Lemons And Coffee, Lemons And Tea - History, Flavor, Health, And More

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Lemons And Coffee, Lemons And Tea - History, Flavor, Health, And More

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Lemons And Coffee, Lemons And Tea - History, Flavor, Health, And More

13 min read JUL 15, 2025

When life gives you lemons…put them in your coffee!

I know what you’re thinking, “something seems a little off with that phrase.” Or, “what about lemonade?”

Lemons and coffee are rarely considered a dynamic duo, a tasty pair, or an incredible combination.

Lemons and tea? Yes! But, lemons and coffee? Surely not…right?

Actually, even though lemons and coffee seem as if they’d be an unlikely pair, this combination truly works!

But, are there really any good reasons to combine lemons and coffee?

What does it taste like?

Where did this trend begin?

And, are there any health benefits associated with adding lemon to coffee?

What about lemon and tea, are there any benefits to this combination as well?
If you’re curious about this combo, you’re in the right place, because we’ll be answering each of the above questions and more as we do a deep dive into lemons and coffee, and lemons and tea, looking at the trend, the flavors, the health benefits, and more.

Lemon In Coffee & Tea - History, Flavor, Health, And More

A white cup filled with dark tea sits on a white saucer surrounded by coffee beans. In the foreground, a lemon cut in half shows its juicy interior, while whole lemons are placed in the background on a rustic wooden surface. The composition highlights the contrast between the coffee beans and fresh lemons, evoking a fusion of flavors.

Lemon and coffee are such an unusual flavor combination, so much so that the first question many think of upon hearing of this pairing is - “who came up with the idea to add lemon to coffee?”

I get it; I had the same question, but as I’ve searched for answers, it seems the origin is debatable.

First, many immediately conclude that such a combination likely originated in Europe, specifically in Italy.

Those that hold to this assumption cite the Italian roots of espresso.

Espresso is said to have originated in the early 20th century in Italy.

And, Italy is also home to the espresso romano, or an espresso shot served with a slice of lemon or a bit of lemon peel.

The addition of lemon, specifically due to this citrus fruit’s acidic nature, serves to enhance the natural flavor profile of espresso, bringing balance as it complements the inherent bitterness of coffee.

Most dark roasts, and especially deeply dark roasted espresso, tend to be more bitter, and the acidity of the lemon can bring out a brightness in the coffee, similar to the bright and acidic nature of a light roast, resulting in a refreshing sipping experience.

But, did this beverage truly originate in Italy?

We’ll let you decide, as others attribute this unusual concoction’s true origins to Algeria.

One connection to Algeria dates back to 1840, as historians claim French troops, during the Battle of Mazagran, added lemon to their coffee when milk was hard to obtain.

Mazagran is another lemon infused coffee beverage offered in some coffee houses and cafes today, so perhaps this is indeed the origin of such a combination?

This would make sense, as yet another connection of lemon-coffee to Algeria comes from stories passed down from dock workers.

This would’ve taken place many years after the Battle of Mazagran in Algeria, so perhaps the practice was passed down, but it is said that dock workers commonly added lemon to their coffee.

Here, dock workers were accustomed to drinking coffee that was overwhelmingly poor in quality.

In fact, the coffee was so bad, and so bitter, that these workers sought a solution in an attempt to mask the harshness of these low-quality brews - yep, you guessed it, they added lemon to their cups to tame the bitterness.

Similar to the notes from Italian cafes, this addition was said to improve the flavor of coffee by balancing its bitterness.

So, while some contest this, it does seem that lemon coffee originated in Algeria, and then the practice spread throughout the Mediterranean regions and beyond.

Another interesting fact regarding this combination is that, for the most part, at least prior to it making its way to the western world, it was commonly only associated with lower social classes.

This is likely due to the quality of coffee obtained by these classes, as the lemon addition clearly aided in a brew’s enjoyment by cutting those bitter notes.

