3 healthy and refreshing iced tea recipes to beat the summer heat

In case your common cup of tea feels too scorching for summer time, strive iced tea as a refreshing beverage! Not solely is it cool and refreshing, it’s low in energy relying on the quantity and sort of sweetener you utilize, and is more healthy than any aerated drink. So it is likely to be time to ditch that common cup of tea, and transfer on these wholesome iced tea recipes.

The Extraction Processes within the Meals Business, 2024, states that iced tea, whether or not immediate or brewed, covers 80 p.c of the tea drunk in america. It provides that iced tea is an enormous element of a low-calorie weight-reduction plan and 24–27 per cent iced tea is had by 30 to over 50 age group. Dietician Kejal Shah tells us all about this widespread beverage and offers us three refreshing and wholesome iced tea recipes.

What’s iced tea?

Iced tea is a chilly beverage made by steeping tea leaves in chilly water after which sweetening and flavoring the liquid to style. “It’s sometimes served over ice and will be loved plain or with added lemon, sugar, honey, or different flavors. Iced tea will be made with black tea, inexperienced tea, natural tea, or a mixture of various teas,” says Shah. It’s a widespread refreshing drink, particularly in hotter climate.

3 iced tea recipes it’s good to check out!

Listed here are three refreshing iced tea recipes that you may simply make at residence:

1. Basic Iced Tea:

Components:

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• 4 cups water
• 4 black tea baggage
• Ice cubes
• Lemon slices (elective)
• Sweetener of selection (sugar, honey, agave, and many others.)

Directions:

1. Deliver the water to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Take away the pan from warmth and add the tea baggage.
3. Let the tea baggage steep for 3-5 minutes, relying in your desired energy.
4. Take away the tea baggage and let the tea cool to room temperature.
5. Add sweetener to style whereas the tea remains to be heat, stirring till dissolved.
6. Fill a pitcher with ice cubes and pour the tea over the ice.
7. Add lemon slices if desired, stir, and refrigerate till chilly.
8. Serve over ice and revel in!

2. Peach Iced Tea:

Components:

• 4 cups water
• 4 black tea baggage
• 1 peach, pitted and sliced
• Ice cubes
• Sweetener of selection (elective)

Directions:

1. Deliver the water to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Take away the pan from warmth and add the tea baggage and sliced peach.
3. Let the tea baggage and peach steep for 5-7 minutes.
4. Take away the tea baggage and peach, and let the tea cool to room temperature.
5. Add sweetener to style if desired, stirring till dissolved.
6. Fill a pitcher with ice cubes and pour the tea over the ice.
7. Stir nicely, refrigerate till chilly, and serve over ice.

3. Mint-Lime Iced Inexperienced Tea:

Components

• 4 cups water
• 4 inexperienced tea baggage
• 1/4 cup contemporary mint leaves
• Juice of 1 lime
• Ice cubes
• Sweetener of selection (elective)

Directions

1. Deliver the water to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Take away the pan from warmth and add the tea baggage and mint leaves.
3. Let the tea baggage and mint steep for 3-4 minutes.
4. Take away the tea baggage and mint, and let the tea cool to room temperature.
5. Add lime juice and sweetener to style if desired, stirring till dissolved.
6. Fill a pitcher with ice cubes and pour the tea over the ice.
7. Stir nicely, refrigerate till chilly, and serve over ice garnished with contemporary mint leaves.

Take pleasure in these home made iced tea recipes as a refreshing and scrumptious beverage in the course of the scorching summer time months!

Tips on how to make your iced tea wholesome?

When making iced tea, there are a number of issues to bear in mind to make sure that it stays a wholesome beverage selection:

1. Select high quality tea

Begin with high-quality tea leaves or tea baggage to brew your iced tea. Go for natural teas every time potential to keep away from pesticides or different dangerous chemical substances.

2. Restrict added sugar

Keep away from extreme quantities of sugar in your iced tea to forestall consuming empty energy. As a substitute of sweetening with refined sugar, think about using pure sweeteners like honey, agave nectar, or stevia, or strive including contemporary fruit for pure sweetness.

3. Watch your portion dimension

Be conscious of the portion dimension of your iced tea. Consuming giant portions of any beverage, even when it’s wholesome, can result in extra calorie and sugar consumption.

4. Brew it sturdy

When brewing tea for iced tea, make it stronger than you’d for decent tea to account for the dilution that may happen if you add ice. This may be certain that your iced tea has a strong taste.

5. Add taste with out further energy

Improve the style of your iced tea by including pure flavors like lemon, lime, mint, ginger, or fruits with out including further energy or sugar.

By holding the following tips in thoughts, you may take pleasure in a scrumptious and wholesome glass of iced tea that gives hydration and potential well being advantages with out extra sugar or energy.

Iced tea v/s scorching tea: Which is healthier?

Iced tea can present related well being advantages to scorching tea, as it’s constituted of the identical tea leaves and incorporates antioxidants and different helpful compounds. “Consuming iced tea can assist to remain hydrated and funky in the summertime months, making it a refreshing and pleasing beverage selection,” says Shah. Nonetheless, it is very important be conscious of the quantity of sugar or components that could be included in some industrial iced tea merchandise, as extreme sugar consumption can have destructive well being results. “Selecting unsweetened or frivolously sweetened iced tea and including pure flavors like lemon or mint can assist preserve the well being advantages of the tea whereas holding it a refreshing summer time drink,” says Shah.

Are you able to drink iced tea on daily basis?

Generally, consuming iced tea on daily basis will be part of a wholesome way of life, particularly when you select unsweetened or frivolously sweetened varieties and eat it carefully. Nonetheless, there are some things to think about:

1. Caffeine content material

In case you are delicate to caffeine, consuming giant quantities of iced tea each day could result in points resembling sleep disturbances, jitteriness, or elevated coronary heart fee. It’s necessary to be conscious of your caffeine consumption and think about consuming decaffeinated iced tea or switching to natural teas often.

2. Added sugar

Many industrial iced teas include excessive quantities of added sugar, which will be detrimental to your well being if consumed excessively. Go for unsweetened or minimally sweetened iced tea and think about sweetening it with pure options like honey or stevia.

3. Hydration stability

Whereas iced tea can contribute to your each day fluid consumption, it shouldn’t be your sole supply of hydration. It’s important to drink loads of water all through the day to remain correctly hydrated.

4. Particular person well being concerns

You probably have any particular well being situations or issues, resembling kidney stones or acid reflux disease, chances are you’ll must restrict your consumption of sure varieties of tea, together with iced tea.