What is the best thing to put in your tea for flavor and health?

October 24, 2025 •

7 min read

Over 80% of U.S. households have tea on hand, but few explore the vast range of ingredients that can elevate their daily brew. Discovering what is the best thing to put in your tea depends on your flavor preferences, health goals, and the type of tea you're brewing.

Quick Summary

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of popular tea additions, evaluating their flavor impact and health benefits. It explores sweeteners, milks, spices, and fruits to help you customize your ideal cup and enhance your tea-drinking experience.

Key Points

Honey vs. Sugar: Honey offers complex flavor and minor health benefits, while sugar provides neutral sweetness. Opt for honey to soothe colds or for nuanced flavor.
Choose the Right Milk: Oat milk offers creaminess and frothability, almond milk is light and nutty, and coconut milk adds a tropical twist. Consider your tea type and desired texture when choosing.
Enhance with Spices: Spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom add warmth and fragrance. They are foundational to chai and can boost the immune system.
Brighten with Citrus and Herbs: Lemon, orange, and mint are refreshing additions that provide vitamin C and add a lively flavor to any tea, especially green tea.
Tailor to Your Tea Type: Match your additions to your tea base; use richer ingredients for robust black teas and lighter flavors for delicate green teas to achieve the best results.
Personalize Your Cup: The ideal additive is a matter of personal taste and health goals. Experimentation is the best way to discover your perfect brew.
Sweeten Safely: For those with dietary concerns, natural alternatives like maple syrup, stevia, or agave are available to provide sweetness without refined sugar.

Finding Your Perfect Tea Companion

Choosing what to add to your tea is a deeply personal journey, influenced by taste, health considerations, and the base tea itself. While black tea can handle rich, creamy additions, delicate green tea thrives with lighter, brighter flavors. The right pairing transforms a simple beverage into a comforting, therapeutic, or energizing ritual.

Popular Sweeteners: Honey vs. Sugar

The choice of sweetener can dramatically alter your tea's flavor and nutritional profile. Honey and sugar are the most common, but they offer distinct experiences.

Honey: Raw honey offers a more complex, floral flavor than plain sugar, with potential health benefits. It contains trace amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and has been traditionally used to soothe sore throats. The type of honey also matters, as different varieties—like clover or buckwheat—offer unique flavors. To preserve honey's beneficial enzymes, add it after the tea has steeped and cooled slightly.
Sugar: Refined white sugar provides a straightforward, pure sweetness without altering the tea's intrinsic flavors. This makes it an ideal choice for those who want to enhance, but not overpower, the natural taste of a delicate tea. While sugar offers quick energy, it lacks the nutritional value of honey and has a higher glycemic index.
Natural Alternatives: Maple syrup adds a rich, earthy sweetness, while stevia or monk fruit can provide sweetness with zero calories. For spiced teas, jaggery or coconut sugar can introduce deeper, caramelized notes.

Creamy Additions: Dairy vs. Plant-Based Milks

Adding milk or cream can soften astringency and create a richer mouthfeel, but the choice between dairy and non-dairy options depends on taste and diet.

Dairy Milk: Whole or low-fat dairy milk is a classic addition, especially for black teas like English Breakfast or Chai. The fat content and protein in milk can soften strong flavors and add a velvety texture. Some older studies suggested milk proteins might bind with tea's antioxidants, potentially reducing their effectiveness, but later research has had mixed results.
Oat Milk: Currently one of the most popular plant-based alternatives, oat milk is prized for its creamy consistency and mild, naturally sweet flavor that complements many tea types. Barista blends are specifically formulated to steam and froth well for lattes.
Almond Milk: Offering a subtle nutty flavor, almond milk pairs well with herbal teas and provides a lighter, lower-calorie option. However, it can sometimes curdle in very hot tea, so warming it first is recommended.
Coconut Milk: With its distinct tropical flavor and rich, creamy texture, coconut milk is an excellent choice for chai or iced teas. It is higher in fat and calories than some other plant milks, but provides a lush, indulgent feel.

