Why do some people put milk in tea?

What do you mean by northern people?

You brew tea and then either pour the tea into a cup and add mili or put a little milk into tot cup and pour the tea in. It tastes exacty the same. (My cat is sitting on the keyboard and making it difficult to type.)

Sometimes I drink sweetened tea and sometimes not. it depends on the brew.

My Scottish grandmother, who drank tea all day, used to drink her tea with a bit of condensed milk. She had it that way starting in the 1920s. Condensed milk made it sweet.

I like sweet tea, but I’m very picky with it, since not all sweet teas are equal. I don’t put milk in sweet tea, nor do I with green tea, but when I’m drinking hot black tea I prefer milk with sugar/honey in it.

Because it’s yummy. :)
I take my tea with, or without milk. Always sugar though.
I like my sweet tea to be like diabetes in a cup.

Sweet tea is a southern thing, but some northerners are starting to take to it now that some restaurant chains offer it everywhere. I had never heard of sweet tea until my 20’s. Never had it offered to me in a restaurant until my 30’s when I moved to NC.

Milk in tea is a tradition in come parts of the world. The British do it I think, or at least my British neighbor did. I think parts of Asia do it too. The Americans who do it probably most likely their families came from countries where it was customary.

@gailcalled sweatened tea is not the same as sweet tea.

@gailcalled Oh… “Northern People” refers to people that don’t live in the South. Like you have Southern People with their Southern accents and you have Northern People with Northern accents. I’m mostly Southern just without the accent…
I don’t mean to offend anyone by saying that…

I’ve never had milk in my tea. So I think it would taste weird… Is it like creamer in coffee or something? How does it make it sweeter?

Milk Tea isn’t a brand new concept…

@BBawlight It works the same exact way it does in coffee. It becomes slightly sweeter & a tad bit thicker consistency. Quite frankly you are annoying me the way you are coming off to jellies here. “Northern People” is so vague, it doesn’t refer to a specific continent let alone a country.

But to answer your OP.

Because some people think it tastes DAMN GOOD!

I went on a camping weekend once and brought tea, but only for myself. I didn’t know any other tea drinkers. Everybody drank coffee, which I’ve never learned to like at all. There were a couple Englishmen with us and they got me to share my tea with them. They put milk in theirs claiming it wasn’t really tea until you put milk in. Until then it was just licker (sp?) From then on, I put milk in my tea. It’s delicious.

@_Whitetigress Sorry! I forgot to put that I’m referring to America in that last post. As in the U.S.A. I thought about doing that, but totally forgot to add it when I was done I feel so stupid now.

What if you don’t live in the US @BBawlight? Then we have no idea which Northern people you are referring to.

I see you have realised we are not all from the US now.

Depending on the type of tea, it is traditional to drink tea with milk in the UK. Certainly where I came from.

Why is northern people and southern people vague? It leaves out people from the west and west coast, well sort of, the northern west is northern I guess, and if you live in the south states like MI are called northern not midwestern, but I would just lump everything outside of the south in with northerners when it comes to tea.

Because not everyone is from the US @JLeslie. So not everyone knows who these Northerners are. @BBawlight could have been talking about people from the North of England or the North of Australia or the North of India or Ceylon and the answers to the question about tea might be quite different in each case.

@Bellatrix I agree she could have specified US, which she stated also in an answer, but how many countries drink sweet tea in the south? Sweetened tea is not sweet tea. People outside the US probably have never had sweet tea. Many Northerners in the US have never had it. I had a 15 year old a couple years ago complaining to me fast food paces did not have Sweet Tea where we were. We were in Indiana at the time (a midwestern state) and he was from Tennessee (a southern state). He could not believe sweet tea is not always offered everywhere.

For me it depends on the type of tea. If its a mint or fruity tea I will usually drink it without milk but if its a more natural just tea leaf kinda tea I’ll take it with milk.

@JLeslie I forgot… I’ll edit it in right now before I forget again.

To me sweet tea is just tea with sugar in it. That’s what it means to me and lots of people sweeten their tea. Or do you mean a sort of iced tea? That’s also sweet. That’s why you do need the cultural context. You can’t just ask a question and expect everyone will get the question is framed only in terms of the US experience. If you only want people from the US to answer, fine, but otherwise you need to be more specific. I don’t know how many people drink a version of a sweet tea in the south of the country they live in. I didn’t know this was a specific trait in the south in the US either. Do you know the customs for people who live in Melbourne in terms of tea or coffee drinkers?

