Which Is Best in My Tea - Milk, Honey, Lemon, Or Sugar?

The discovery of tea is commonly credited to the Chinese Emperor named Shen Nung who ruled back in 2737 BCE. The second most-consumed drink in the world, tea is available in more than 20,000 different variants. There is no surprise that there are questions 

Tea with or without milk: which is better?

Milk is by far the biggest preferred tea accompaniment around the world. Different countries prefer a different ratio of milk and water. For example, in Hong Kong, milk and water are mixed in equal quantities into tea. This has been dubbed as ‘Hong Kong-style milk tea’.

While the research and conclusions are divided, both tea and milk provide health benefits. Green tea and black tea are rich in antioxidants amongst other compounds while milk is an excellent source of calcium.

With the rise of non-dairy milk alternatives such as almond and oat milk, those sensitive to lactose have also been able to find joy in adding milk to their tea.
It goes without saying that adding milk gives the brew a layer of creaminess.

However, at the same time, milk tends to have a strong flavour. Hence it is often paired with more robust teas like English Breakfast and Earl Grey For lighter teas, such as White Peony, it is not advisable to introduce milk.

Benefits of lemon tea

Lemons are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Lemon tea is also easy to prepare and low in calories (without the addition of sugar or milk). Similar to milk, lemon is often added to heavier teas, the most common being black teas. The tangy zesty flavour is a refreshing contrast to the rich brew. Lemons are naturally diuretic and can help to gently reduce water retention in your body. Many people prefer to grate lemon zest in their tea. This adds the limonene to your tea, which is found in the lemon peels. 

What is the difference between honey and sugar in my tea?

While both act as a sweetener, the makeup of both honey and sugar is quite different. Honey is higher in fructose than glucose compared to sugar. If you are looking for a quick energy boost from your tea, honey is definitely recommended. It is undeniable that there are more notes to honey than simply sweet. Often, natural organic honey carries strong floral and fruity notes. With all things delicious and sweet, be mindful not to overindulge and enjoy your honey and sugar in moderation. 

Other sweeteners that people enjoy include sugar cane, coconut sugar or stevia. If you are trying a new variant of tea, we’d recommend drinking without any condiments. Savour the notes of the liquor and from there it is entirely up to you how you choose to enjoy the rest of the tea!