I don’t know about you, but for me there is nothing better than cooling down with a refreshing iced tea on a long, hot summer’s day. After a little bit of time in the sweltering Byron Bay sun and a dip in the Ocean, I usually come home to an iced tea and plate of fresh fruit- that’s my favourite summer ritual. There is nothing more refreshing to enliven the senses!

For many of us, drinking plain old water is pretty boring- let’s face it. We all know that good health requires good hydration- especially in Summer- but water alone doesn’t titillate the taste buds too much does it? This is unfortunately the reason why so many people instead guzzle unhealthy beverages in Summer that are loaded with sugar- such as soda, juices and energy drinks.

A much better solution is Iced teas- the ones that are made from scratch at home- not those that are bottled up and full of sugar. Adding all-natural ingredients such as fruits and herbs to water can infuse water with flavour and a bit of nutritional oomph, turning ho-hum H20 into a truly tasty and healthy beverage. There are lots of easy ways to create healthy iced teas at home and we’ve also got some great taste combinations and suggestions.

Benefits of Iced Teas-:

1. Increased water intake and hydration-
   If deliciously flavoured iced teas helps us to increase our water intake and improve hydration, that is a great thing- right?! Good hydration is essential for maintaining proper organ function; preventing constipation, muscle spasms and headaches; flushing toxins out of the body; keeping energy up, and keeping food cravings at bay. You cannot overestimate the importance of water to your health, given that the human body is more than 50% water! Whilst water needs can vary from person to person depending on their size, amount of exercise and other factors- a good guideline is about 2 litres or enough to keep the urine clear.
2. Health Benefits of the Herbs-The dried ingredients or herbal tea/tea also enhance the nutritional value and health benefits of the iced tea. For example, Ginger Zing contains Lemongrass that is detoxifying and Ginger that can help by improving peripheral circulation or easing nausea; Immunity contains Lemon Myrtle and Eucalyptus that helps to boost the immune system and fight infection, and Tummy Tone contains Peppermint and Licorice to help soothe the tummy, support the adrenals and satisfy a sweet tooth.

How to Make an Iced Tea: 

All you really need is a jug, some water (preferably filtered) and whatever BBTC herbal tea you’d like to use. We recommend using boiling water to infuse the herbal tea so that you extract the active constituents of the herbs that have the therapeutic action. Then the infusion is cooled down. Follow the directions below-:

• Place 1 teaspoon of BBTC tea per 220 mls of boiling water into an iced tea jug

• Infuse for 5-7 minutes & strain into jug.

• Place into refrigerator for 5-6 hours.

• Serve with ice and a slice of lemon, fresh fruits, berries or fresh mint.

• Experiment with various fruits, veggies and herbs using them alone or in combination, to see which flavours you like best.