Tea Lover Lessons

All About Lemon Tea

All About Lemon Tea

When life gives you lemons...you make lemon tea, of course! Lemon flavored teas or simply adding a squeeze of lemon to your favorite brew is one of the most popular and versatile ways to enjoy a cup of tea.

Lemon tea tastes bright and crisp like the promise of summer sunshine. Freshly brewed iced tea with a slice of lemon is a refreshing pick-me-up with an added wellness kick. Or, a hot mug of lemon tea steeped with a bit of ginger and honey is the ultimate comforting drink when you’re feeling sick or trying to soothe a sore throat.

Either way, this classic staple is not to be underestimated! Check out our guide below for everything you need to know about lemon tea, from the different types of lemon tea to the caffeine content and some surprising health benefits of lemon tea.

Sips by is a personalized tea discovery subscription. Each month, we match tea drinkers across the U.S. with delicious teas from over 150 global tea brands that we’re sure they’ll love. Members receive 4 teas chosen just for them in every box. Learn more about our tea subscription service.


Lemon Tea Shop

Feel rejuvenated with every sip of bright lemon tea. Infused with a light lemon essence, lemongrass, or lemon peel, these zingy teas are for true citrus lovers. Whether you're looking to make delicious iced lemon teas in the summer, healthy lemon teas for cold and sore throat relief, or a calming lemon herbal blend for nighttime, Sips by's Lemon Tea Shop has the perfect lemon tea for every teatime occasion.

Lemon Tea Shop

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What is Lemon Tea?

Lemon tea is one of our favorite blends for a refreshing, healthy citrus sip. There are tons of different types of lemon teas to try, whether it’s a tea blend already pre-flavored with citrus or lemon peel, or a lemon tea you make yourself with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Even certain herbs like lemon verbena and lemon balm add a zesty, sweet aroma and taste to any type of tea.

Lemon tea is delicious any time of day, but we recommend drinking lemon tea in the morning for a refreshing start to your day. Lemon tea can also be sipped in the evening or after meals as a palate cleanser, but make sure that the type of base tea in your lemon tea blend has little-to-no caffeine! Plus, tea with honey and lemon is an effective home remedy for sore throats and colds.

Try more lemon teas with your own Sips by Box.



Lemon Tea Benefits

Lemon tea is tasty and good for you with tons of health benefits added to an already nutritious cup.

Lemon tea is one of the most popular teas to drink when you're feeling sick, dealing with seasonal allergies, or trying to soothe a sore throat. Lemon juice, lemony herbs, and lemon peel tea benefits your body’s blood sugar and have intense antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Lemons are alkalizing, which means they help restore the body’s pH balance and lemon herbal tea has powerful antibacterial properties.

Plus, drinking lemon tea is good for winding down after a meal as lemons promote healthy digestion and boost your immunity from the high amounts of vitamin C. Lemon leaf tea also benefits your body with a wellness boost of vitamin P and vitamin C which acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps to strengthen blood vessels in your body. With all of these health benefits, lemons are an effective wellness aid for fighting for fighting off damaging free-radicals and promoting a healthy heart and immune system.



Types of Lemon Tea

LEMON HERBAL TEA

Learn all about the different types of classic lemon teas, inventive blends, and tangy herbal variations below. You might not even realize that some of these herbs and essences are steeping in your mug, but trust us, they're sneakily adding incredible flavor and health benefits to your daily cuppa.

  • LEMON VERBENA TEA: Even though it is a flowering plant in the verbena family, lemon verbena is an excellent digestive and is often used as a wellness ingredient in traditional medicine to treat various ailments. When blended in tea, lemon verbena adds a fragrant citrus aroma and tastes naturally lemony.
  • LEMON BALM TEA: Lemon balm is an aromatic herb in the mint family that blends together the sweet taste of lemon and mint. When added to an herbal tisane, lemon balm tea is one of the best wellness remedies for alleviating seasonal allergies throughout the day.
  • LEMON LEAF TEA: Surprising, lemon leaves are packed with healthy herbal properties too! Lemon leaves are anti-inflammatory and are high in vitamin C and vitamin P, meaning they can help your body fight infections strengthen blood vessels. Plus, the delicate flavor tastes enticingly sweet and zesty in a hot cup of herbal tea.
  • LEMONGRASS TEA: Though it is a common misconception, lemongrass is also not related to lemons whatsoever. Lemongrass is - you guessed it - an edible herb that looks like a stalk of grass while lemons are a citrusy tree fruit. However, lemongrass, lemons, and other lemon-scented herbs do share a similar taste, a familiar comforting aroma, and generally have the same health benefits.
  • LEMON TEA: Finally, we’re talking about the true star of the show! Along with the bright, characteristic flavor of fresh lemons, straight-up lemon tea directly adds tons of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are good for your body inside and out. Adding lemon zest to your tea will also give you a good dose of limonene which may have properties that prevent serious illnesses, increase your metabolism, and treat bronchitis though research needs to be done to fully support these claims.


