Try these four fresh and healthy iced tea recipes to keep you hydrated this summer. All sorts of flavor without any refined ingredients!
Iced tea has always been one of my favorite drinks. Even as a kid, I would choose iced tea over soda or juice.
Maybe it was because it's what my dad ordered all the time and what we always had available in the fridge, but it holds such positive memories for me from my childhood.
As a kid, I loved all the different flavors of iced teas, though I can bet you I probably added way too much sugar into my iced tea recipes.
As an adult -- especially one who follows a clean lifestyle as much as possible -- I try to avoid adding extra sweeteners to my food, choosing instead to add fresh fruit or herbs.
So, today, I wanted to share four brand new ways to enjoy iced tea without all the refined sugar and preservatives that come in pre-made, bottled iced teas.
I hear from a lot of people that they struggle with drinking plain ol' water each day, so they wind up not meeting their daily water requirements.
One tasty way to increase the amount of water you're drinking is to make healthy iced tea recipes -- this allows you some more flavor, but also keeps you hydrated. You can also choose if you want the added caffeine, or not.
How To Make Ice Tea
There are tons of different ways to make iced tea, from using cold brew tea bags, loose leaf tea, setting it out in the sun for sun tea, and pouring hot water over the tea bags, among others. I prefer using the hot water method because it is quick and efficient. That being said, there's no wrong way to make iced tea using the recipes I've shared below.
For storage, I like keeping my iced teas in 1 quart mason jars in the fridge - not only are they pretty, but they're easy to grab and perfect for both the hot water and then the cold drink. Remember not to store the teas for too long with the tea bags in the water -- the longer the tea bag is in the water after it has steeped, the stronger the flavor your tea will have, eventually turning into an overly bitter flavor.
After I let the teas steep in the hot water, I remove and discard the tea bags, but keep the fresh fruit and herbs in the mason jars. This works great with fresh fruit, but the herbs do need to be removed within a few hours, or they start to deteriorate.
Lemon Basil Iced Tea
I've found a new flavor combination I absolutely LOVE and it's lemon basil. The combination of the tart lemon and sweet basil is so yummy and goes great in this iced tea. This is my favorite ice tea recipe right now and is perfect for summer.
Blackberry Mint Iced Tea
Hard to go wrong with fresh summer blackberries and mint leaves, especially when they're combined with green tea and enjoyed on a hot summer day. #love
Iced Peach Ginger Tea
Peach and ginger go very well together and create a tart, spicy iced tea recipe. This is also a great use of those fresh summer peaches you have on hand.
Coconut Lime Iced Tea
Have you ever tried making your own iced tea with coconut water? Since coconut water is naturally sweet, adding some fresh lime slices is the perfect addition to balance out the flavor. Add in a tea bag or two and you've got a great iced tea recipe.
Four different ways to stay hydrated this summer. Which one will you choose first?
4 Healthy Iced Tea Recipes For Summer
Equipment
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
Lemon Basil Iced Tea
- ½ lemon, thinly sliced
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- 2 green tea bags
- 3 cups hot water
- raw honey, optional
Coconut Lime Iced Tea
- 2 black tea bags
- ½ lime, thinly sliced
- 3 cups coconut water, heated
- raw honey, optional
Iced Peach Ginger Tea
- 1 peach, pitted and sliced
- 2 green tea bags
- 4 ginger coins
- 3 cups hot water
- raw honey, optional
Blackberry Mint Ice Tea
- ½ cup fresh blackberries
- 6 leaves fresh mint
- 2 bags green tea
- 3 cups hot water
- raw honey, optional
Instructions
Lemon Basil Iced Tea
- Add the lemon slices, fresh basil leaves, and green tea bags to a 1 quart mason jar or pitcher.
- Pour hot water into the mason jar, and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Then, remove the tea bags.
- Place into the fridge to completely chill for 3-4 hours for the flavors to release.
Coconut Lime Iced Tea
- Add the black tea bags and sliced lime to a 1 quart mason jar or pitcher.
- Pour heated coconut water into the mason jar, and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Then, remove the tea bags.
- Place into the fridge to completely chill for 3-4 hours for the flavors to release.
Iced Peach Ginger Tea
- Add the sliced peach and green tea bags to a 1 quart mason jar or pitcher.
- Skewer the sliced ginger coins on a toothpick, if desired, to make them easier to remove later, and then add them to the jar.
- Pour the hot water into the mason jar, and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Then, remove the tea bags.
- Place into the fridge to completely chill for 3-4 hours for the flavors to release.
Blackberry Mint Ice Tea
- Add the fresh blackberries, mint leaves, and green tea bags to a 1 quart mason jar or pitcher.
- Pour the hot water into the mason jar, and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Then, remove the tea bags.
- Place into the fridge to completely chill for 3-4 hours for the flavors to release.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
Kathy G.
Does this recipe only make 24 ounces of tea? Or are you supposed to add cold water or ice before chilling?
Spamgiveme
15min seems a long time for green tee.
Looking at the instructions they advice no longer then 3 min.
Ann McCay
Oh my goodness! Refreshing like crazy, tasty, healthy! Mint Blueberry (didn't have blackberries) mint fresh cut from garden. Lemon and fresh garden Basil. We are loving it. Thank you!!!
Laurie Rasor
Have A Great Day