Black Tea: A Classic Brew for Modern Wellness

 After reading about the benefits of drinking tea, I reached back into my Southern Heritage and asked some questions about whether drinking tea is a good thing to do.  There are some potential upsides.  It naturally contains the polyphenols and flavonoids that may support heart health, reduce oxidative stress, and have mild anti-inflammatory effects.

In some studies, drinking unsweet tea may contribute to a slight lowering of blood pressure and possibly improve vascular function.

It contains caffeine so can help with alertness, focus, or mild metabolism stimulation.

If the tea is unsweetened, it contributes to hydration without sugar or calories.

However, there are some drawbacks, especially if buying pre-made tea at the grocery store..  Many tea beverages have added sugars which can turn this benign drink in a calorie/sugar burden.  Also, artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes can have an impact on the gut microbiota and appetite. Commercially bottled tea may have added preservatives, additives, and coloring.  Commercial teas have to be pasteurized so their antioxidant molecules degrade over time.  Bottled and canned teas may have much lower levels of polyphenols compared to freshly brewed tea (up to 20X less).

Since it is not difficult to make our own fresh tea at home it makes perfect sense to do that.  It will taste fresher, cost less, and give you control over what is in it.  Here’s a simple way we can do just that:

Easy Everyday Iced Black Tea Setup

You’ll need:

4-6 regular black tea bags (or 3 family size)

A heatproof 1-Gallon glass pitcher or jar

Boiling water + cold water

Quick method:

1. Boil about 4 cups of water in the microwave or your electric kettle.

2. Steep the tea bags in the hot water for about 5 minutes

3. Remove the tea bags and pour the concentrate into your pitcher.

4. Add cold water to make a full gallon.  Stir and chill.

5. Keep refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.

That’s it.  No fuss.

You can also make tea concentrate:  brew 8 bags in 4 cups water, keep it in a quart jar, and pour a bit over ice with water when you want a glass.  This way, you don’t even have to lift a gallon jug.

Still Curious. Still Growing, Still Grateful.

by Janis @ Simple Raw and Natural