Iced tea is a popular soft drink with a refreshing flavor that keeps you cool and feeling revitalized. However, iced tea packaged in bottles is never a healthy choice.
Read on to find out why.
Packaged Tea
Store-bought iced tea has antioxidants, but you’d have to drink more than 18 bottles of store-bought ice tea to get the same amount found in just one homemade cup.
Manufacturers of bottled tea also douse the products in water and add a ridiculous amount of sugar to improve the taste. Some bottles of iced tea have 40 grams of sugar. No wonder studies have found an association between ice tea consumption and higher BMI and cardiovascular disease risk.
Add to that the number of processed ingredients, some of which have potentially high toxicity levels, and any health benefits are severely diminished.
Brew Your Own
It’s better to brew your own tea. Cheap and easy to make, it’s a healthy alternative to bottled tea. There are many varieties to choose from. You might want to try black tea, which contains about half the caffeine as coffee and is rich in theaflavins, which help lower blood cholesterol.
Green tea is another good choice. It helps to boost your metabolism if you’re looking to lose weight and fight against a wide variety of diseases.
Oolong, herbal, and peppermint are also tasty options.
Check the Label
If you’re outside and need something quick to quench your thirst, iced tea is a great and refreshing choice. But always remember to check the serving size (who needs 14 spoons of sugar in one serving, anyway) and the ingredients to make the best choice.