Spices and Herbs: Elevate Your Brew

For a more complex and aromatic experience, consider adding spices and herbs. These ingredients are foundational to classic recipes like masala chai.

Ginger: A warming spice with anti-inflammatory properties, fresh ginger is excellent for soothing an upset stomach or adding a spicy kick to your tea. It pairs exceptionally well with green or black tea.
Cinnamon: This spice adds warmth and fragrance, perfect for cozy fall or winter beverages. It is also known for its antioxidant properties. A cinnamon stick is a great way to add flavor without any mess.
Cardamom: A signature spice in masala chai, cardamom imparts a sweet, floral, and slightly pungent flavor. Crushing the pods releases more aroma and taste.
Mint: Fresh mint leaves add a refreshing, cooling effect, making it a wonderful addition to hot or iced tea. It’s particularly refreshing with green tea or herbal blends.
Turmeric: With its earthy flavor and powerful anti-inflammatory properties, a pinch of turmeric can add a healthy boost. Pairing it with a dash of black pepper increases the body’s absorption of its active compound, curcumin.

Fruits and Citrus: Adding Brightness

Fresh fruits and citrus peels can brighten your tea's flavor and offer a dose of vitamins.

Lemon: Adding a slice or a squeeze of fresh lemon is a classic way to brighten up black tea. The vitamin C boost and detoxifying properties are well-known. For a soothing concoction, combine lemon with honey when you're feeling under the weather.
Orange: The zest or a slice of orange can add a vibrant, citrusy aroma and a sweeter taste than lemon. Earl Grey tea, for example, is famously flavored with bergamot orange.
Berries: For a fruity twist, add fresh or frozen berries. Muddled raspberries or a handful of strawberries can create a flavorful and colorful infusion, especially in iced tea.

Comparison of Popular Tea Additives


Additive	Best Paired With	Flavor Profile	Health Benefits	Considerations
Honey	Black, Herbal, Green	Complex, floral, sweet	Soothing, antioxidants	Caloric, avoid for babies <1
White Sugar	Any tea (flavor neutral)	Pure, simple sweetness	None	High glycemic index
Dairy Milk	Black (e.g., Earl Grey, Chai)	Creamy, rich	Calcium, protein	Mixed evidence on antioxidant impact
Oat Milk	Black, Chai, Lattes	Mild, naturally sweet	Creamy texture, fiber	Often fortified, but can be carby
Lemon	Black, Green	Bright, citrusy, acidic	Vitamin C, detoxifying	Can become bitter if steeped too long
Fresh Ginger	Green, Black, Chai	Pungent, spicy, warming	Anti-inflammatory, digestive aid	Strong flavor, use in moderation
Cinnamon	Black, Chai, Rooibos	Warm, woody, fragrant	Antioxidant, antimicrobial	Can overpower delicate tea
Fresh Mint	Green, Herbal	Cooling, refreshing	Digestive support	Fresh is best, can be overpowering

Making Your Choice

To determine what is the best thing to put in your tea, start by considering the tea's base flavor. For a robust black tea, you can add bolder flavors like milk, honey, and spices. If you prefer a delicate green tea, stick to lighter additions such as lemon, mint, or a hint of honey. Experimenting with different combinations is key to finding a mix that perfectly suits your palate. The best addition is ultimately the one that brings you the most enjoyment.

Conclusion

The question of what is the best thing to put in your tea has no single answer, but rather a world of delicious possibilities. From classic combinations like milk and sugar to invigorating additions like ginger and lemon, the choice allows for endless customization. By understanding how different ingredients interact with your tea, you can craft a beverage that not only tastes incredible but also aligns with your health and wellness goals. The key is to explore and find the perfect balance that makes your tea moment uniquely satisfying.

