Iced tea is the perfect refreshment for warm summer days. It cools you from the inside out and keeps you hydrated. And here's a bonus: Cold drinks have been shown to help overweight people reduce their body mass index through a process called “Thermogenesis.”
Unsweetened iced tea is flavorful but has no calories, so you can drink as much of it as you like. If you're there food systemit counts toward your daily water goal. Even better, you can spice up the flavor with ingredients that don't add any calories.
Iced tea is easy and fun. In fact, you can choose between different brewing methods depending on your time and taste. Learn how to make iced tea using these three easy methods:
1. Fastest: Hot tea + ice
You can drink a glass of iced tea in about 15 minutes by brewing a cup of hot tea, letting it cool, and then adding ice. When making tea, avoid using water that is already in the kettle or has already been boiled. It may have taken on a metallic taste or other “unusual” aromas. Always start with fresh, cool water.
The ideal temperature for brewing most teas is below the boiling point of water, 212 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you should adjust the temperature depending on the tea you are using. You can use a kettle to heat water to a specific temperature. Taste of home recommends 175 to 185°F for white tea, 180 to 185°F for green tea, 200 to 205°F for black tea, and 212°F for herbal tea.
Tea bags are the easiest to use when drinking tea, but many people prefer the fresher taste of loose leaves. Sencha tea bar recommends using one tea bag or one teaspoon of tea per 10 to 12 ounces of water. When the water is ready, pour it over the tea bag or tea leaves and then let it steep for about five to ten minutes. Green tea should not be steeped for longer than five minutes.
Remove the tea bag or strain the leaves, then allow the tea to cool to room temperature. You can then either add ice straight away or put it in the fridge for a few hours to cool it down even further. Pour it over ice when you're ready to sip it!
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2. Easiest: sun tea
Making sun iced tea couldn't be easier. No boiling water required! Just leave it in the sun as you go about your day.
To Make sun teaAll you have to do is pour your tea into a large glass or pitcher of cold water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place the jar in a bright, sunny location. The sunlight warms the water as the tea is steeped and slowly removes the aroma. Leave the jar in the sun for about three to five hours, then remove the tea bags or strain the leaves. Refrigerate, serve with ice cream and enjoy.
Taste of Home says: “Sun tea has a nostalgic feel, but there is a small risk of bacterial growth if you leave the tea at these temperatures. You can minimize the risk by sterilizing the tea bags: Pour enough boiling water over the tea bags to get them completely wet.”
3. Tastiest: Cold Brew Tea
Hot water brings the compound called “Tannins“in tea, which can give it a slightly bitter taste. Cold brewing prevents the bitter taste from developing while at the same time extracting the tea's good flavors. (Cold brewed coffeeIncidentally, it became popular for the same reasons.)
Sencha Tea Bar recommends using loose leaf tea for this method as it offers more flavor. They explain, “Because we remove heat from the process, you need all the flavor you can get for a delicious cup.”
Pour your tea into a large glass or pitcher of water. Cover the jar with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the refrigerator for six to twelve hours. Once you reach the six-hour mark, Sencha Tea Bar recommends tasting the tea every hour until it reaches your desired strength. Take the tea or strain it and pour it over ice.
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Other helpful tea tips:
Types of tea
Black tea is the best known type of tea and has the strongest tea taste. It is the base of popular teas such as Earl Gray and English Breakfast blends. The main difference from black tea is that the tea leaves are completely oxidized before being heat treated and dried. The flavor profile can vary greatly, but in general it has a rich, bold flavor that is more bitter than green tea.
Green tea leaves come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis) as black tea, but are not treated in the same way after harvest. They are “minimally oxidized,” meaning they are quickly heated and dried after harvest. This changes the color and taste of the tea and makes it lighter all over. This is usually the case less caffeine as a black tea and the taste can be grassy, sweet or algae-like.
White tea also comes from the same plant as black and green tea. However, it is minimally processed and harvested earlier than other varieties. They have a “delicate” taste that can include notes of flowers, honey, grass, fruit and citrus. Most white tea is hand-picked and has a lower caffeine content than green or black tea.
Other types of tea include oolong tea and herbal teas such as mint or chamomile. These also taste delicious and refreshing on ice.
Flavor enhancer
You can take the taste of your tea to the next level without adding calories. Fresh lemon and lime juice are free foods for you food system Healthy meal plan so you can use as much of it as you want. Would you like to sweeten your tea? Try stevia, a natural, calorie-free sugar substitute that dissolves in cold water.
Fruit can also enhance the flavor of your tea. Adding frozen berries or peach slices keeps your tea cool and sweetens the taste. If you're making a whole pot of tea, add these flavors to each glass so they don't slowly disintegrate in the pot before you can drink it.
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