By Abhishek Pandey
As the days get warmer, many of us might crave chilled drinks as opposed to something hot. And what better than a glass of cold brew tea? "During summers, the thought of a hot cup of tea might not be as appealing as a glass of refreshing, cold iced tea. Some of them have less than 10 calories per serving which makes them perfectly guilt-free and healthy. With the rising interest in cold brew coffee globally, this trend has been migrated to tea too. Moreover, cold brew teas have been gaining momentum as millennials have a preference to consume beverages that are functional and palatable.
Iced tea is insanely delicious and nutritious, and a great way to beat the heat during a hot summer day. Iced tea is quite beneficial for health too if made at home with healthy ingredients. Some of these benefits are:
Sugar Intake Reduction: Unsweetened iced tea is the best kind of iced tea, and when you’re craving a refreshing drink, drink this instead of a sweet alternative.
Heart-Health: Iced tea is known to reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Anti-Cancer: Iced tea reduces the risk of cancer!
Brain Health: Iced tea has small amounts of caffeine, which can enhance mental alertness and performance when you need it. There are herbal teas that contain no caffeine too.
Antioxidants: Iced tea is rich in antioxidants, which have innumerable health benefits.
Source of minerals: Black and green tea are both loaded with healthy minerals, vitamins, and flavonoids.
APPLE AND LEMON ZINGER
Time to prepare: Approximately 20 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
What You’ll Need:
1 stick cinnamon
2 cups apple juice
4 cups boiling water
4 lemon zinger tea bags
Procedure:
Put tea bags and boiling water in a heat-proof pitcher; allow to steep for approximately twenty minutes.
Take away the tea bags, put in apple juice, and serve over ice cubes.
BERRYLICIOUS ICED TEA
Time to prepare: Approximately 15 minutes
Yield: 6 Servings
What You’ll Need:
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 black tea bags
3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
4 mixed berry tea bags
6 cup water
Agave syrup, as per taste
Procedure:
Bring water to its boiling point. Pour boiled water over tea bags in the pitcher; steep tea bags for approximately ten minutes.
Next, discard tea bags. Chill covered for approximately 2 hours.
Mix in agave, orange juice, and mint leaves. Serve completely chilled and enjoy!
CITRUS AND ROSEMARY ICED TEA
Time to prepare: Approximately 15 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
What You’ll Need:
1 orange, peeled and cut
2 green tea bags of your choice
2 tablespoons agave nectar
3 small sprigs of rosemary
4 cups boiling water Juice of
1 fresh lime
Procedure:
Put all the above ingredients in a big pitcher.
Stir to blend and serve over ice cubes. Enjoy!
GINGER ORANGE ICED TEA
Time to prepare: Approximately 10 minutes
Yield: 8 Servings
What You’ll Need:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 lemon, juiced
1-inch ginger root, peeled and cut
4 orange tea bags
4 tea bags
6 cups boiling water
Coldwater, as required
Procedure:
Put tea bags and boiling water in a large-sized jar; then, steep for about half an hour.
Take out the tea bags and mix in the rest of the ingredients.
Finally, let it cool in your fridge. Serve completely chilled over ice and enjoy!
LEMONGRASS ICED TEA
Time to prepare: Approximately 15 minutes
Yield: 2 Servings
What You’ll Need:
1 cup brewed black tea, cooled 1 tablespoon honey
2 stalks lemongrass,
Chopped Zest of 1 lemon
Procedure:
Put lemongrass and lemon zest into a heatproof pitcher.
Pour 2 cups of boiling water over it; allow to steep for fifteen to twenty minutes. Strain and put in honey
Divide prepared liquid among two ice-filled glasses.
Top with black tea and serve chilled.
MANGO GREEN TEA
Time to prepare: Approximately 15 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
What You’ll Need:
1 cup mango nectar
1 cup strongly brewed green tea
1 sprig of sage Mango slivers, for decoration
Procedure:
Mix tea, sage, and mango nectar in a bottle or heat-proof pitcher.
Serve over ice decorated with mango sliver.
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