Best Flavored Lemon Tea

If you want to spruce up your cup of plain tea, simply add a squeeze of lemon juice or leave a slice of lemon in your mug to steep. However, for ease and trying out fun flavor combos, sometimes tea blends will come pre-flavored or scented with natural lemon flavor. Find your zesty new favorite with list of the most popular flavored lemon teas!

  • BLACK TEA WITH LEMON: Often pre-blended in citrusy teas like Earl Grey and Lady Grey, lemon black tea is a truly classic cup. The English way to drink tea might stereotypically be with milk, but it’s not totally uncommon to be asked if you’d like a wedge of lemon with your tea! This preference also expands to other tea-drinking countries like Russia and Ireland. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice in a strong cup of black tea lends a lighter flavor and burst of health benefits that differ from a traditional creamy cup of milky tea.
  • GREEN TEA WITH LEMON: Research shows that citrus juice enhances the natural wellness benefits of green tea by increasing your body’s absorption of green tea’s antioxidants while adding its own health benefits to the mix. So go ahead and add a cup of green tea with lemon to your daily routine for a powerful punch of antioxidants disguised in a soothing and nutritious cup!
  • LEMON GINGER TEA: Lemon and ginger are two flavors that complement each other perfectly for a zingy and refreshing herbal tisane or flavored tea blend. Plus, lemon ginger tea can soothe an upset stomach, ease nausea, act as an anti-inflammatory, and help with congestion.

Try more flavored lemon teas with your own Sips by Box.



Does Lemon Tea Have Caffeine?

Lemon tea is one of the most versatile flavors that can enhance practically any blend, from caffeine-free herbals to the strongest black teas and gently uplifting green teas. Since there are so many different types out there, however, it’s impossible to say whether lemon tea will always be caffeine-free or always have caffeine. It’s completely dependent on the type of brew you have!

Most likely, true lemon teas will be caffeine-free as these tisanes have herbal bases. Blended or flavored lemon teas mixed with real tea leaves will always have some level of caffeine that is naturally found in the Camellia sinensis tea plant, unless it is decaffeinated.



How to Make Lemon Tea

Learn how to make a simple cup of caffeine-free lemon tea, or how to make it your own with additions like tea leaves, ginger, and honey!

Lemon Tea

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

  • Kettle or pot to heat water
  • Teapot with filter, teacup, or your favorite mug with an infuser
  • 1-2 lemons
  • Optional: Your favorite tea leaves, sachets, or bags
  • Optional: Ginger or honey

STEP ONE: HEAT THE WATER

212℉ // boiling

STEP TWO: SLICE LEMONS

Slice your lemon into 5 or more rounds if you'd like to steep the whole lemon in your cup or teapot. Alternatively, you can cut your lemon into wedges to only squeeze the juice.

STEP THREE: STEEP THE TEA

Pour hot water in your favorite mug and add 3-4 lemon slices or squeeze the juice from your lemon wedges to taste!

Optional: steep your favorite tea leaves or slices of fresh ginger for 3-5 minutes.

STEP FOUR: ENJOY :)

Once your tea has steeped perfectly to your taste (3-8 minutes), strain the lemon slices and other additions. If you prefer your tea with a hint of sweetness, add a teaspoon of raw honey or agave!

If you prefer an iced lemon tea, let your steeped mixture cool for 10-15 minutes then pour over a fresh glass filled with ice.

Tea Tip: Once you have this classic recipe down, check out our Cinnamon Lemon Detox Tea next!

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.


For some summery, lemony fun, try this Lemonade Iced Tea Sorbet recipe!


Interested in trying these teas and others? Subscribers receive 4 teas chosen just for them in every box. Learn more about our tea subscription box or explore the loose leaf tea shop.

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About Sips by: We’re a female-founded and led startup that makes discovering tea fun, personalized, and affordable. The Sips by Box is the only multi-brand, personalized tea subscription box. Each month, we match tea drinkers across the U.S. with delicious teas from over 150 global tea brands that we’re sure they’ll love. Based out of Austin, Texas, we are adept at savoring a hot mug even when it’s seasonally inappropriate. 

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