On a hot day even the thought of
drinking hot tea is enough to put one off. But for those who crave a
caffeine kick or simply want something to cool down with, iced tea seems
like the best option. The tall, cool glass is extremely appealing to
beat the summer heat. Most of us do not think twice before preparing a
glass and drinking it. The pre-mixed iced teas are readily available in
the market and can be conveniently prepared by all. Just rip the packet
open and mix it in cold water!
However, most of do not realise how harmful a glass of this iced tea can be. Most of the brands of iced tea contain at more than 250 calories per serving and up to 60 gms of sugar. Moreover, some of the brands do not even contain actual tea, simply tea extracts or artificial tea flavourings. The store bought iced teas, thus, does not contribute to health in any way. They are in fact full of sugar, calories, and artificial flavours and are extremely unhealthy.
This, however, does not mean that one cannot enjoy a glass of cool iced tea. If prepared with pure teas and natural ingredients, iced tea is beneficial to health. The lower caffeine content as compared to coffees, gives one the boost of caffeine without going overboard. There are also loads of free radicals in our body that can be removed with the help of tea. Free radicals can cause cancer and certain research has proven that tea can help prevent some cancers.
To enjoy a guilt-free glass of iced tea, select your choice of tea. For those concerned about high caffeine content, choose green tea or white tea over black tea. If you like a pure tea flavour, go ahead and prepare your tea with this tea. But if you do not like plain tea, or want to mask the flavour of tea, you can pick a few flavour options to add to your teas. Choose natural ingredients that are either fresh or freeze-dried and have a much better flavour profile than the artificial products. You can choose anything from fruits like peach, apples, and limes to herbs like peppermint, spearmint or even flowers like chamomile, lavender and rose.
After you have selected your ingredients boil 100 ml of water and add two teaspoons of tea in it. When the tea has been brewed to your choice, add a sweetener of your choice-either honey or unrefined sugar. Blend the hot liquor with a tall glass topped up with ice and enjoy your cold drink in the hot summer!
However, most of do not realise how harmful a glass of this iced tea can be. Most of the brands of iced tea contain at more than 250 calories per serving and up to 60 gms of sugar. Moreover, some of the brands do not even contain actual tea, simply tea extracts or artificial tea flavourings. The store bought iced teas, thus, does not contribute to health in any way. They are in fact full of sugar, calories, and artificial flavours and are extremely unhealthy.
This, however, does not mean that one cannot enjoy a glass of cool iced tea. If prepared with pure teas and natural ingredients, iced tea is beneficial to health. The lower caffeine content as compared to coffees, gives one the boost of caffeine without going overboard. There are also loads of free radicals in our body that can be removed with the help of tea. Free radicals can cause cancer and certain research has proven that tea can help prevent some cancers.
To enjoy a guilt-free glass of iced tea, select your choice of tea. For those concerned about high caffeine content, choose green tea or white tea over black tea. If you like a pure tea flavour, go ahead and prepare your tea with this tea. But if you do not like plain tea, or want to mask the flavour of tea, you can pick a few flavour options to add to your teas. Choose natural ingredients that are either fresh or freeze-dried and have a much better flavour profile than the artificial products. You can choose anything from fruits like peach, apples, and limes to herbs like peppermint, spearmint or even flowers like chamomile, lavender and rose.
After you have selected your ingredients boil 100 ml of water and add two teaspoons of tea in it. When the tea has been brewed to your choice, add a sweetener of your choice-either honey or unrefined sugar. Blend the hot liquor with a tall glass topped up with ice and enjoy your cold drink in the hot summer!
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