Why you should be adding a squeeze of lemon to your coffee - Non-Alcoholic

Nov 07, 2024

The trend has made the rounds on TikTok as a weight loss solution - but is there more to it?

If you grew up during the early-noughties obsession with weight loss and crash diets, you might be familiar with the ‘idea’ that adding lemon to your coffee will kickstart weight loss.

Despite zero scientific evidence to back up this ‘miracle drink’, it was guzzled by many. These days, thankfully, we’re more focused on a great-tasting coffee with enough caffeine to raise the dead.

So, what do we do when that promise of a morning pick-me-up fails to deliver? Well, it turns out the answer – after all these years – is that spritz of lemon. But not for the reasons you might think.

All it takes is a little bit of science.

A glass of Iced coffee in the sunshine on a white counter

Few disappointments compare with a cup of bitter coffee. When all you crave is something with zip, complex layers of flavour and a touch of nutty sweetness, it’s – let’s face it – a massive bummer.

By adding a slice or squeeze of lemon to your black coffee, you’re helping to neutralise the bitterness of a dark-roasted or burnt espresso. The oils in the lemon enhance the sweet notes in the coffee and will balance the intensity of a strong shot.

What is a coffee with lemon called?

Of course, TikTok didn’t invent the lemon coffee. The ‘Mazagran’ – often described as the world’s first iced coffee – is a cold, sweetened coffee spiked with lemon juice that historians claim was invented in 1840 by French troops during the Battle of Mazagran in Algeria. Milk was hard to come by, lemons were abundant and the heat was unbearable. The French made the best of it.

Is coffee with lemon good for you?

For most people, drinking coffee actually offers plenty of health benefits. Regular coffee consumption has been linked to a decreased risk of Parkinson’s disease, depression, heart and liver disease, and type 2 diabetes. The addition of lemon juice probably won’t have you shedding kilos by Christmas, but a hit of vitamin C from the citrus is always a good thing.