Of course, as it is with most new and interesting finds, when this pairing made its way to the US, it became trendy, a treat for the most adventurous patrons of cafes and coffee houses.

Even still, the question remains - is this pairing simply a bitterness buster and an adventurous combination for trendsetters - or could there be actual benefits to adding a slice or wedge of lemon to your daily cup of joe?

You see, what most folks don’t realize is that many of the purported benefits of lemon and coffee stem from age-old remedies or household coffee consuming cures.

And, like many ‘home-remedies’ and natural cures, there’s actually not a lot of studies definitely proving their efficacy.

That being said, there are so many people that swear by the healthy rewards associated with this combination.

So, today we’d like to list a few of these rewards, including any available science, letting you decide for yourself if the lemon coffee combo is all it’s cracked up to be…

1- Digestive Aid

A woman wearing a white long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans is standing indoors. She is holding her hands in front of her waist, and a glowing, digitally rendered illustration of the human digestive tract, including the intestines, is superimposed over her abdomen. The background is softly lit with warm, golden tones and bokeh lights, emphasizing the focus on digestive health.

In many Middle Eastern countries, lemon coffee is consumed for use as a digestive aid.

We know that it is customary in some European countries, particularly Italy, for espresso to be consumed after dinner as a digestif.

This is said to stimulate the production of stomach acid and bile to help break down food.

Likewise, the citric acid in lemons is also said to stimulate the production of saliva, gastric acid, and bile, each aiding in digestion.

So, it makes sense that the combination of these items could indeed be effective as a digestive aid.

2- Palate Cleanser

While this isn’t necessarily a health benefit, many enjoy cleansing their palate in between meals or meal courses, especially prior to having a sweet treat to conclude a nice dinner.

In this case, while it is an effective aromatic cleanser, coffee alone can not cleanse your palate.

However, when combined with lemon, which is a known palate cleanser due to its acidity and sharp taste, the two can cleanse or reset your senses - both taste and smell - enhancing dining experiences by removing residual fats and lingering tastes and aromas.

3- Energy And Alertness

A person with brown hair sits indoors holding a clear glass cup of black coffee. The cup is garnished with a slice of lemon on the rim. Coffee beans are scattered on the countertop next to two lemon slices and a whole lemon. The background is softly lit with a warm, out-of-focus ambiance, suggesting a cozy kitchen or café setting.

We all know that the caffeine component of coffee comes in as a tried-and-true winner when it comes to energy.

Studies show that caffeine can block adenosine receptors which essentially keeps you from feeling tired, instead allowing you to feel alert, even providing a boost in energy.

The thing is, even the simple scent of lemon alone provides a similar boost, specifically regarding alertness.

Then, the vitamin C and potassium content of lemon also contributes to feelings of alertness as this can boost brain function.

So, as you breathe in the aroma of lemon coffee, you may feel your senses awaken, then as you sip, both components bring unique benefits that help you feel alert and energized.

For these reasons, in some parts of the world students are common consumers of lemon coffee, “claiming that the combination provides a more stable boost in alertness than coffee alone.”

4- Antioxidants Galore

A white ceramic cup filled with espresso sits on a white saucer. A thick slice of lemon is placed on the rim of the cup, with another lemon wedge in the background on a rustic wooden surface. A small metal spoon rests on the saucer, and the coffee’s crema displays swirling patterns. The setting conveys a unique fusion of coffee and citrus, with a warm, inviting atmosphere.

One of the reasons coffee is considered a superfood is due to its antioxidant content.

The antioxidants found in coffee are largely behind this beloved brew’s many health benefits, including a reduced risk of multiple cancers, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and more.

Similarly, lemons are a super source of vitamin C and flavonoids, both of which are incredibly powerful antioxidants.

Like coffee, these compounds have been shown to reduce the risk of some cancers, protect against heart disease, and combat other illnesses.

As a bonus, these components of lemon also bring boosts to your immune system.

