Tea profileCaffeine-freeblendLast updated November 1, 2026

What is lemon ginger tea good for? Benefits, evidence and how to make it

Zingiber officinale rhizome with Citrus limon juice or peel (teabag blends often add lemongrass and lemon peel)

Zingiber officinale rhizome with Citrus limon juice or peel (teabag blends often add lemongrass and lemon peel), the plant behind lemon ginger tea
Photo: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Lemon ginger tea is good for nausea, a scratchy sore throat and a heavy stomach after meals, and its usefulness comes almost entirely from the ginger. Ginger has strong trial evidence for nausea (about 1 g a day in pregnancy and chemotherapy studies), moderate evidence for period cramps and sluggish digestion, and the lemon adds a little vitamin C, a dose of citrate that helps prevent kidney stones, and a flavor that makes a strong brew pleasant to drink when you are unwell.

The important caveat is strength. Most of the ginger research used 500 to 2,000 mg of dried ginger in capsules. A cup made from a tablespoon of fresh ginger simmered for 10 minutes lands in that range; a lemon-ginger teabag steeped for 3 minutes, which is often mostly lemongrass and lemon peel with a pinch of ginger, delivers a fraction of it.

This page covers what lemon ginger tea is good for by evidence tier, how to make a version that is actually medicinal, how much is sensible, and who should limit it: people on blood thinners, anyone with reflux, and anyone with sensitive tooth enamel.

What lemon ginger tea is good for

  • Nausea — ginger at about 1 g a day eased pregnancy and chemo nausea in large pooled trials; a strong cup delivers roughly 0.5 to 1 g
  • Sore throat and cold symptoms — a hot drink relieved sore throat, runny nose and chills for about an hour in a controlled study; honey adds a proven cough-soothing effect
  • Digestion — 1.2 g ginger sped stomach emptying by about a quarter in healthy adults
  • Period cramps — 750 to 2,000 mg ginger a day for 3 to 4 days matched ibuprofen in small trials
  • Kidney stones — the juice of half a lemon a day, every day, raised urinary citrate in people prone to stones
  • Hydration — a low-calorie, caffeine-free replacement for sugary drinks

Lemon ginger tea benefits, graded by the evidence

Strong = multiple human trials or a meta-analysis. Moderate = a few small trials. Preliminary = early, traditional or animal data.

  1. Relieves nausea

    Strong evidence

    The ginger does the work here. A meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials found about 1 g of ginger a day reduced nausea in pregnancy, and a 576-patient trial found 0.5 to 1 g a day cut chemotherapy-related nausea by around 40%. Lemon has no nausea trials of its own, but the scent of lemon reduced nausea scores in one small randomized trial of pregnant women using lemon aromatherapy, so sipping a lemon ginger brew slowly is a reasonable way to get both.

    Key evidenceViljoen 2014 meta-analysis (12 RCTs); Ryan 2012 RCT (576 chemotherapy patients)

  2. Soothes a sore throat and cold symptoms

    Moderate evidence

    In a controlled study of 30 people with colds, a hot fruit drink gave immediate relief of runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chilliness and tiredness that lasted about an hour, while the same drink at room temperature only helped the nose. Adding honey matters: a Cochrane review found honey reduced night-time cough in children better than no treatment and about as well as cough medicine. Ginger and lemon add warmth and flavor; the hot liquid and honey do most of the measurable work.

    Key evidenceSanu and Eccles 2008, Rhinology; Oduwole 2018 Cochrane review on honey

  3. Settles digestion and bloating after meals

    Moderate evidence

    In a crossover trial in 24 healthy volunteers, 1,200 mg of ginger shortened the time for half of a meal to leave the stomach from about 16 to 12 minutes and increased stomach contractions. That faster emptying is why a strong ginger brew after a heavy meal eases the overfull, bloated feeling. Lemon juice has no comparable trial; its sourness simply stimulates saliva and may make the drink feel more settling.

    Key evidenceWu 2008, European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

  4. Eases period cramps

    Moderate evidence

    A 2015 systematic review of 6 randomized trials found 750 to 2,000 mg of ginger a day for the first 3 to 4 days of a period reduced pain significantly more than placebo and about as well as ibuprofen or mefenamic acid in head-to-head comparisons. Two to three strong cups a day, started the day before or the morning the period begins, approximates that dose.