Sweet tea has about 2 cups sugar to one gallon of tea. An American gallon. Most northerners don’t come close to putting that much sugar in tea, and probably not most of the world (but I don’t really know that for sure). Some southerners use a little more and some a little less. I have seen recipes for 3 cups.

Not even Americans in other parts of the country know what sweet tea is, it isn’t just people outside of the US.

In the south when you order tea, they ask if you want, “sweet or unsweet.” If you order a regular iced tea they give you sweet.

@BBawlight Forgot what?

@JLeslie To add US in the Question description. Like I said, I remembered to when I started it, but totally forgot to add it afterwards. It’s like in one ear and out the other.

@Bellatrix I know why culture-specific terms are important. Just a big mistake…

That’s cool @BBawlight. My second post was more for @JLeslie than you.

@BBawlight, I don’t know if the questions you have seen relate to the sweet tea you refer to or just sweetened tea in terms of what I would expect, a dash of milk and a couple or more spoonfuls of sugar to sweeten. There are rituals in terms of when to add the milk. I was always taught you add the milk to the cup and then poor the brewed tea over the milk, then add sugar. Other people pour the milk in last. The first option apparently relates back to China (or so I have read) and the concern that the boiling hot tea might damage the bone china cup.

@Bellatrix I know. Sorry. I was just noticing my mistake and pointing it out.

I always try to remember to state the question is for the US when I think it is necessary. I agree with you @Bellatrix, I am not arguing. My intial statement about northerners and southerners had to do with @gailcalled‘s answer. She is American, she knows what a southerner and a northerner is. I didn’t understand her comment, but since she doesn’t know what sweet tea is from what I can tell, I understand now why it might be confusing to her.

@BBawlight I totally believe you, don’t fret. I think you should just add some milk to tea and see if you like it.

I think it is disgusting people put mayonaise on sandwiches, but a lot of people do that. Same with ketchup on a hot dog. Blech.

@JLeslie Me, too. I don’t like either ketchup or mayonaise…

Me either, just clarifying @JLeslie. @BBawlight‘s question is a brilliant example of cultural differences. I am sure if someone from China or India or Russia answered, they might have a whole different take on milk in tea. I hope people from other cultures do answer. It would be interesting to read their perspectives. By the way @BBawlight, I’m not offended by the original lack of clarity in your question so you definitely shouldn’t fret about it. I have been guilty of it myself I am quite sure.

@Bellatrix That would be interesting. Are there really that many different people on Fluther? Haha. I’m just a little nervous because you scare me a little… Just a little, though.

@Bellatrix The “southern sweet tea” is just a give away that she is American, but of course only Americans would know. Only Americans who know what southern sweet tea is. But, since the question is really about milk in tea, the sweet tea bit is just a diversion.

@BBawlight Yes.

Really @BBawlight? One day you will have to tell me why you think I’m scary. I only bite a little bit and mostly not at all :D.

There are certainly jellies here from other parts of the world, even if they live in the UK or US now. Some may have different cultural backgrounds despite living in one of those countries too. I think you asked what has the potential to be a great question. Our Hawaiian jelly has lived in many parts of the world and he loves tea. You should send this to him. He knows about tea rituals too.

@Bellatrix Hawaiian? Cool. I don’t think I know him, though… I love to learn about other cultures and people. Even if they make me a little nervous it’s like they’re judging my culture.
You don’t scare me much, but I don’t know why. It might be your profile picture. Or the fact that you’re a mod answering my question (although Augustlan doesn’t scare me at all) so I don’t know what to expect. Haha. I will certainly tell you once I find out.

I can verify that @Bellatrix is not someone to be scared of. She is a very nice and considerate jelly.

You do that! I don’t really have whiskers and sharp teeth… honest. You made me giggle anyway. Mods are just members. We stuff things up too. Well I do anyway! Thanks @JLeslie. Appreciated.

He lives in Hawaii but I’m not sure if he is originally Hawaiian. You can ask him that. I will send him your question.

This will probably get modded since it doesn’t relate to tea and milk!

@Bellatrix I know they’re just members, but it’s like they’re members with powers or something. Haha. I think I’m afraid of mods unless I get to know them…
He sounds cool…
Hurry talk about tea and milk! I like tea and I like milk, but think they taste weird combined.

