Drink Iced Homemade Tea on Hot Summer Days

Tea is a great beverage for hydrating on hot summer days. Arizona style iced tea is sold in most convenience stores and fast food places, but the secret is that anyone can make it at home! The kind of iced you buy at the store is full of sugar and preservatives. That amount of glucose in your system can wreak havoc on your body. It's best to make homemade tea that tastes better is makes you feel better! 

Ever wanted a cup of icy Arizona iced tea on one of those sweltering summer days when the sun seems to be blazing it's heat rays? Instead of having to rush to the grocery store, try making homemade tea instead. When made right, tea can be healthy. Store bought, ready-made tea can have just as much, if not more sugar as soft drinks. What's the point in that? In the sweltering heat, excess salt, sugar, and preservatives will kick start a vicious cycle and make you feel even more dehydrated and worn out. Fresh homemade tea can make you feel energized and refreshed, so take a few minutes to try a recipe on your own.  

Recipe Smooth, Icy Homemade Tea 

Required Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiling water

• 6-7 tea bags

• ¾ cups brown sugar

• 5 cups water

• 1 cup ice 

The secret of this recipe is that instead of using nasty chemicals and preservatives, the baking soda  adheres to the walls of the glass pitcher (use one which is heat proof) and does not allow the iced tea to become bitter over time.  

Add the baking soda and to the pitcher and pour in the boiling water. Add the tea bags, cover, allow the tea bags to steep in the water for about 15 minutes.

  

Remove the tea bags and throw them away. Stir in the sugar until it is dissolved. Pour in the cool water and refrigerate until cold. Add a cup of ice before serving.  

Origin

People have been drinking homemade tea for thousands of years. The ancient Chinese didn't just drink homemade tea, it was a ritual and it had to be done right. Tea has also been used for thousands of years for it's medicinal healing properties and it's ability to aid in digestion.  

Benefits

There are many benefits of drinking homemade tea. Green tea has antibacterial properties because it contains catechins, which disrupt bacteria from replicating by not allowing them to replicate their DNA. Many herbal teas contain antioxidants which fight free radicals and carcinogens, helping fight cancer. Drinking tea increases metabolism and helps burn fat. Cinnamon can be added to the tea to help increase this effect. For this reason many teas are used as herbal weight loss supplements to a healthy diet. Tea boosts mental alertness and the wellness of the body's natural immune system. It lowers the chances of cognitive impairment, helping you to think clearly and also lowers stress hormone levels. Drinking a cup of tea daily is beneficial to the health for so many reasons that it's only natural that you should keep a stash of tea bags or dried herbs to make homemade tea daily.