I’ll get to the healthy tip shortly, but first… Did you know that June is National Iced Tea Month? I love iced tea, especially sweet tea, and I thought it might be fun to take a look at this delicious summer beverage and all it has to offer. There’s a lot I didn’t know, especially about its benefits (good and good for you!) and wanted to share a little of my newfound knowledge about this favorite summertime drink with you.
Next to water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the entire world. Americans drank over 65 billion servings or roughly 3 billion gallons of tea in 2010. We prefer our tea iced, as almost 85 percent of the tea consumed in the U.S. is of the iced variety.
Iced or hot, tea offers plenty of health benefits in addition to be a low calorie hydrating alternative to soda and other sugar filled drinks. A recent study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consumption of two cups a day of tea is associated with a lower percentage of body fat and better weight control versus people who are not drinking tea.
Research has shown that drinking tea offers a wide range of health benefits thanks to flavonoids. Tea can help keep blood vessels healthy as well as protect your skin. There have also been studies that link tea consumption to increased brain and heart health as well as reducing the risk of certain cancers and neurological diseases.
You may not know, but iced tea is also an incredibly low-calorie drink. Teas are offered labeled as zero calorie drinks which is a huge improvement over the 140 calories in a can of Coke. If you’re anything like me, you also might be thinking that tea can’t be good for you because you’re afraid of the caffeine monster. While yes, tea does have caffeine in it, in comparison to sodas tea has a much lower amount of caffeine (about 1/3 the amount) of a can of Coke – plus, there are many non-caffeinated options out there.
Tea is also available in a wide variety of flavors and is easy and inexpensive to make at home. If possible, stick to unsweetened tea which has fewer calories than sweet tea. If a sweetener is a must for you, try using a natural one such as honey. You can also add limes, lemon or peaches for added flavor.
Now that you know everything you need to about iced tea go mix up a pitcher, get out on your front porch, and enjoy a nice cold glass in celebration of National Iced Tea Month. (If you wander farther than the front porch, feel free to drop a glass of tea off at the office for me! While you’re enjoying the great outdoors, I’ll be here helping to make sure that you’re protected, no matter what. )