clipped from www.sciencedaily.com

A little juice in your hot tea may increase the amount of tea-derived antioxidants that your body is able to absorb, said Purdue associate professor of food science Mario Ferruzzi. His study found lemon juice had the most profound impact, followed by orange, lime and grapefruit juices. (Credit: Purdue Agricultural Communication photo/Tom Campbell)

Catechins (pronounced KA'-teh-kins), display health-promoting qualities and may be responsible for some of green tea's reported health benefits, like reduced risk of cancer, heart attack and stroke. The problem, Ferruzzi said, is that catechins are relatively unstable in non-acidic environments, such as the intestines, and less than 20 percent of the total remains after digestion. 

"Off the bat you are eliminating a large majority of the catechins from plain green tea," Ferruzzi said. "We have to address this fact if we want to improve bodily absorption."