Lemon Green Tea: When You Thought Green Tea Couldn't Get Any Stronger

Science is showing tea and lemon go hand in hand even more than we thought. Research has found a benefit of green tea with lemon is that fresh lemon juice added to green tea increases the body's absorption of antioxidants called catechins which would otherwise be lost during digestion. Adding lemon to green tea helps the body absorb more antioxidants to aid the body's immunity and overall well-being.

A study by Mario Ferruzzi at Purdue University found that lemon juice assists green tea antioxidants to remain after digestion, making this combination healthier than anyone thought it to be. According to Ferruzzi, after consumption, the health-promoting properties that green tea provide were being lost during digestion. “Catechins are relatively unstable in non-acidic environments, such as the intestines, and less than 20 percent of the total remained after digestion.”

Ferruzzi tested several additives such as juices and creamers that are usually added to fresh-brewed teas or ready-to-drink tea products by putting them through a model simulating gastric and small intestinal digestion tract. Results concluded that lemon's citrus juice added to green tea had increased catechin levels by more than five times, causing 80 percent of green tea's catechins to remain in the body. When enjoying your next cup of green tea, add some lemon to enhance green tea's healthy benefits.