The only potential caveat here is simply that while science indeed proves the benefits of these when consumed alone, it doesn’t necessarily mean these boosts are bettered by consuming them together.

5- Headache Helper

A person with wavy, light brown hair is seated at a wooden table, wearing a mustard yellow sweater. Both hands are placed on their forehead as they lean forward in a posture that suggests fatigue or discomfort. A steaming cup of tea sits in front of them, with several lemon slices arranged on the saucer. The background is softly lit, creating a calm and contemplative atmosphere.

Headaches are a common occurrence for many people, but the trouble in providing headache help is simply that these painful episodes can stem from a variety of triggers.

Therefore, helpful headache remedies can vary depending on the trigger or type of headache you are actually experiencing.

When it comes to a coffee and lemon combo for headache relief, many proponents of this remedy believe vascular headaches (the type which most commonly affects women) are those which benefit most from this beverage.

The caffeine in coffee prompts a narrowing of your blood vessels, and this serves to counteract the enlargement of those vessels, a phenomenon which commonly causes vascular headache pain.

Lemon then “improves the concentration of oxygen molecules in the blood,” bringing headache relief where reduced oxygen supply to the brain is the culprit of such pain (cluster headaches and migraines).

Alone, these each clearly bring headache relief benefits, but when consumed together, the citric acid in lemons allows your body to absorb more caffeine, and this can improve or heighten the benefits coffee brings to your headache battles.

6- Improves Skin Health

A person is lying down on a white towel with their shoulders exposed, surrounded by whole and sliced lemons as well as green leaves. The individual has a white towel wrapped around their head, creating a spa or relaxation setting. Rolled white towels and lemons are neatly arranged nearby, adding to the fresh and serene atmosphere.

Research shows the antioxidant content of coffee and lemons, especially when combined, can provide benefits to the health of your skin.

Here, the vitamin C content of lemons stimulates collagen production, and this improves your skin’s elasticity and strength, something we all lose with age.

Then, the chlorogenic acid content of coffee has been linked to improved blood flow and increased skin hydration which can improve the smoothness of your skin while reducing scaliness and improving the health of your skin’s barrier.

Most studies show these benefits aren’t amplified when consuming coffee and lemon together; however, you are providing your body with a double boost here, even when consumed separately.

So, if an espresso romano or a marzagran is your new favorite java trend, just know you are indeed boosting your skin's health while sipping.

7- Fat Loss

A white cup of black coffee with a slice of lemon floating on top sits on a matching saucer atop a wooden table. Next to the cup are a digital bathroom scale, a yellow measuring tape, a pair of black workout gloves, a bottle of clear liquid, and several slices of fresh lemon. The arrangement suggests themes of weight loss, fitness, and healthy living.

We’re ending our benefit section with this purported boost as this is the most contested benefit within the medical community.

The claim - lemon coffee helps to literally melt fat off of your body.

The reality - nothing natural that you consume will literally melt fat off of your body.
Tale as old as time, I know, but the only real way to lose excess fat is through exercise combined with a caloric reduction (deficit).

However, it is true that caffeine can stimulate brown adipose tissue (BAT), “a type of metabolically active fat tissue that decreases with age and can metabolize carbs and fats.”

And, this benefit can even be amplified, considering caffeine’s effectiveness regarding its ability to enhance exercise.

As far as lemon, this citrus fruit has been known to aid in weight loss through its ability to aid in digestion and help you to feel full longer.

So then, combined, could coffee and lemon boost fat loss? Maybe? I mean, many individuals claim it has aided in their fat loss efforts.

Scientifically speaking, however, there’s no evidence to suggest massive gains (or losses in fat, rather) will occur simply by enjoying an occasional, refreshing glass of lemon coffee.

What About Tea?

