When the need for a hot drink strikes, many people reach for coffee. But lemon ginger tea is getting plenty of buzz from people who swear it’s a great way to wind down for bed, or even to help with digestion.

Given how much chatter is around this drink online, it can be tough to know what are legitimate lemon ginger tea benefits and which are just talk.

Meet the experts: Scott Keatley, R.D., is co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy; Jessica Cording, R.D., is the author of The Little Book of Game-Changers.

So, what’s in lemon ginger tea and what health perks can you get from sipping it? Dietitians break it down.

What is lemon ginger tea?

There’s no exact recipe for lemon ginger tea, but this generally involves mixing hot water with fresh lemon juice and ginger, says Jessica Cording, RD, the author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. “You’re going to get the most bang for your buck with fresh ingredients, including fresh ginger,” she says.

Some people will also add something sweet, like agave, maple syrup, or honey, to the mix, too. Just add a touch. “A little bit goes a long way,” Cording says.

While most people make this tonic at home, you can also buy lemon and ginger tea bags that you simply steep in hot water and enjoy.

Lemon ginger tea benefits

There are a few potential perks of sipping this drink.

It could help with digestion.

A few elements of this drink may help. “Lemon ginger tea can promote healthy digestion by combining the benefits of ginger and lemon in a soothing beverage,” says Scott Keatley, R.D., co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy.

“Ginger contains compounds like gingerol that stimulate the production of digestive enzymes, improving gut motility and aiding in breaking down food more effectively,” he continues. “While lemon is acidic, it’s actually less acidic than the hydrochloric acid naturally present in your stomach.”

Lemon also provides a “small boost of potassium” which can help support muscle contractions in the digestive tract, Keatley says.

It may ease nausea.

This is more about the ginger, Cording says. “Ginger is very soothing for nausea,” she says.

The impact of ginger on nausea is “largely due to gingerol and shogaol, active compounds in ginger that interact with serotonin receptors in the gut, reducing nausea signals to the brain,” Keatley says.

While ginger is the big player here, the scent of lemon may also help calm your central nervous system, helping you to relax when you’re nauseous, Keatley says.

It could help you poop.

There are a few potential reasons for this. “There’s a compound in lemon called limonene that aids in digestion and can help to move things along,” Cording says.

Ginger also “enhances gastric emptying,” which can also help keep you regular, Keatley says. And then there’s the hydration factor, which Keatley says is one of the biggest reasons why you may poop; after having this tea. “Proper hydration softens stool, making it easier to pass and promoting regular bowel movements,” he says.

It may tamp down on inflammation.

Lemon ginger tea is unlikely to cure all inflammation in your body, but it may help to tamp down on things a little. “Lemon has antioxidant properties and vitamin C, which is in lemon, has been shown to protect against inflammation-related damage to the cells,” Cording says.

Ginger in the drink may be helpful, too. “Ginger contains bioactive compounds such as gingerol, shogaol, and paradol, which inhibit pro-inflammatory pathways by blocking certain enzymes,” Keatley says.

It can keep you hydrated.

Lemon ginger tea is mostly water, and that can help keep you hydrated. The average man should have about 15.5 cups of fluids per day, and the average women should have about 11.5 cups, according to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (That’s from foods and drinks.)

Lemon ginger tea nutrition

The nutrition facts in your lemon ginger tea will depend a lot on whether you make it or use a packaged version. For bagged lemon ginger tea, simply read the label. In lemon ginger tea that you make, you can expect the following for nutrition:

• Calories: 0
• Fat: 0 grams
• Carbohydrates: 0 grams
• Sugar: 0 grams
• Protein: 0 grams

However, if you add a sweetener or other ingredients, the nutrition of your lemon ginger tea may change slightly.

Are there any potential concerns with lemon ginger tea?

This concoction isn’t for everyone. “Lemon’s acidity can irritate individuals with acid reflux or sensitive stomachs, and in rare cases, some people may experience allergic reactions to ginger or citrus,” Keatley says.

Ginger also has mild blood-thinning properties, so if you’re on an anticoagulant medication like warfarin, you don’t want to overdo it with this drink, Keatley says. “Additionally, lemon contains oxalates, which, in high amounts, could contribute to kidney stone formation in susceptible individuals,” he says.

But, overall, dietitians say most people are just fine to sip on this soothing drink.