Artificial Food Coloring Free Green Tea with Lemon Balm and Ginger
This soothing cup is built entirely from real, whole ingredients — filtered water, loose-leaf green tea, fresh lemon balm, ginger, and a drizzle of raw honey. For anyone trying to avoid synthetic dyes and artificial additives hiding in flavored teas and bottled drinks, brewing from scratch like this is the cleanest possible route. The result is a clear, pale gold tea with a gentle floral lift from the lemon balm and a warm, subtle heat from the fresh ginger slices. Steeping at the right temperature — just off the boil — keeps the green tea smooth and bright rather than bitter, so every sip is genuinely pleasant. A small squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end adds a little brightness without any of the artificial citrus flavoring found in so many commercial tea blends. It comes together in under ten minutes and feels like something you'd order at a wellness café, except you made it yourself with ingredients you can actually read.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
- 2 cups filtered water
- 2 tsp loose-leaf green tea (or 2 green tea bags)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon balm leaves, lightly packed
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1–2 tsp raw honey, to taste
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the filtered water and sliced ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and let the temperature drop for 1–2 minutes until it is no longer at a rolling boil — green tea steeps best around 170–180°F (77–82°C) to avoid bitterness.
- 2
Add the green tea and fresh lemon balm leaves to the hot ginger water. Steep for 3–5 minutes, until the tea is a clear pale gold and the lemon balm aroma is noticeable. Do not steep longer than 5 minutes, as the green tea will turn bitter.
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