It’s all about what you are used to. I don’t much like tea with lemon in. I like iced tea but not hot tea when people just add lemon. If you are drinking Earl Grey or something though .. milk is just nasty added. Well to me.

I sent him the question. I bet you do know him. He is a very popular and lovely jelly.

@Bellatrix Thanks. I wonder who this mystery-person is…

Bubble Tea. We have it in some Asian restaurants around here.

You will have to wait and see. I got some Christmas Tea from a friend this year. It’s supposed to taste like Christmas Pudding. So, do I add milk or not? It’s going to have to be a trial and error thing. You know your taste changes as you get older too. I was brought up on tea. I think I was drinking tea before I was five. My children didn’t drink tea until they were much, much older and even now mostly don’t drink hot tea. I think it’s again a cultural thing. I suspect many Australian children don’t drink tea and coffee.

I would think that Australians would drink Tea. Since they’re descended from the English. But maybe Brits drinking tea all the time is a really funny stereotype…
I don’t know what that would taste like, but Christmas pudding sounds awesome. So odd…

@Bellatrix Tea is having a resurgence here in America. Especially green tea and herbal teas that supposedly are good for health, but most of those are served as hot teas. America was traditionally a coffee drinking country. Maybe as a rejection of Britain, Boston tea party and all that. But I don’t know for sure the entire history. The southern states grow up on iced tea. Often even when soda costs money for each drink served in a restaurant, tea is unlimited. Although, many restaurants now do unlimited for both, especially in the south.

If you fly an American airline sodas, juices and coffee are offered. You can get hot tea if you specifically ask for it, but there is not a pot already prepared. Other countries offer both coffee and tea on flights. Pots full of tea are walked up and down the aisles to see if someone wants a refill.

Ok ignoring the regionalisms…

I have to say thai tea is great. I think it is green tea with milk maybe coconut milk and honey in it. In my defense I have only had it a couple of times. I am concerned about it’s possible crack contents.

Thai tea as in thai restaurant tea. I have the impression that thai in America is probably some basterdized fusion only remotely resembling Thailand’s traditional dishes.

No, many Brits do drink tea. It’s one of those pretty accurate stereotypes! Australia is very multicultural though. If you just consider the past 200 years, Australia is still quite Anglo-Celtic but nowhere near as much as it used to be. There are people here from other parts of Europe, Vietnam, China, Japan and increasingly so, Africa. Pretty much like your country. So I would say Aussies I know drink both coffee and tea but young people not so much.

I have heard (don’t shoot the messenger) that the coffee in the US is not very good. We have a really strong coffee culture in Australia now. Starbucks went broke. We have really great little coffee places and we do have a couple, maybe three chains now. Loads of quirky, little coffee shops.

I’m southern and I love to put milk in my tea because it gives it a kick.

@rosehips I’ve never had Thai food/drinks before, Americanized or not, so I wouldn’t know.

@Bellatrix When I think of Brits drinking tea, the first image is of a wealthy, bearded, business man in a tailcoat (with a monocle) sipping tea out of his fine teacup next to a warm fireplace in a lavish armchair. Haha. I’m not surprised that you have so many cultures there. You’re your own continent/country/island that’s almost in the middle of Asia and North America. It’s a pretty attractive place.

@Bellatrix I don’t know what the coffees are like in Australia, but coffee in America tends to be weaker than a lot of countries. You can get a strong cup of coffee here or an espresso, but you have to ask for it specifically and it is not always offered. Unlike Italy for example where the coffee is super strong and they give you a short cup of it. My husband loves to go to Starbuck’s to get some sort of coffee drink that has whipped cream on top with caramel drizzled on it. It’s a dessert in my opinion, not a coffee.

What is competely impossible in America is to get a nornal cup of decaf basic black tea at a restaurant of any sort. The decafs are usually herbal or earl grey or orange pekoe, none of which to me are a basic tea. Something closer to English Breakfast would be nice, or just typical Liptons (Lipton’s is a tea brand here that is not superb by any means, but is a basic middle of the road black tea). I want it to taste more like the earth than some sort of fragrance, fruit or spice, know what I mean?

@BBawlight I was just being forewarning about my ignorance of the drink. It is my only knowledge of milky tea and it was delightful you should try it. Also thai food is scrumptious too.

@JLeslie I always wanted to visit a tea den… that is what they are called, right? It sounds positivily delightful and decadent.

