BHA & BHT Free Green Tea with Lemon Balm and Ginger
This soothing brew layers the grassy brightness of green tea with the citrusy, herbal lift of fresh lemon balm and a gentle warmth from sliced ginger — it's the kind of cup that makes you slow down and actually enjoy the moment. Packaged teas and flavored drinks are notorious for sneaking in synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT, so brewing your own from whole, recognizable ingredients is the cleanest way to know exactly what you're sipping. The technique here matters: ginger is simmered first to coax out its warmth, then the heat is pulled back before the green tea goes in, protecting those delicate leaves from turning bitter. Fresh lemon balm — not dried, not extract — brings a soft, almost floral quality that you simply won't find in a store-bought blend. A drizzle of raw honey rounds everything out without any of the additives that can hide in commercial sweeteners. It comes together in under fifteen minutes and fills two mugs, making it an easy ritual for a quiet morning or a wind-down evening.
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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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