetite naturally and reduce unnecessary snacking throughout the day. The polyphenols in green tea are known to regulate blood sugar levels, which helps prevent sudden hunger spikes. Meanwhile, lemon water can create a feeling of fullness when consumed warm, especially on an empty stomach. Together, they support mindful eating habits and sustainable weight loss, making them a great addition to any balanced diet plan.
Toxin Removal
Toxin removal is not just beneficial for weight loss; it also fights illnesses in the later stages of our lives. That's because green tea with lemon cleanses your other organs too. This includes the kidneys, boosting enzymes, and producing more bile in the liver for easier digestion. It can also reduce the surplus in the intestines (including fats and other blockers that might lead to cancer and heart attacks or strokes). So even a damaged liver could be improved by regularly drinking a cup of green tea with lemon.
Because green tea provides these anti-disease catechins that prevent the buildup of plaques surrounding the arteries, these are not fully absorbed by the body. Further, vitamin C in the lemon thoroughly cleanses the intestines and blood vessels and helps absorb nutrients.
In a study by Purdue University, putting lemon in a cup of green tea helps as much as 13 times more to absorb the catechins and retains almost 80% of the catechins in our body. These catechins fight disease while also increasing the metabolic rate in our bodies. In contrast, much of the alcohol and unwanted fats from meat and other unhealthy foods are removed from your body thanks to the vitamin C produced in lemon.
Drinking this miracle combination of lemon and green tea is even more effective in preventing stroke, asthma, cancer, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. This is because blood flow is streamlined and cleansed, acting as natural dialysis for your body, thanks to the boost of lemon's vitamin C.
This is because blood flow is streamlined and enhanced, allowing oxygen and nutrients to circulate more efficiently throughout the body. Improved circulation supports cellular repair and regeneration while helping the body expel waste more effectively through the skin, lungs, and digestive tract. Over time, consistent consumption of green tea with lemon can contribute to a noticeable boost in overall vitality, clearer skin, and reduced inflammation—key indicators of a body free from toxic buildup.
Iron Absorption
Iron is an essential nutrient. It's necessary to produce more red blood cells in our body and preserve energy, focus, gastrointestinal processes, the immune system, and body temperature regulation.
However, drinking green tea may inhibit the absorption of such vitamins in our body as one of its side effects. But fret not! Studies also show that a slice or squeeze of lemon would already prevent such inhibition.
This happens because the vitamin C in lemon transforms non-heme iron—commonly found in plant-based foods—into a form that’s easier for the body to absorb. So, when you pair green tea with a bit of lemon, not only do you preserve iron absorption, but you also help maximize the nutritional value of iron-rich meals like leafy greens, legumes, or fortified grains. This small addition can be especially beneficial for people at risk of iron deficiency, such as vegetarians, vegans, or individuals with anemia.
(Do you like sweetened tea? Here are 10 ways to sweeten your matcha green tea.)
Boosts Immune System
Being a good source of vitamin C, drinking green tea with lemon also helps boost your immune system, staving off coughs and colds, especially in humid or cold seasons. So if you have a cold, then simply sipping a cup of green tea with lemon and getting a lot of rest can make a big difference!
The antioxidant properties of both green tea and lemon work together to strengthen your body’s defense mechanisms on a cellular level. Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a powerful compound known to inhibit the growth of viruses and bacteria, while lemon enhances the production of white blood cells needed to fight infections. This combination not only shortens the duration of common illnesses but also helps the body build long-term resistance to seasonal bugs and environmental stressors.
Be Like Wolverine: Quick Wound Cure
Vitamin C in your green tea naturally heals your wounds quicker than doing nothing to them. Citrus fruits like lemon also make your bones and teeth stronger. An added benefit of lemon is that it also alkalizes the body, which balances our PH levels. Balancing the pH levels reduces the uric acid in our body, which causes joint pain.
In addition to faster healing, the collagen-boosting effects of vitamin C play a vital role in tissue repair and skin regeneration. Collagen is a structural protein that helps close wounds, maintain skin elasticity, and strengthen connective tissues. When you drink green tea with lemon regularly, you're not just speeding up recovery—you’re also supporting the body’s natural ability to repair itself from daily wear and tear, injuries, and even post-surgery recovery.
(You don't want to miss this post next: Can Green Tea Heal Oral Lichen Plants?)
Love Your Skin
Your skin also glows since unwanted toxins that are harmful to our skin and cause blemishes and pimples are also gone. Further, it naturally reduces the redness of your skin, soothes irritation, and prevents fine lines and wrinkles. In addition, folic acid and vitamin B are produced in your green tea with lemon, which would make your hair healthier.
Indeed, green tea with lemon is all about beauty and cleansing from the inside out!
It's never too early for youngsters to take care of their bodies to delay the diseases of aging. They can do this by consuming a cup of green tea with lemon zest daily with warm water. On the other hand, old people should drink this elixir to prevent other illnesses and cure their aches.
Be mindful, of course, that adding this citrus flavor changes the flavor of your green tea. A squeeze of lemon added to green teas produced from cheaper materials makes them more flavorful. At the same time, the natural flavor and aroma of exquisite green teas can change because of the sour taste of lemon.
Moreover, the combination of antioxidants from green tea and vitamin C from lemon helps combat oxidative stress—a major factor behind premature aging. These antioxidants neutralize free radicals that damage skin cells, leading to dullness, age spots, and sagging. With regular consumption, this dynamic duo supports a more even complexion, improved skin texture, and a radiant, youthful glow. It's like giving your skin a daily internal facial, without any harsh chemicals or expensive creams.
Did you learn a lot about green tea in this post?
Here are three more to read next:
- Is it safe to eat green tea leaves?
- Is it okay to drink green tea on an empty stomach?
- Why Japanese green tea is perfect for intermittent fasting + How to guide, What to do, & What not to do
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About the author
Kei Nishida
Author, CEO Dream of Japan
Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science
Education: Western Washington University
Kei Nishida is a passionate Japanese green tea connoisseur, writer, and the founder and CEO of Japanese Green Tea Co., a Dream of Japan Company.
Driven by a deep desire to share the rich flavors of his homeland, he established the only company that sources premium tea grown in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil—earning multiple Global Tea Champion awards.
Expanding his mission of introducing Japan’s finest to the world, Kei pioneered the launch of the first-ever Sumiyaki charcoal-roasted coffee through Japanese Coffee Co. He also brought the artistry of traditional Japanese craftsmanship to the global market by making katana-style handmade knives—crafted by a renowned katana maker—available outside Japan for the first time through Japanese Knife Co.
Kei’s journey continues as he uncovers and shares Japan’s hidden treasures with the world.
Learn more about Kei
Hi Laura,
Thank you very much for your question.
Green tea contains antioxidants that are beneficial for health. Decaf green tea contains all of the same antioxidants and health benefits of regular tea — without the caffeine Decaf green tea helps in promoting heart health by lowering the triglyceride and cholesterol levels in your body A December 2018 study found that decaffeinated green tea polyphenols prevented weight gain in mice with obesity, suggesting that decaf green tea may play a role in maintaining weight.
However, it is important to note that decaf green tea still contains some caffeine and has fewer antioxidants than caffeinated green tea.
I am trying to eliminate caffeine due to having Sjogrens syndrome. Does decaf green tea have the same benefits?