@rosehips I’ve always wanted to go to one, but they aren’t very common around here. We have Chinese buffets and Mexican Restaurants. That’s what most of the cultural diverse places are. Oh, and we have Sushi bars, too.

Oh and as to straight tea. I usually drink my plain. Well almost always.

I love the flavors and the bouquet though white tea rarely cuts it for me. I am not so fond of english breakfast thought I don’t mind a few black teas. But I found if I am going that route I might as well swing all the way and go for the yerba matte. Which I was addicted to not literally I don’t think but having an affair with for a summer and we are still friendly.

There is a shop in the Dandenongs that does the best Breakfast Teas @JL. I love their Irish Breakfast teas. I will send you the link if you like. You can buy the tea in little packages online to see if you like it.

I am still laughing at the Englishman in the tails and monocle drinking tea by a fire @BBawlight. :-)

@rosehips I never heard of a tea den. Sounds good. I have attended tea time and some places in America specialize in teas and small pates or desserts. Since I like basic black tea, sometimes the fancier paces don’t suit me well. At my university I was super happy to have tea and a couple pecan sandies for dessert. They only had the cookies once every couple weeks. The tea was just some basic American tea.

@Bellatrix I thought that was funny, too. Kinda reminds me of the 1800’s(?). Plus, that’s extremely stereotypical. I find extreme stereotypes hilarious!

I like my coffee the way I like my men… Black and strong.

Ah, tea. The nectar of the muses. It is used in ceremonies in Japan where every sense is heightened. There is always a beautiful garden to view, and there is often an element of water tinkling or the leaves of trees rustling to tickle the ears. An iron kettle sits over a glowing fire.

The tea cups are more like bowls, and the ceremonial tea is a powder variety added to the bottom of the cup. The boiling water is poured over it, and then it is whisked together quickly. The cup is then placed carefully in front of the guest usually accompanied by some sweets since the tea itself is quite bitter.

The Japanese tea ceremony is a religion of sorts. From The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura has a good explanation:

Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence. It inculcates purity and harmony, the mystery of mutual charity, the romanticism of the social order. It is essentially a worship of the Imperfect, as it is a tender attempt to accomplish something possible in this impossible thing we know as life.

Here is a look inside a Japanese tea house. The first thing to notice is the lack of adornment. Decoration is minimal. There is a hanging scroll sometimes with a picture and sometimes with calligraphy. The beauty is to be found in the ceremony itself.

We in the Western world drink tea much differently, and to be honest, the average Japanese person doesn’t do the tea ceremony every day or even once a year. It is a hobby that some participate in, and others don’t.

I drink many different kinds of tea. I drink black tea over ice when it’s hot outside, and I never add sugar or other sweeteners to it then. I drink it hot first thing in the morning and rarely add anything to it then either. I like to taste the tea and not the milk or sugar or honey.

However, I do like to add honey to tea that has been flavored with mint. It brings out the aroma and strengthens the mint.

I lived in Japan and other parts of Asia for a long time. I got used to drinking tea there, and it is not usual to add milk.

I understand that many people are particular when to add the milk. I have no answer for this. It’s a matter of personal preference. Some like the milk and sugar to be the first thing in the cup, and some like the tea first. Honestly, I don’t think it matters one way or another.

Tea is a wonderful beverage any way a person likes it. I have about a dozen different kinds of tea at the moment. I might have more. I don’t know.

But I believe it’s time for a cup of chamomile tea now.

I admit I do like flavors and herbs. I also like straight. So tea and pecan sandies every now and again sounds lovely though it couldn’t always be the same tea, I am just not that hard core like you Brits.

But I believe it is the Japanese that have the tea dens. You supposedly can get drunk from the potentcy of caffiene. It was just described to me in such a way that I thought I should make an effort to visit one eventually.

Yes thank you Hawaii_Jake for the beautiful poetic tribute to the wonders and variety that encompass the divine world of tea. Your knowledge exceeds my own. But it is great to be around tea lovers.

@Hawaii_Jake I wasn’t expecting such a long and peaceful response… :) Thank you. That was awesome.

@Hawaii_Jake When I am in the mood for a sweetened tea I purposely don’t mix in the sugar well, I like the last few sips to be very sweet, but generally I don’t drink my tea very sweetened. My husband thinks it is weird.

