Lemon ginger tea is a popular herbal tea blend that has a zingy tart yet spicy flavor.
In addition to having a pleasant taste that is much less grassy than green tea or many other common types of tea, many people drink lemon ginger tea for their health.
But, what are the health benefits of lemon ginger tea? Are the lemon ginger tea health benefits based on actual evidence or just a placebo effect or an old wive’s tale?
In this guide, we will discuss the benefits of lemon ginger tea, how to make lemon ginger tea, and how to maximize the lemon ginger tea benefits in your own life based on your personal needs and health goals.
We will cover:
- How Do You Make Lemon Ginger Tea At Home?
- Is Lemon Ginger Tea Healthy? 5 Proven Lemon Ginger Tea Benefits
Let’s get started!
How Do You Make Lemon Ginger Tea At Home?
Coffee shops and tea shops often sell lemon ginger tea, and you may even be able to find lemon ginger tea bags in the grocery store or online.
However, you can also easily make homemade lemon ginger herbal tea.
For example, if you have lemon zinger tea bags or any kind of lemon herbal tea and ginger tea, you just have to steep two tea bags together in hot water, add whatever sweetener you want, if desired, and you are good to go.
There are also easy ways to make lemon ginger tea at home from scratch without tea bags or loose-leaf lemon ginger tea.
Most lemon ginger tea recipes are quite simple and easy, and you can customize your ginger lemon tea based on whether you like to have more lemon, ginger, sweetness via honey, or even other herbs and spices for added tea benefits.Here is a simple DIY lemon ginger tea recipe that will make one serving of healthy ginger lemon herbal tea:
Ingredients
- 2-inch (2.5-cm) piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated or chopped into thin slices
- 1/2 lemon, quartered, and 1 fresh wedge for garnish. You can add more lemon if you like stronger lemon notes in your lemon ginger tea
- 1 cup (237 mL) of water
- Honey to taste
Some people add a teaspoon of raw honey or maple syrup and other flavorings, such as a wedge of fresh ginger, a sprig of mint, a dash of salt, or even a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
Directions
- Peel and grate or slice the ginger root and combine it with the lemon wedges in a small saucepan.
- Add 1 cup of fresh water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once the water boils, turn the heat down to low and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the tea to steep for another 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how strongly flavored you like your lemon ginger tea.
- Carefully transfer the warm tea to a mug, using a tea strainer, colander, or the lid of the saucepan to pour just liquid tea into the mug, leaving behind the lemon and ginger bits.
- Add the fresh lemon wedge that you set aside and a drizzle of honey, if desired. You can also add agave nectar and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice or even some grated lemon zest if you like more of a lemon zing to your ginger lemon tea blend.
Note that if you have a tea steeper or a tea mug with a built-in loose-leaf tea infuser, you can add the fresh ginger or grated ginger directly into the tea infuser and then pour the boiling water over the fresh lemon and ginger.
Then, allow your lemon ginger tea to steep for at least 15 minutes before enjoying it.
We highly recommend the Bruetta Tumbler for homemade lemon ginger tea or loose-leaf herbal tea blends.
Although the Bruetta BruLid® Tumbler is designed specifically to filter loose-leaf tea as you sip, you can also use this as a travel tea mug infuser for homemade fresh lemon ginger tea or other blends.
The BruLid® will still filter out any of the grated or sliced ginger root and lemon wedges or lemon slices that you can put right in the water in the tea tumbler.
As you sip and enjoy your fresh ginger lemon tea, the Bruetta filter on the insulated tea mug will keep all of the solid pieces from crossing the barrier into your mouth.
It works really well if you want to make a cup of lemon ginger tea on your way out the door in the morning and then sip it on your commute to the office or while you sit at your work-from-home desk.
Another great option is to make a large batch of lemon ginger tea by multiplying this basic recipe to make 4 cups or 8 cups and then chill the extra tea in the refrigerator.
You can then enjoy it cold as iced lemon ginger tea or reheat it in a mug on the stovetop or in the microwave.
The longer the tea sits and steeps, the more flavor you will get unless you remove the lemon and ginger pieces before refrigerating the premade ginger lemon tea.
Is Lemon Ginger Tea Healthy? 5 Proven Lemon Ginger Tea Benefits
There are several potential lemon ginger tea health benefits. Overall, lemon ginger tea does not provide much in the way of essential nutrients.
However, because lemons provide some vitamin C and other antioxidants, and ginger root has been shown to provide powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, there can be some lemon ginger tea benefits beyond just the hydrating benefits of drinking herbal tea.
Here are some of the lemon ginger tea benefits:
#1: Aids Hydration
The primary benefit of drinking lemon ginger tea is that it aids hydration and helps you meet your daily fluid needs.
Dehydration is associated with many adverse effects, including fatigue, headaches, reduced metabolic rate, increased hunger, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, and constipation, among other issues.
Although it can’t be said that a lemon ginger tea benefit is that this fluid is actually more hydrating than regular water.
However, if you enjoy the taste of herbal tea and find that you are much more apt to drink tea vs water, then drinking ginger lemon tea can definitely contribute to better hydration levels.
#2: Provides Antioxidants
One of the primary health benefits of lemon ginger tea is that the tea provides a rich source of antioxidants.
The juice of one medium-sized lemon has about 20% of your DV of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and can support immune health. Ginger is also rich in antioxidants.
Antioxidants can help protect your cells from oxidative damage from free radicals, which are reactive oxygen species that can destroy cells, proteins, and nucleic acids, causing premature aging.
Evidence also suggests that ginger may be effective at preventing a common cold or helping relieve symptoms.
To that end, drinking hot beverages can loosen nasal congestion and soothe a sore throat if you have a cold, according to research.
#3: Can Decrease Inflammation
Ginger has potent anti-inflammatory properties due to a compound it contains called gingerol. Studies have found that the different types of gingerol have varying anti-inflammatory properties.
Gingerol is what gives ginger its flavor, and also many of the benefits of ginger.
For example, a 2022 study found that a gingerol compound in ginger called 6-shogaol helps reduce inflammation in the epithelial cells that line blood vessels, which speaks to the benefits of ginger for reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and hypertension.
#4: Decreasing Blood Pressure and Improving Heart Health
Another benefit of drinking ginger lemon tea is that it may help decrease blood pressure because ginger has been found to reduce blood pressure.
#5: May Relieve Nausea and Aid Digestion
Drinking any fluid can help relieve constipation if you are chronically dehydrated, but a specific lemon ginger tea benefit is its potential to reduce nausea and support digestion.
Ginger root has been used for hundreds of years for various health ailments, but it is probably most well-known for nausea relief.
A review looking at various research studies found that ginger does seem to confer anti-nausea benefits.
Another review also found that ginger can reduce nausea and evidence suggests it may help digestion.
So if you are dealing with morning sickness or feel nauseous, a lemon ginger tea benefit may be a bit of relief from this tummy distress.
To learn more about the benefits of drinking herbal tea, check out our guide to the benefits of nettle tea here.
