Black tea with Lemon

Black tea is a calorie-free beverage that contains caffeine and can help lower the risk of stroke and heart disease. These benefits may come from tea's theaflavin antioxidants, which can also help prevent certain forms of cancer. Tea is traditionally made with a sweetener and milk, which increases its sugar and caloric content. However, by replacing sugar and milk with a citrus fruit, such as lemon, you can increase health-boosting and nutritional potential of tea.

Nutritional Powerhouse

Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C -- 1 cup of lemon juice provides more than the daily recommended dose. The ascorbic acid in vitamin C acts as an antioxidant that helps fight free radicals, which can cause heart disease and diabetes. Lemons are also a good source of minerals and vitamins, including folate, potassium, magnesium and thiamine. Adding it to black tea doesn’t inhibit its nutritional effects, which makes the combination ideal for consumption.

Antioxidants Staying Power

Other than providing an additional source of antioxidants, lemons also increase the staying power of antioxidants in black tea. Black tea contains theaflavins, which are polyphenol antioxidants similar to those found in green tea. They have the potential to reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease, heart attacks, hardening of the arteries and kidney stones. In a comparative study published in a 2000 issue of “Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology,” researchers found that tea with lemon increased its antioxidants potential more than tea without milk.

Add Lemon, Not Milk

Common additions to tea such as milk can block the potential health benefits of its antioxidants. A small German study, published in a 2007 issue of the "European Heart Journal," determined that the caseins found in milk reduced the effects of the antioxidants. Milk binds with the antioxidants found in black tea, which prevents them from being absorbed, explains MedlinePlus. However, not all studies confirm milk inhibits black tea's antioxidants, and more research is required. Lemon makes milk curdle, which helps you avoid adding milk to your tea. Without milk, lemon seems to maximize the health benefits of drinking black tea.

Lower Calories

Adding sugar or whipped cream turns calorie-free black tea into a high-calorie beverage. Lemon's naturally occurring sugars make it a suitable replacement to artificial sweeteners without the high increase in calories. Lemon also improves the taste due to its natural sugar content and citrus flavor. Replacing sugar and other fattening foods with lemons helps you reduce your calorie intake.