Is Iced Tea Healthy? Plus, How to Make It And Yummy Recipes!

Learn about the health benefits of iced tea, why you should be cautious about sun tea, and iced tea recipes!

We’re celebrating National Iced Tea Month with a rundown of the health benefits of iced tea and a few fun ways to make a delicious and refreshing cup of iced tea. Plus, we’re sharing our June list of seasonal foods along with recipes!

Coming up this week, Diana takes a look at protein needs during pregnancy (and easy ways to hit them), we give our takes on agave nectar as a sweetener, and on Friday, we’re covering vitamin A-rich foods and how they may minimize the appearance of wrinkles.

Share this post with anyone you know who may be interested in our anti-inflammatory food insight, recipes and cooking suggestions!

Iced Tea

June is National Iced Tea Month, so let’s celebrate this refreshing drink with some health benefits and recipes! Learn more about why iced tea can be a good choice, why we enjoy it, a few recipes we love, how to make iced tea and why you may want to avoid “sun tea.”

Is Iced Tea Healthy?

Iced tea can be a refreshing and healthy way to stay hydrated this summer. Here are some reasons unsweetened iced tea is a healthy beverage choice:

1. Tea is rich in antioxidants. It contains polyphenols, which help neutralize free radicals, reduce oxidative stress and support long-term cellular health. Green tea is particularly high in catechins, while black tea contains theaflavins - both beneficial in different ways.

2. Is supportive of heart health. Regular tea consumption has been linked to improved blood vessel function, lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. These benefits come from tea’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds.

3. Offers a gentle energy boost. Tea, in general, contains less caffeine than coffee, but enough to improve focus and alertness and provide steady energy without the same jitters. Green tea also contains L-theanine, which is known to help you feel relaxed and calm.

4. Helps hydrate you. Unlike sugary drinks, unsweetened iced tea contributes to hydration, adds flavor without excess calories and can make it easier to drink more fluids throughout the day.

5. May support metabolism. Some teas (especially green tea) may support fat metabolism and improve insulin sensitivity. The effect is modest, but it can be part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

6. Is cooling and refreshing. From a practical standpoint, iced tea is easy to sip throughout the day, can help regulate body temperature in warmer weather and can replace less healthy beverages like soda or sweetened drinks.

Plus it is easy to customize - you can add lemon or lime for additional antioxidant absorption, fresh herbs like mint or basil, or ginger for digestion and anti-inflammatory support. So long as you avoid bottled or store-bought versions that have added sugar, artificial flavors or preservatives, you will be doing your health a favor by drinking iced tea.

Sun Tea: Worth It?

While sun tea isn’t necessarily unhealthy, it does come with some food safety concerns that are worth understanding, which is why it tends to be a trending topic in the warmer months.

Sun tea is made by placing tea bags in water and letting it steep in a container under direct sunlight for several hours. It’s a popular method because it’s simple and doesn’t require boiling water.

The main concern of sun tea is bacterial growth - since sun tea typically steeps at warm (but not hot enough) temperatures, it creates an environment where bacteria can grow, especially over several hours

Some bacteria (like Alcaligenes viscolactis) have been found in improperly prepared sun tea, though this is not extremely common. To safely brew tea, water should ideally reach high enough temperatures to kill bacteria; sun tea does not reliably reach those temperatures.

For most healthy people, the risk of bacteria contamination is low but not zero.

However, it may be more of a concern for pregnant individuals, older adults and those with weakened immune systems.

How to Make Sun Tea Safer

If you enjoy sun tea, you can reduce bacteria risk by:

• Using a clean, sanitized glass container

• Steeping to no longer than 2-3 hours

• Refrigerating immediately after brewing

• Drinking within 1-2 days

• Avoiding adding sugar before refrigeration which can encourage bacterial growth

How To Brew Tea

Cold Brew Iced Tea

This is a safer option than sun tea, that doesn’t require boiling water. The cold temperatures limit bacterial growth while providing a smooth, less bitter flavor:

• Add tea bags to cold water

• Let steep in the refrigerator for 6-12 hours

Hot Brewing Iced Tea

1. Add 3-4 tea bags to 4 cups hot water (see below for specifics)

2. Steep for 2-7 minutes depending on the type of tea:

   • Green: 2-3 min

   • Black: 3-5 min

   • Herbal: 5-7 min

3. Remove tea bags or strain

4. Cool and refrigerate - let it cool slightly, then chill

What Are Ideal Water Temps And Steep Times For Teas?

Different teas need slightly different treatment:

Green Tea

• Temp: ~170–180°F (not boiling)

• Time: 2-3 minutes

• Too hot produces a bitter taste

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Black Tea

• Temp: ~200–212°F (near boiling)

• Time: 3-5 minutes

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Herbal Tea (Chamomile, Hibiscus, etc.)

• Temp: Boiling (212°F)

• Time: 5-7 minutes

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White Tea

• Temp: ~160–175°F

• Time: 2-3 minutes

• Very delicate flavor

Why We Enjoy Iced Tea

Dr. Weil: Iced tea is an American phenomenon - in fact, 75 percent of the tea consumed in the United States is iced. The drink is said to have been introduced in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair during a heat wave, but recipes for it were published earlier. I’ve read that the popularity of iced tea is beginning to spread outside the U.S., but worldwide most people still drink their tea hot.

In general, fresh brewed hot tea is healthier than iced tea as it has the highest amount of polyphenols, but you can get the health benefits of tea from iced tea if you use good quality tea and prepare it properly.

To get the same benefits from iced tea, brew hot tea normally, then chill it. Note that adding ice may slightly reduce the bioavailability of polyphenols.

If you keep a large amount of brewed tea in the refrigerator, it will eventually begin to ferment, turning cloudy. This may happen after only 48 hours. If your refrigerated tea looks cloudy, throw it out. (It won’t taste good.) If you can’t use up large quantities before that happens, there’s not much point to brewing big batches.

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Diana: I think iced tea can be a great way to stay hydrated for people who don't love the taste of water alone. Just make sure to watch you caffeine intake and be mindful of added sugar when drinking iced tea.

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WEIL Nutrition Corner™ Iced Tea Tips

• Don’t over-steep - it can turn bitter

• Let tea cool before refrigerating for best flavor

• Store in glass if possible

• Drink within 2-3 days for freshness

• Add citrus just before serving for brightness

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3 Iced Tea Recipes

Green Iced Tea with Lemon

Ingredients

• 2-3 green tea bags

• 4 cups hot water (not boiling)

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Optional: 1–2 teaspoons honey

Instructions

1. Steep tea bags in hot (not boiling) water for 3–5 minutes

2. Remove tea bags and let cool

3. Add lemon juice and honey if using

4. Chill and serve over ice

Tip: Add lemon after brewing to preserve the tea’s delicate flavor

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Mint Green Tea Cooler

Ingredients

• 2 green tea bags

• 4 cups hot water

• Handful of fresh mint leaves

• Slices of cucumber (optional)

Instructions

1. Brew green tea and let cool slightly

2. Add mint leaves while still warm and steep 5–10 minutes

3. Strain (or leave mint in), chill, and serve over ice

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Peach Black Iced Tea

Ingredients

• 2 black tea bags

• 4 cups hot water

• 1 ripe peach, sliced

• Optional: drizzle of honey

Instructions

1. Brew black tea for 4–5 minutes

2. Add peach slices while warm

3. Let cool, then chill and serve

Seasonal Food Series: June

Below are foods that are in-season this month along with recipes to spark creativity. WEIL Nutrition Corner™ VIPS have access to the foods, cooking tips and recipes - plus our entire recipe database and content library!