Key Takeaways There is no consensus on a "best" time to drink ginger tea to boost metabolism. Based on the known benefits of ginger, drinking ginger tea before or with a meal may help boost digestion and metabolic processes. Research is lacking on the optimal time to drink ginger tea to boost metabolism. Ginger Tea Before or With Meals May Boost Metabolism BestResearch indicates that ginger tea may affect metabolism when consumed before a meal. Potential benefit for fat metabolism: An animal study showed that rats supplemented with ginger water (ginger tea) burned more calories and showed better fat metabolism than controls, suggesting that ginger may improve metabolism.