How To Make Iced Tea - Benefits and Side Effects

How to Make Iced Tea – Benefits and Side Effects, is a popular form of regular tea that has been chilled or served over ice. Iced tea is typically made with black, white, or green tea, although some herbal teas are also served cold and are known as iced tea. There are different varieties of iced tea around the world, and they often feature flavored syrups to enhance the flavor, including lemon, peach, cherry, orange, and passion fruit varieties. There are some differences in the method of brewing iced tea versus regular tea, especially at the time of steeping.

How to Make Iced Tea?
It's very easy to make iced tea, although there are many varieties, depending on how strong you want your tea and what flavor you want. Below are two common recipes, one for plain iced tea and the other for "sun tea." It's important to note that you should make mistakes that the tea is "too strong," as ice often dilutes it in water, making it a bit weaker.

iced tea recipe
Ingredients:

4 basic black tea bags (green, white, oolong or herbal tea) can be used
6-8 cups water (filtered), depending on how strong you want your tea to be
4 slices of lemon.

Step 1: Boil the water in a stainless steel pot.
Step 2: Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the tea bags.
Step 3: Allow the tea to steep for 10-12 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from heat and let the tea cool for 5-10 minutes.
Step 5: Pour the tea over the ice.
Step 6 – Add the lemon slices and let the tea cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Sun tea recipe
Ingredients:

6 black tea bags
6-8 cups of water, depending on how strong you want your tea
large glass jar
6 lemon wedges, for sweetness, if desired

Step 1: Fill the jar with water.
Step 2 – Add the tea bags and place the pitcher in the sun.
Step 3: Let the tea sit in the sun for 4-5 hours.
Step 4: Remove the tea bags and add the lemon slices.
Step 5: Serve the tea over ice and enjoy!

Iced Tea Ingredients
The ingredients for iced tea are very simple, consisting only of black tea, water, and natural sweeteners, such as lemon wedges or honey. That said, different types of tea can be used, including white, green, and herbal teas for slightly different flavors. Additionally, you can add other flavor elements to change up the sweetness, or include mint leaves, a cinnamon stick, or a teaspoon of simple syrup.

Benefits of Drinking Iced Tea
Iced tea provides all of the same benefits as regular black tea, due to its concentrations of caffeine, polyphenols, catechins, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Unsweetened iced teas, or those served with lemon or lime, tend to be the healthiest varieties, containing fewer calories and sugars while adding more antioxidants and nutrients to the drink.

weight loss efforts
Iced tea is low in calories and low in natural sugars (when unsweetened), which can aid in your weight loss efforts, particularly if you're used to sweet sodas and other sugary beverages. Iced tea can also help you feel full and refreshed, without increasing your daily calorie count.

Chronic disease
There are powerful compounds in black tea called flavonoids that have been directly linked to the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases. Flavonoids act as antioxidants, which means they can seek out and neutralize free radicals that cause oxidative stress and tissue inflammation.

While it is not recommended that pregnant women drink thyme tea early in their pregnancy, for fear of possible miscarriage due to stimulated menstruation, some traditional medicine approaches use this tea to induce labor. However, the use of herbal teas during pregnancy should be discussed with your individual physician, depending on your specific case.
The antioxidants and nutrients found in tea are known to stimulate the function of the immune system, making it easier for the body to defend itself against pathogens and infections. Some bottled forms of iced tea also fortify their blends with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which can further boost the strength of the immune system.

bone health
With significant levels of manganese and fluoride in black iced tea, this summer drink can help protect your bone mineral density and prevent the onset of osteoporosis. Fluoride is directly related to preventing tooth decay and strengthening tooth enamel, but it is also present in the rest of our bones and is essential for keeping our bones strong as we age.

Heart disease
As mentioned above, the flavonoids present in iced tea are excellent antioxidants, which can help prevent a number of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, by reducing tissue inflammation in the arteries and blood vessels of the heart.

diabetes concerns
If you're drinking unsweetened iced tea, the compounds found in black tea may actually help regulate blood sugar levels, increasing the body's insulin resistance and making life easier for people with diabetes.

Iced Tea Nutrition Facts
Standard iced black tea contains low levels of potassium, dietary fiber, manganese, sugar, caffeine, fluoride, flavonoids, and several other antioxidants. Other types of iced tea, such as green tea or herbal tea, will have different nutritional profiles.

Side Effects of Iced Tea
Iced tea does come with some possible side effects, including irritability, headaches, kidney stones, and possible diabetic complications. Most of these side effects are caused by drinking too much iced tea or adding sugar to the drink. Unsweetened iced tea is highly recommended if you want to enjoy all the health benefits and avoid some of these side effects.

Caffeine: while caffeine provides an energy boost and is one of the main reasons people drink beverages like tea or coffee, it can have negative side effects when consumed at high levels, including increased caffeine intake, trouble sleeping , irritability, upset stomach, acid reflux headaches and inability to focus. Drinking a moderate amount of this tea should help you avoid most of these problems.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE: 15 Best Herbal Teas and Their Benefits.

Kidney Concerns: Research in recent years has pointed to tea as a contributing factor to the development of kidney stones when drunk in large quantities. Tea contains compounds known as oxalates, which are converted to oxalic acid in the body and can contribute to kidney stones and gallstones. If you have kidney stones with a history of that condition, consider talking to your doctor before making this tea a regular part of your diet.

Triphala's properties for maintaining weight loss are excellent, unless you already suffer from eating disorders or abnormally low body weight. You may find it difficult to gain weight or you may experience unexplained weight loss when using this herbal blend regularly. In moderation, however, these side effects are quite rare. If you are drinking unsweetened iced tea, it can help regulate blood sugar levels, which is good for diabetic patients. However, if you are adding sugar to every glass or pitcher of tea, you may be putting yourself at risk of developing diabetes or aggravating symptoms due to concentrated sugar intake.