Lemon and Ginger Tea: The Working Remedy Cup, Teas.co.uk

Lemon and Ginger Tea: The UK's Working Remedy Cup

Lemon and ginger is a caffeine-free any-time cup whose standout evidenced benefit is ginger for nausea; the lemon, honey and warmth are real comfort, not cure.

Published 13 Feb 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Lemon and ginger tea, in summary: Lemon and ginger is a caffeine-free any-time cup whose standout evidenced benefit is ginger for nausea; the lemon, honey and warmth are real comfort, not cure.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in January 2026.

Lemon and ginger tea is the UK's working cold remedy, hangover drink, post meal digestive, and morning warmer. Caffeine free, naturally bright, with real evidence behind some of its claims (especially ginger's anti nausea action). One of the most reliable herbal teas in any cupboard.

The classic combination

Lemon and ginger together work because:

Ginger provides warming heat and digestive support.
Lemon provides citrus brightness and a small vitamin C contribution.
Honey traditionally added for sore throat soothing.
The hot cup itself supports throat hydration during illness.

What's in a typical lemon and ginger tea bag

Ginger root (dried, in flakes or pieces), the dominant ingredient
Lemon peel (visible zest)
Lemongrass (often added for additional citrus character)
Liquorice root (sometimes, for natural sweetness)
Lemon flavouring (natural, plant derived)

The actual evidence

Anti nausea (strong evidence)

Ginger has multiple controlled trials supporting anti nausea effects:

Pregnancy morning sickness (NHS recommended)
Post surgery nausea
Motion sickness
Chemotherapy induced nausea

antioxidant (modest evidence)

Gingerols have antioxidant action. There is some evidence for mild pain relief, but at higher supplement-strength doses than a cup of tea provides.

Sore throat support (modest evidence)

The warmth + ginger's gentle antioxidant + lemon's vitamin C + honey's coating effect = practical relief. Modest direct herbal effect; strong supportive effect on the cold/flu experience.

Vitamin C from lemon (limited)

Tea strength brewing extracts only a fraction of fresh lemon's vitamin C. Don't drink lemon tea expecting nutritional vitamin C, eat actual lemons or oranges for that.

How to brew

From bag (everyday)

1 bag per 200ml mug.
Just boiled water.
Steep 5-7 minutes.
Add honey to taste.
Add fresh lemon for extra brightness.

From scratch (best for cold remedy)

1 thick slice fresh ginger, crushed.
Juice of half a lemon.
1 tbsp honey.
200ml just boiled water.
Cover; steep 7-10 minutes.
Stir to combine.

Lemon ginger blends worth buying

Twinings Lemon & Ginger. Mainstream supermarket option. Decent introduction.
Pukka Three Ginger. Three ginger species (no lemon). Stronger ginger character.
Clipper Hot Lemon & Ginger. Fairtrade, organic.
Dragonfly Lively Lemon & Ginger. Organic, ginger forward. More here.
Heath & Heather Lemon & Ginger. UK herbal, organic.
Yogi Ginger / Lemon Ginger. US wellness brand.

Caffeine

0mg. Pure lemon and ginger tea is caffeine free. Drink any time of day.

Use cases

Cold and flu. The default UK herbal cold remedy.
Sore throat. Especially with honey.
Hangover. Hydrating, nausea settling, gentle.
Travel sickness. Drink before journey.
Pregnancy nausea. NHS recommended.
After heavy meals. Digestive support.
Iced summer drink. Cold brewed lemon ginger is excellent.

Variations

Lemon ginger turmeric

Adds turmeric (curcumin) for extra antioxidant effect. More on this combination.

Lemon ginger green tea

Adds green tea base for caffeine and catechin contribution.

Lemon ginger honey shot

Concentrated version: blend ginger root + lemon juice + honey + water; drink as a small shot.

Cold brewed lemon ginger

4 bags in 1L cold water, fridge overnight. Refreshing summer drink.

Cautions

Blood thinners. Ginger has mild antiplatelet activity. Discuss with GP if on warfarin.
Pregnancy. In pregnancy, the NHS advises no more than four cups of herbal tea a day and avoiding teas containing liquorice root; caffeine free does not mean every herbal blend is suitable, so ask your midwife or pharmacist if you are unsure.
Reflux. Lemon can trigger reflux in sensitive individuals.
Heavy daily liquorice intake. Some lemon ginger blends contain liquorice; multiple cups daily can elevate blood pressure (glycyrrhizin effect).
Surgery. Stop ginger 1-2 weeks before scheduled surgery.

FAQ

Is lemon ginger tea good for colds? Yes, modest direct herbal effect plus strong supportive effect on the illness experience.

Pregnancy safe? In pregnancy, the NHS advises no more than four cups of herbal tea a day and avoiding teas containing liquorice root; caffeine free does not mean every herbal blend is suitable, so ask your midwife or pharmacist if you are unsure.

Caffeine free? Yes.

Best lemon ginger UK? Pukka Three Ginger (no lemon, ginger forward); Clipper Lemon & Ginger (organic); Twinings (mainstream).

How much per day? 2-3 cups during illness; 1 cup daily for general wellness.

Curator's note: lemon and ginger is the herbal tea I keep at home for sore throats and post Sunday roast settling. Strong evidence base for ginger's anti nausea action, gentle warming effect, no caffeine, one of the most reliable herbal cups in any cupboard. Lee, Teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

What you need to know: lemon and ginger

Claim	The verdict
Eases nausea (ginger)	Strong evidence, NHS-recognised for morning sickness
Sore throat / cold relief	Modest direct, strong supportive comfort
Vitamin C from lemon	Minimal at tea strength, eat fruit for that
Caffeine	0mg, any time of day
Cautions	Warfarin/pre-surgery (ginger), hidden liquorice

This is general information, not medical advice. If you take warfarin, are facing surgery, or have a medical condition, check with your GP or pharmacist before using ginger regularly.

Where this fits in the wider range: English Breakfast, Earl Grey, green tea, loose leaf tea, Darjeeling, oolong, and herbal tea. Shop the tea range at teas.co.uk; UK delivery is free past £35.

From the curatorteas · Per-cup price is the only price that matters. Loose leaf usually wins; supermarket bags sometimes do too.