    Key evidenceDaily 2015 systematic review, Pain Medicine

  5. Helps prevent kidney stones

    Moderate evidence

    Lemon juice is one of the richest food sources of citrate, which binds calcium in the urine and makes stones less likely to form. In a study of people with recurrent calcium stones and low urinary citrate, 4 oz (120 mL) of lemon juice a day diluted in water raised urinary citrate significantly and cut the stone-formation rate from about 1 a year to 0.13 a year over 3 to 4 years. The juice of half a lemon in each cup, a few cups a day, gets you a meaningful share of that dose.

    Key evidenceKang 2007, Journal of Urology (lemonade therapy in hypocitraturic stone formers)

  6. Provides some vitamin C

    Preliminary evidence

    The juice of half a lemon contains roughly 10 mg of vitamin C, and hot water destroys some of it, so a cup gives you perhaps 5 to 10% of the daily requirement. That is helpful but minor. The Cochrane review of vitamin C found that regular intake of at least 200 mg a day shortened colds by about 8% in adults and did not prevent them in the general population, and a cup of lemon tea is nowhere near that dose.

    Key evidenceHemilä and Chalker 2013, Cochrane review of vitamin C for colds

  7. Supports blood sugar control

    Moderate evidence

    A 2018 meta-analysis of 10 trials in people with type 2 diabetes found 1 to 3 g of ginger a day for 8 to 13 weeks lowered fasting glucose and HbA1c modestly. Sweetening lemon ginger tea with sugar or a lot of honey works against this, so if blood sugar is the goal, drink it unsweetened or with a small amount of honey.

    Key evidenceZhu 2018 meta-analysis

Is lemon ginger tea good for you?

  • Yes, lemon ginger tea is good for you, provided the ginger is real and the brew is strong. It is a caffeine-free, nearly calorie-free drink with well-documented benefits for nausea and digestion.
  • Make it from fresh ginger and fresh lemon when you want an effect. Most lemon-ginger teabags are lemongrass and lemon flavor with a little ginger, and they are a pleasant drink rather than a remedy.
  • Rinse your mouth with water afterwards. Lemon juice is acidic enough (pH around 2) to soften tooth enamel, and hot acidic drinks sipped for an hour are harder on teeth than one quick glass.
  • Limit it to a cup or two if you have reflux or take warfarin, aspirin or clopidogrel, because ginger can trigger heartburn and has a mild blood-thinning effect.
  • Pregnant women can drink 2 to 3 cups a day for nausea; it is one of the safest options available.

How to brew lemon ginger tea

Amount

1 tablespoon (about 6 g) fresh ginger, sliced or grated, plus the juice of half a lemon (about 1 tablespoon / 15 mL) per 8 to 10 oz (240 to 300 mL) water; or 1 to 2 lemon-ginger teabags

Water

212°F / 100°C for the ginger; add the lemon juice after it comes off the heat

Steep

Simmer the ginger 10 to 15 minutes covered, strain, then add lemon and honey; teabags steep 5 to 7 minutes

  • Add the lemon at the end. Boiling it drives off the aroma and destroys more of the vitamin C.
  • A strip of lemon peel simmered with the ginger adds the flavonoids and oils that live in the zest.
  • For a sore throat, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey once the tea is drinkable (not for babies under 1 year).

How much per day

Two to three cups a day. That delivers roughly 1 to 3 g of ginger, which matches the trial doses, and a meaningful amount of lemon citrate. More than that mostly adds heartburn and acid exposure for your teeth.

Caffeine-free unless it is made on a black or green tea base. Fine at bedtime.

Side effects, interactions and who should limit it

Side effects

  • Heartburn or reflux from the ginger, and the lemon's acid can make it worse
  • Tooth enamel erosion with frequent sipping of acidic lemon drinks
  • Mouth or throat irritation from a strong, hot brew
  • Loose stools at high ginger doses
  • Mild blood-thinning effect at supplement-level ginger intake

Interactions

  • Anticoagulants and antiplatelets (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel): ginger adds a mild antiplatelet effect; keep intake steady and tell your doctor.
  • Diabetes medicines: ginger can lower glucose; watch for low readings if you drink several strong cups a day, and avoid sugary sweetening.
  • Reflux medicines (PPIs, H2 blockers): the drink does not interact with the drugs, but the lemon acid can undo some of the symptom relief they give.
  • Surgery: stop heavy ginger intake 1 to 2 weeks before an operation.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Lemon ginger tea is one of the better choices in pregnancy: ginger at about 1 g a day (2 to 3 strong cups) has good safety data for morning sickness, and lemon is simply food. Avoid high-dose ginger supplements, and if you have a bleeding disorder or placental problem ask your midwife first. Fine while breastfeeding.

