Did you know that June is National Iced Tea Month? It’s excellent timing because as temperatures heat up, few things are more refreshing than a tall glass of delicious iced tea!
While tea has been grown in the South since the late 1700s, it was not until the development of refrigeration in the 1800s that iced tea began to gain traction—first as a novelty but in time, as a staple on restaurant menus and even in household kitchens. Now, it’s easy to classify it as an American favorite.
In terms of iced tea’s health factor, without added sugar, it’s a zero- or extremely low-calorie drink. Many bottled ice teas have been shown to have as much sugar as soda. Your best bet is to make your own. Unsweetened tea counts towards your daily water intake on the Nutrisystem weight loss plan.
Ready to get brewing? We’ve rounded up some of our best tips on pouring the perfect glass of iced tea.
Guilt-Free Iced Matcha Latte
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1. Choose Your Tea
Different tea types like black, green, oolong or white come with different flavor profiles and even different health benefits. Black tea is known for being earthy while green tea is thought to be light and even grassy flavored. White tea is known for its delicate, fruity flavor and oolong tea has floral notes.
Keep in mind that the different teas have different caffeine levels, with black tea being the highest. The health benefits of the different tea types may also vary. While all of the teas have some antioxidant power, green tea is said to be the highest. Green tea has been widely studied and said to potentially reduce the risk of neurological disorders and cancer.
2. Choose Your Brew Method
Once you decide which type of tea you’d like to make, it’s time to think about how you want to brew it. This includes cold brew, hot brew and sun brew.
With hot brew, you’re preparing your tea just as you would if you were making a hot cup of tea, but then adding cold water for dilution and some ice. With a cold brew, you’ll simply let your pitcher of water and tea sit in the refrigerator. And with sun brew, as the name suggests, you’re leaving the tea to sit in the sun. Learn more about all three of these brewing methods here! >
All methods will produce great results, though you can easily find tea enthusiasts who swear their way is the best. Cold and sun brewed teas are thought to grab a bit more flavor from the tea bags or leaves. However, not everyone has the time involved in those methods.
No matter which you choose, just be sure that you have the right brew times and tea to water ratio for optimal results.
3. Fill it Up with Fruit
Just as fruit-infused water has become popular, infused iced tea is just as delicious! If you’re cold brewing your tea, you should add the sliced fruit to brew right along with your loose tea or tea bags. This will add a whole new flavor profile to your finished product.
While you can try any combination that suits your taste preferences, here are a few we’d suggest. Black tea plus strawberries and lemons makes a refreshing combination. Similarly, oolong tea plus peach adds a delicious layer of sweetness. Finally, we also like watermelon with green tea. But just as you may have experimented with choices in your water, you can have fun and try various options in your tea to determine what you like best.
Blueberry Green Tea Smoothie
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4. Consider Other Additions
Infusing fruit flavors into your tea as we talked about above is definitely one way to sweeten your drink without adding lots of sugar. You might also think about adding honey, lemons (if you didn’t infuse them), limes or maybe even some herbs. Mint and basil can individually add some fun flavor to iced tea.
If you do want some sweetness, consider using a zero-calorie sweetener like stevia. Any added sugar or honey will count towards your daily Extras. You won’t need much to add some sweet flavor while still keeping your tea healthier than the bottled kind.
5. Jazz Up Your Ice—and Your Glass
Since the ice in iced tea is an important component, why not have some fun with it? You can make an iced tea feel much more special simply by using one of those ice molds that make giant cubes. Or maybe you’re someone who likes crushed ice and enjoys nibbling on it as part of the drink!
You could also make ice cubes that are fruit-filled or infused with herbs to add color and taste to your tea in a fun way.
Finally, why not serve it up in a fun glass or even a mason jar? Treating yourself on a hot summer day with a delicious glass or iced tea is even more enjoyable with fun glassware. Add a colorful straw and it’ll feel even more like a delightful treat.
Matcha Melon Smoothie
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The post 5 Tasty Tips for Pouring the Perfect Iced Tea appeared first on The Leaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Use African Mango Extract
It’s easy to take mango extract. Simply cut open a fresh mango and scoop the flesh into a blender. Blend until smooth.
You may also strain the pulp if you want a finer consistency. Store in a cool dark place.
You can freeze the pulp to be used again later. This will save you money on buying another batch each mango season.
How do I slim down naturally
Try to eat healthy foods as much as you can. If you do indulge in unhealthy snacks, ensure they are low-calorie. Avoid eating too much processed food. Choose whole grains such as brown rice, barley, and oatmeal for your breakfast. Sugary drinks are high in calories, and can cause weight gain. If you want to lose weight, then watch what you’re drinking by choosing water over soda pop or juice. Get at least eight glasses water each day.
Another tip? Get up early. According to studies, people who are awake earlier tend to eat fewer calories in the day. To help with this, set an alarm clock so that you don’t end up snoozing through the morning hours.
Finally, exercise is also very important. Aerobic exercises like running, walking, biking, swimming, tennis, etc. Aerobic exercise burns fat more quickly than strength training. Include aerobic exercise into your daily life.
What herb melts body fat?
It may not be possible to lose weight without dieting but herbs are an excellent way to help you burn calories. This has been a common use of herbs over the years. There are many herbs that can be used for this purpose, including: Green tea (Ginko Biloba), Ginger root, Ginseng and Hawthorn berry; Milk Thistle seed; Mullein leaf; Rosemary, St John’s Wort and Turmeric. Valerian root is also available. Yohimbe bark is another.