A steaming glass cup of hot tea sits on a wooden table, with a thick slice of lemon floating inside the tea and another lemon half placed nearby. The scene is warmly lit by sunlight streaming through large windows in the background, giving a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Steam gently rises from the tea, enhancing the sense of warmth and comfort.

Ah, but what about tea?

Lemon and coffee are seen as an unlikely pair, but lemon and tea have been enjoyed in combination for a very long time.
And, like the flavor enhancement experienced when adding lemon to coffee, this citrus fruit, when added to tea, also serves to balance out your (leafy) brew, these two tastes complementing one another.

Specifically, teas that contain citrus notes, such as earl grey which contains bergamot, are best enhanced by the addition of lemon as it creates a more complex and pleasing flavor profile.

Personally, I love a squeeze of lemon in our Empire State Sunrise black tea…and now I know why!

While not a true earl grey, our Empire State Sunrise tea is an organic Sri Lankan black tea that does contain a small amount of bergamot.

This inclusion, however, is not overpowering, and at least for my tea-loving-taste-buds, the addition of lemon indeed works as science suggests, enhancing the overall flavor of the tea.

But, possibly the greatest benefit of adding lemon to tea involves this fruit’s ability to allow our body to better absorb or use the catechins in tea.

Catechins are antioxidants found in tea as well as a few other foods and beverages, and these health boosters are responsible for most of tea’s benefits.

Typically, by the time catechins move past your stomach, your intestines have trouble using them for their intended health-enhancing purposes. The acidity of lemon, however, makes your tea slightly more acidic, which then promotes a more acidic environment in your intestines, allowing the catechins to better be “taken up.”

Catechins in tea can aid in everything from cancer prevention to weight loss, kidney stone prevention, brain health boosts, improved energy and hydration, a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, improved immune health, and more.

While green tea is said to have more catechins than any other type of tea, black teas and white teas are also loaded with this powerful antioxidant, making a lemon and tea combination yet another healthy sipping option.

Give It A Try…

The OG lemon and coffee combination consists of nothing more than brewing (hot, iced, cold brewed, whatever you typically prefer) an 8-ounce cup of coffee, then adding the juice of a wedge of lemon.

Some folks even enjoy rubbing a lemon rind on the rim of their coffee cup, providing a little extra zest (no pun intended) to their sipping experience.

So, if you want to try this concoction in its most basic form, that’s all you need to do.

However, if you’re looking for something a little extra, give the following recipe a try for a refreshing treat.

*Note: If you’ve never tried this combo, I would recommend starting with only ½ tablespoon of lemon juice.

And, since you can obviously try this with tea as well, be sure to check out the note below the recipe for subbing leaves for beans in this one.

Ingredients

8 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee
½-1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons simple syrup
Ice
¼ cup 2% milk
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon simple syrup
Lemon zest

Instructions

Add ice to a tall glass, then pour in cold brew.
Stir lemon juice and simple syrup into the cold brew.
Add milk, heavy cream, and simple syrup to an eclectic frother and froth on the cold setting.
Pour cold foam over the prepared coffee mixture, then top with a small amount of lemon zest. Enjoy!

For tea:

To make this recipe using tea, simply steep 2 teaspoons of Lifeboost Empire State Sunrise black tea in 8 ounces of water (temperature should be right at boiling) for 5-7 minutes. Then, I like to let my tea chill before preparing the rest of the recipe, so it doesn’t get watered down.

Once chilled, follow the recipe instructions above, subbing 8 ounces of chilled tea for the cold brewed coffee.

**This is for a standard tea. If you like a stronger brew, I personally use 1-1½ tablespoons of this tea in 8 ounces of water to produce a more intense flavor.

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast.

"Medical Disclaimer
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Charles Livingston nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program."

Becky Livingston Vance Content writer

Becky is a mother, educator, and content writer for Lifeboost Coffee. She has had three years’ experience as a writer, and in that time she has enjoyed creatively composing articles and ebooks covering the topics of coffee, health and fitness, education, recipes, and relationships.