Keypoints

Flavor Matters: Pair rich black teas with creamy or spiced additions, while delicate green teas benefit from citrus and herbs.
Sweetener Choices: Honey offers complex flavor and slight nutritional benefits over sugar, while alternatives like maple syrup or stevia provide different tastes and calorie profiles.
Milk Alternatives: Oat milk provides creamy texture, almond milk is light and nutty, and coconut milk adds tropical flavor, each suitable for different preferences.
Spice It Up: Ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom are excellent for adding warmth and aroma, with spices like ginger offering anti-inflammatory benefits.
Add Citrus and Herbs: Lemon, orange, and mint are refreshing additions that boost flavor and provide vitamins, working well in both hot and iced teas.
Experimentation is Key: The best tea additions are subjective; personal exploration is the only way to find your perfect cup.

Faqs

Question: Is it healthier to put honey instead of sugar in my tea? Answer: Yes, raw honey contains trace vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants not found in refined sugar. It also has a slightly lower glycemic index, causing a slower rise in blood sugar.

Question: Will adding milk cancel out the health benefits of tea? Answer: Research on this is mixed, but some studies suggest that milk proteins may bind with certain antioxidants in tea. However, the effect may be minimal, and for most people, the nutritional impact is negligible.

Question: What should I add to green tea to make it less bitter? Answer: To reduce bitterness, ensure you don't use boiling water for green tea. Add a squeeze of lemon, a sprig of fresh mint, or a teaspoon of honey to balance the flavor.

Question: Can I add fresh ginger to any type of tea? Answer: Fresh ginger is a versatile addition that works well in most black, green, and herbal teas. It's especially popular in chai and green tea for its warming, spicy flavor.

Question: What is a good non-dairy milk alternative for lattes? Answer: Oat milk is often considered the best non-dairy alternative for lattes due to its creamy texture and ability to foam well, with barista blends being specifically designed for this purpose.

Question: Is it better to use fresh or dried spices in tea? Answer: While dried spices are convenient, fresh ingredients like grated ginger or whole cinnamon sticks often provide a more potent and aromatic flavor. It is a matter of personal preference and availability.

Question: How can I sweeten my tea without calories? Answer: You can use zero-calorie natural sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit. Alternatively, adding flavorful herbs like mint or lemongrass can impart a subtle sweetness without any added sugar.

Question: What is the best thing to put in your tea for a sore throat? Answer: For a sore throat, a classic and effective combination is warm tea with a spoonful of honey and a squeeze of lemon. Honey soothes the throat while lemon provides a vitamin C boost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, raw honey contains trace vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants not found in refined sugar. It also has a slightly lower glycemic index, causing a slower rise in blood sugar compared to pure sucrose.

Some studies suggest that milk proteins might bind with tea's antioxidants, potentially slowing absorption. However, research results are mixed, and for most people, the overall nutritional impact is likely minor.

To reduce bitterness, ensure you use water that is not quite boiling (around 80-85°C) and avoid over-steeping. You can also add a slice of lemon, a sprig of fresh mint, or a teaspoon of honey to balance the flavor.

Fresh ginger is a versatile and warming addition that pairs well with most black, green, and herbal teas. It's particularly popular in masala chai and green tea for its spicy kick and anti-inflammatory properties.

Oat milk is often considered the best non-dairy alternative for lattes because of its naturally creamy texture and superior ability to froth and steam. Many brands offer barista versions specifically for this purpose.

You can use zero-calorie natural sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit. Alternatively, incorporating flavorful herbs such as mint, lemongrass, or anise can impart a subtle sweetness without any added sugar.

For a sore throat, a classic and effective combination is warm tea with a spoonful of honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Honey soothes the throat while lemon provides a boost of vitamin C.

While dried spices are convenient, fresh ingredients like grated ginger, crushed cardamom pods, or whole cinnamon sticks often provide a more potent and complex aromatic flavor. The choice depends on your preference and what's available.

Masala chai involves simmering spices, black tea, sugar, and milk together, allowing the flavors to meld completely. A chai latte is made by adding steamed or frothed milk to a tea decoction, which results in a different flavor and texture.