You can either take herbs orally or apply them topically. They are rich in nutrients that can increase metabolic rate. These nutrients help speed up the destruction of glycogen stocks and lipids inside the cell walls. The bloodstream is then able to release free fatty acid, which can be used for fuel.
A variety of herbal remedies can also be used to prevent or boost immunity. These herbal remedies are ideal for people who don’t want to use drugs or undergo surgery.
Many people use herbs because they know how effective they are. Some people don’t realize the power these natural substances have. You can buy herbs online, in pharmacies and at health food stores. A single dose of herbs will usually last several weeks.
Green tea is one example of a herb that can increase the metabolic rate. Green tea contains epigallocatechin galate (EGCG), which enhances the activity of enzymes that break down fats in cells. EGCG has also been found to improve glucose tolerance. This means that it lowers the likelihood of developing diabetes.
Ginger root is another example. The stimulant properties of ginger root are similar to those of other stimulants. It increases metabolism and stimulates digestive tract. Ginger is also known to help eliminate toxins from your digestive system.
Other herbs that enhance metabolism include ginseng.
The best way to get herbs is to make teas. This allows active ingredients to be absorbed quickly and efficiently into the bloodstream. You should always take herbs internally under medical supervision. If you choose to consume herbs externally, make sure that you apply them directly to the affected area. You could inflict irritation on other parts of your body or cause damage.
Can I eat carbs while following the Ketogenic Diet?
You can eat carbohydrates when on the Ketogenic Food Diet. However, keep them to a minimum. Instead, eat high fiber veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, kale. These veggies will give you energy without adding calories.
You should also eat lots of nuts, seeds, avocados and coconut oil. These foods are high levels of saturated fats, which is necessary for ketosis.
What happens if you have a green smoothie for breakfast every day?
It’s more than just for breakfast. Green Smoothies are delicious and healthy drinks made from fresh fruits and vegetables. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, antioxidants as well as fiber and protein. They are also delicious!
Green Smoothies are low in calories, high in nutrients and low in calories. So all those extra pounds you’ve been putting on could be coming off thanks to this fantastic drink.
Green smoothies make it easy to prepare. You simply combine fresh fruits with some ice cubes. There are so many options, we’ve listed our top 10 here.
- Banana + Blueberries Banana Berry Blast
- Spinach + Pineapple Healthy Superfood
- Strawberry + Yogurt Strawberry Delight
- Smoothie with Apple + Orange Fruity-Green
- Lemonade + Peach Melon Madness
- Pear + Kale Filled with Fiber
- Grapefruit + Kiwi The Ultimate Detox
- Mango + Avocado Tropical Paradise
- Watermelon + Lime Delicious Hydration
- Coconut + Cucumber Cooling Refresher
Statistics
- Nature’s Health Goji Berry – Lycium Berries – Maintain Vision Health – Jam-Packed with Vitamins A & C – 580 mg per Serving – 60 Veggie Capsules – Non-GMO Emerald Labs Goji Berry – 40% Polysaccharides – 60 Vegetable Capsules (amazon.com)
- On average, they experienced 28 pounds (12.8 kg) of weight loss, a 6.4-inch (16.2-cm) reduction in waist circumference, and a 6.3% dip in body fat (5Trusted Source (healthline.com)
- On average, they may help you lose 3–9% of your body weight compared with a placebo (56Trusted Source (healthline.com)
- In a total of 54 randomized controlled trials in healthy adults with overweight or obesity, the authors found no difference in weight or body fat percentage between the Garcinia Cambogia group and the placebo group (3Trusted Source (healthline.com)
- A 2003 meta-analysis of studies found that people taking orlistat for 12 months in combination with lifestyle changes saw a 2.9% greater weight reduction than the placebo group (26Trusted Source (healthline.com)
External Links
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Use of dietary supplements for weight loss in the United States: results of a national survey – PubMed
- African mango (IGOB131: A proprietary extract from Irvingia gabonensis’s seeds has been shown to reduce body weight and improve metabolic parameters in overweight people – PubMed
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
- A novel herbal weight management formulation that is effective and tolerable – Stern, 2013 – Obesity Wiley Online Library
- Forskolin Consumption and Body Composition in Obese and Overweight Men – Godard 2005 – Obesity Research Wiley Online Library
healthline.com
cdc.gov
How To
African Mango: Side Effects, Benefits, Dosage and Interactions
African mango is a tropical fruit native to Africa, Asia, Australia, and Madagascar. It is also known as “Mangosteen”, Gobba (in Malaysia), Guava (in India) and “Brambleberry”. Mangifera indica L. is its official name, meaning the king among fruits. In English, its common names include “mango”, “Indian gooseberry”, “papaya”, “custard apple”, and “jackfruit”. Although it tastes similar to kiwi, its taste is slightly sweeter. It has been used for medicine and food since ancient times.
The leaves are used medicinally to treat symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and sore throat. They can also be used to treat skin conditions, eye infections, and problems like asthma. You can also use the leaves to make dye or soap.
Benefits:
African mango benefits:
- Antibacterial properties
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Aids digestion
- Preventing the spread of cancer
- Low cholesterol in the body
Side effects:
Some side effects can be experienced when you eat African mango. These include stomach discomfort, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, constipation.
Dosage:
One serving of African mangoes can be between 10g and 30g. Two servings can be consumed per day.
Interactions:
When consuming African mango and certain medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants, blood thinners, sedatives, antacids, appetite suppressants, and other drugs that affect heart rhythm, consult your doctor before consuming. Mangoes are also an allergen for some people.