@JLeslie LOVEEEEEEEE bubble tea. Wish I could get me some right now mmmmmmm

@JLeslie That sounds delicious and not weird at all. :-)

I don’t drink tea, haven’t for many years, but when I did I used to add a splash of milk.
None of this fancy fine china stuff, mine was in a mug & I dipped my hob-nobs in too, like a proper northern bastard ;¬}

Beats the hell out of me. But this is because I’m only half Indian.

Why do some people put milk in tea? e-gad! You mean there are people who DON’T?! ;-)

I’ve got to admit I like to do that from time to time either milk or OJ. Learned to drink tea like that in Ireland and I guess it’s just me being sentimental, or trying to look sophisticated for having an ‘outlandish’ habit like that.

Btw. sorry if I repeated something that was written earlier, I couldn’t be bothered to read that much today (I know sounds bad, doesn’t it?). Cheerios!

I think what the OP calls “northern people” is what we here in the US refer to as “northerners” as opposed to “Southerners.”

I drink my tea with milk (the “regular tea” which is different than flavored tea like peppermint) beacuse milk cuts the acidity. Tea is highly acidic and used to be used to tan leather. On its own, without milk, I don’t like it. I drink it every day with milk. It’s part of my morning routine.

It’s delish.

@jca. Try a mug of freshly brewed Earl Grey, of moderate strength with (and I am choosing my words very carefully here) a ¼ teaspoon of sugar and no milk. I just switched to that drink with milk and no sugar, and like this version better.

I also start my day with this…it is one of life’s pleasures.

Ooh. I just remembered a doctor I worked with who put milk and lemon in his tea. It curdled, of course. Looked disgusting to me, but it didn’t seem to bother him.

@Sunny2: I forgot about tea with lemon. A good way to muddy the waters here even further.

I have always enjoyed a splash of milk in black tea beverages. I especially like my Earl Grey with a spoon of honey and a dollop of milk. When I heard that it is often prepared with lemon, I was taken by surprise.

If you want to try a tea beverage with milk, try a Starbuck’s Vanilla Chai Latte (hot or iced), they are very yummy!

^^^Define vanilla, chai and latte. It sounds very peculiar.

I am recommending the specific beverage served at Starbucks, and I like to order them with a shot of Vanilla syrup, so my order is for a “Non-fat Vanilla Chai Latte”. Dunkin Donuts also has a Vanilla Chai Latte that is good.

Chai tea is a spiced black tea, and it is available from many tea brands. I have a box of Stash tea “Double-Chai” that has extra spices.

I have two shelves in my kitchen for tea – decaf and caf-free herbals on one shelf, and caffeinated on the other.

I have a Bodum Assam tea set with a Teavana teapot warmer for hot teas.
I also have two Bodum Ceylon pitchers for iced teas.

Bagged “chai tea” is a scam. You can make it much better and more cheaply yourself with black tea, milk, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamon, and saffron if you’re feeling decadent. /rant

@bookish1 – I figured there are homemade recipes. I only just got the tea set recently, so I’m finishing all the bagged teas I have and then will experiment with loose leaf teas and “home brewing”.

@hearkat : Gotcha. Have fun ;)

”^^^Define vanilla, chai and latte. It sounds very peculiar.”

Hmm think of something along the lines of Horchata. It’s pretty much like that.

Chai is a like a very very skimmed down version of cinnamon pairs up perfectly with vanilla or chocolate because it’s spice based and then to have it latte style is perfect for mornings.

drinking green tea with milk as we speak.

@BBawlight i noticed you like anime. if you happen to go to an oriental market to grab comics try going to the drinks stand. do yourself a favor and buy a thai-tea and then on another day grab an order of milk tea. you won’t be dissapointed. these are especially really good Slush’d (you know like Slushy style from 7/11 or Icee’s)

@Whitetigress How did you know I like anime? I’m so surprised! Haha. Yeah, it sounds awesome… Especially in Slushy form (we call them Icee’s). I really want some tea now, but I can’t just get up and buy some haha. (I don’t read the comics often. I usually watch the shows. But I will occasionally buy the books if they have a different ending than the shows or something extra…)

Traditionally English tea was served in China tea cups. The milk was poured into the cups. Crazy idea from the distant past. Then the brewed tea was poured over it. Now we Brits put the teabag in a mug and pour boiling water over it. I like strong tea so mine soaks for at least 4 mins then I add minimal milk. My son likes it insipid so he has loads of sugar and loads of milk! No-one puts milk into the cup first any more. That was an old habit that died in the Victorian age!!