Frequently asked questions

Is lemon ginger tea good for a cold?

It is one of the best comfort drinks for a cold. The hot liquid eases a sore throat, runny nose and chills for an hour or so, honey calms a cough, and ginger adds warmth. It does not shorten the cold itself, so think of it as symptom relief alongside rest and fluids.

Can I drink lemon ginger tea every day?

Yes. Two or three cups a day is a sensible routine for most adults. The two things to watch are tooth enamel, because lemon juice is acidic (rinse with water afterwards), and heartburn if you are prone to reflux.

Does lemon ginger tea help you lose weight?

Only indirectly. Swapping a sugary drink for an unsweetened cup saves calories, and ginger supplements produced small weight reductions (around 1.5 kg) in a meta-analysis of 14 trials. There is no evidence that lemon or ginger burns fat on its own, and nothing in it removes toxins; your liver and kidneys already do that.

Is lemon ginger tea good for a sore throat?

Yes, as long as it is warm rather than scalding. The heat and the moisture soothe the throat immediately, and honey has trial evidence for easing cough. Let it cool to drinkable before adding honey, and sip slowly rather than gulping.

Should I drink lemon ginger tea in the morning or at night?

It is caffeine-free, so either works. Morning on an empty stomach is best for nausea; after dinner suits digestion. At night, let it cool a little and rinse your mouth afterwards so acid does not sit on your teeth while you sleep.

Do lemon ginger teabags work as well as fresh?

Usually not. Check the ingredients: many blends list lemongrass, lemon peel and natural flavor first, with ginger a small fraction. A tablespoon of fresh ginger simmered for 10 minutes delivers several times more gingerol than a bag steeped for 3 minutes. For flavor, bags are fine; for nausea or cramps, use fresh.

References

  1. Viljoen E, Visser J, Koen N, Musekiwa A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting. Nutrition Journal (2014)View source
  2. Ryan JL, Heckler CE, Roscoe JA, et al.. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) reduces acute chemotherapy-induced nausea: a URCC CCOP study of 576 patients. Supportive Care in Cancer (2012)
  3. Daily JW, Zhang X, Kim DS, Park S. Efficacy of ginger for alleviating the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Pain Medicine (2015)
  4. Wu KL, Rayner CK, Chuah SK, et al.. Effects of ginger on gastric emptying and motility in healthy humans. European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2008)
  5. Sanu A, Eccles R. The effects of a hot drink on nasal airflow and symptoms of common cold and flu. Rhinology (2008)
  6. Oduwole O, Udoh EE, Oyo-Ita A, Meremikwu MM. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2018)
  7. Kang DE, Sur RL, Haleblian GE, Fitzsimons NJ, Borawski KM, Preminger GM. Long-term lemonade based dietary manipulation in patients with hypocitraturic nephrolithiasis. Journal of Urology (2007)
  8. Penniston KL, Nakada SY, Holmes RP, Assimos DG. Quantitative assessment of citric acid in lemon juice, lime juice, and commercially-available fruit juice products. Journal of Endourology (2008)
  9. Hemilä H, Chalker E. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2013)
  10. Zhu J, Chen H, Song Z, Wang X, Sun Z. Effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) on type 2 diabetes mellitus and components of the metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2018)
  11. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Ginger: Usefulness and Safety (2020)View source

Guides that rank lemon ginger tea

Go deeper

Other teas

Is lemon ginger tea right for you?

Ask AskMN. It knows these studies, checks interactions with the medications you tell it about, and it is free and unlimited, no account needed.

Ask about lemon ginger tea

This page is educational and is not medical advice. Herbal teas can interact with prescription medicines. Talk with a clinician or pharmacist before relying on any of them, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a chronic condition, or take medication.