If you squeeze this citrus superstar into your tea, the soothing sip might taste even better for you.

Reviewed by dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, MS, RDReviewed by dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, MS, RD

Whether you’re a regular tea drinker or enjoy a cup of tea to relieve a sore throat, chances are you’ve had tea recently.

From tea’s anti-inflammatory properties to its role in promoting digestion, gut health, and cardiometabolic health, tea has a wealth of healthy properties thanks to the antioxidants in the brew. Antioxidants are compounds that help reduce oxidation and inflammation in the body by eliminating free radicals that can build up over time and promote disease.

Related: What happens to your body when you drink tea every day

Tea itself contains antioxidants. But there’s something you can add to get these compounds in your cup—and it may even boost their health benefits. We spoke to leading nutrition experts to learn more about this ingredient (it’s so easy to find) and why adding it to your tea is the best solution.

The most important ingredient for your tea to preserve the antioxidants

It’s lemon juice! Adding the citrus superstar can help preserve the tea’s antioxidants. A recent study looked at the effects of lemon juice on mate tea (a type of tea commonly known as yerba maté). Researchers found that adding lemon juice and chilling the tea boosted its antioxidant effects. Tea drinkers also said they liked the tea prepared this way better than drinking it plain. Previous research has found that adding ascorbic acid (also known as vitamin C, one of the two acids in lemon juice) to green and black tea also helped boost the brew’s antioxidants.

People have been squeezing lemon into their tea for a long time, so what makes this such a smart choice? Adding lemon to your tea can help antioxidants like catechins become more stable and better absorbed by the body, says Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN, author of From burnout to balance and founder of Wellness Intelligence. “Essentially, lemon acts as a natural preservative for the tea’s antioxidants,” she explains.

This is helpful during the digestive process. “Catechins are relatively unstable in non-acidic environments like the small intestine,” says Dr. Taylor Wallace, a food scientist and professor at George Mason University. “Both vitamin C and citrus juices interact with catechins and prevent their breakdown. By adding lemon juice to your tea, you can dramatically preserve a large amount of these compounds while also adding some extra vitamin C to your diet,” he says.

Tips for maximizing antioxidant intake in tea

To get the most out of this dynamic tea-lemon duo, keep these tips in mind:

• Use fresh lemon juice. This contains the highest vitamin C content, says Bannan.

• Monitor the tea temperature. Keep the temperature of your tea below 71 °C (160 °F) to preserve both the antioxidants and vitamin C in the lemon.

• Add lemon after the tea has cooled. If you add lemon to the tea after it has steeped and cooled, the antioxidants in the lemon juice are better preserved and can develop their effect.

• Avoid adding milk to your tea. Research shows that adding milk to tea can alter the antioxidant effects of the tea. To get the most out of your cup, replace the milk with lemon.

Related: Nutritionists say this is the best time to drink green tea for maximum antioxidant intake

Recommendations to include more tea with lemon in your diet

• Cooling down with iced tea: “Try iced tea with a squeeze of lemon for a refreshing twist, or add a little honey for sweetness,” advises Bannan. Make a batch of our Jasmine Mint Green Iced Tea with Lemon for a refreshing sip.

• Goes hot: BIncorporate tea into your everyday life, for example as a cup at breakfast or during an afternoon break. Our warm green honey tea is prepared with lemon slices and lemon peel and is a soothing sip with a kick.

• A small lunch snack: The combination of Yerba Mate with twice as strong green tea and lemon creates an energy drink with health-promoting effects.

• Experiment with dried tea in recipes. Mix dried tea into cake batter and serve with a lemon glaze, recommends registered dietitian and chef Abbie Gellman. You can also use dried tea leaves in a salad, like our Tea Leaf Salad. (Add a squeeze of lemon on top!)

• Let the tea brew and use it as liquid for other recipes.Use the cooled tea as a liquid in porridge or overnight oats, smoothies, or when cooking whole grains (such as quinoa or rice).

The conclusion

Tea is a healthy beverage that is rich in antioxidants. These beneficial compounds help reduce inflammation and improve health. To get the most out of your cup of tea, nutrition experts recommend adding lemon juice. Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C, an important antioxidant, and lemon has also been shown to help preserve the antioxidants naturally found in tea. Next time you have a craving for tea, consider brewing a cup of our readers’ favorite soothing ginger lemon tea.

Related: The best tea for bloating, according to nutritionists

Read the original article on Eating Well.