Excuse me @Cerrie, I do. I use a teapot and I definitely put the milk in the cup and then add the brewed (rather than stewed) tea.

I grew up in Chicago but I’ve been in South Carolina for a long time, so I like hot tea with milk and sugar and sweet tea.

My husband says drinking hot tea with milk is “a Yankee thing”, and I find that most people in the southern US would think tea with milk is odd, but a lot of people up north don’t put sugar in iced tea, which I think tastes awful.

I like my sweet tea to be crunchy on the bottom. :)

I spent some time in the south (Alabama). That was my first experience with sun tea. As far as I’m concerned that is the only thing they had to teach about tea. Oh and they say I learned about sweet iced tea through someone who learned it in the south but that is splitting hairs. I don’t do sweet tea anymore.. At least not with sugar. Agreed with @livelaughlove crunchy tea is nasty. Though if you boil the water add sugar steep the tea and then add ice there is no reasob for crunch. But if it needs sugar it must be awful.

So a family member of a resident brought a jar of hand mixed “russian tea” today. I have never had warm spiced tang in my life. I guess it is the thought

@rosehips Sweet tea isn’t supposed to be crunchy. You mix in the sugar while it’s still hot and stir it with a spoon to let it all dissolve… It’s quite… sweet depending on how much sugar you put in. I like mine DEADLY sweet. (Put in so much sugar it would make any normal person, diabetic or not, probably die if they drank the whole cup!) I like my coffee the same way.

Adding to what I said: @rosehips (again) Alabama isn’t my favorite place. Next time you visit the South, go to Louisiana or Texas. Those places are really fun. I went to Louisiana a month ago and visited the French Quarter and a bunch of awesome cemeteries (however that’s spelled). Most of the state is swamp, so… It’s a lot of fun. Texas is awesome as well. They have water parks and awesomeness (my older brother lives there and I visited him once…).
As for tea… It’s just awesome in general. :)

@BBawlight I know crunchy and sweet arenmt synonomous. I think I used to put a ½ c in a pitcher of tea long ago. Luckily I grew out of this and started drinking better tea.

Someone noted that milk was added to tea to reduce acidity. I thought this was wrong. Milk is acidic so I looked it up in descending order black tea, honey and milk are all acidic. Biggest myth in the world is milk eases heart burn. Ok an overstatement but it is a common misconception and harmful. And fresh tomatoes are alkaline though canned are acidic.

Anyway lemon is the only ingredient that is not acidic.

@rosehips How could lemon be the only thing not acidic? I could have sworn that they had a lot of acid. The juice of the lemon is about 5% to 6% citric acid, which gives lemons a sour taste. Weird… I could be wrong, though…

@rosehips Lemon is acidic, pretty much all citrus is, but lemon happens to be one of the more acidic.

Milk is very close to neutral, just under 7 ph. Water is 7 to give you a frame of reference.

Milk does hamper absorption in the stomach because it lowers the acidity of the stomach, especially skim milk. It is thought that the fat in milk increases acid production in the stomach. Also, calcium is used to lesson heartburn which is contained in milk. Milk is a double edged sword for heartburn, that’s true. It is no longer consider a great rememdy.

@JLeslie you are correct milk is at about -1 on the scale lemon is a 9.9 according to the source.—On my phone or I would link it.—I know it has citric acid in it.

It could be that the digestive processes this by an alkaline production.

@rosehips 9.9 what? The Ph of a lemon is something like 2.5 or 3, not sure exactly.

I didn’t understand your last sentence.

@JLeslie Actually only lemon juice has an exact ph. Of course it varies. But I am sure you are correct.

I meant to say that with a healthy body ph of 7.4 slightly more alakaline then acidic our digestive processes sometimes affect the ph of food or creates a more or less alkaline or acidic environment in our body. I am not quite sure of the science of this. But the 9.9 was the ph of lemon juice after it enters the stomach.

@rosehips I meant the juice, people don’t usually eat a whole lemon, but I should have been specific. I can’t challenge your claim about lemon juice in the stomach because I don’t know enough science, but stomach acid is very acidic. Pulling from memory I think it is around 2–3 also. I remember it from reading about h. Pylori. Meanwhile, we have gone way off topic. Probably we should either move to PM or just let this subject go for now. What do you think?

@JLeslie I usually eat whole lemons because I like them.