Gut Friendly Herbal Arnold Palmer with Fresh Herbs
This refreshing twist on a classic half-and-half drink layers bright, fresh lemon with a deeply aromatic herbal tea that goes well beyond the usual. Steeping black tea together with fresh mint, basil, and optional lavender creates a floral, herbaceous base that feels genuinely soothing — exactly the kind of drink your gut will thank you for. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice brings natural acidity without any artificial additives or preservatives that can sneak into bottled versions, and the homemade simple syrup means you control exactly what goes in. Mint and basil aren't just pretty garnishes here — both herbs have a long history of supporting digestive comfort, making every sip feel as functional as it is delicious. The process is straightforward: brew, strain, mix, and pour over ice, which means you're not relying on anything processed or hard to track. It's the kind of drink that works equally well at a backyard gathering or as a quiet afternoon treat, and it looks stunning in the glass with those lemon slices and mint sprigs on top.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the herbal tea
- 4 cups water, divided
- 3 black tea bags
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
- 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender (optional)
For the simple syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
For the lemonade
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4–5 lemons)
- 1 ½ cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 2 cups of the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags, mint leaves, basil leaves, and dried lavender (if using), and steep for 5 minutes.
- 2
Remove and discard the tea bags. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing the herbs gently to extract their liquid, then discard the solids. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of cold water and let the tea cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
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