Paraben Free Iced Green Tea with Lemon
Bright, citrusy, and genuinely refreshing, this iced green tea is the kind of drink that makes you wonder why you ever bought the bottled stuff. Plenty of commercial teas and flavored beverages contain preservatives and synthetic additives that people avoiding parabens and similar compounds want nothing to do with — this recipe sidesteps all of that with just a handful of clean, recognizable ingredients. The key to a smooth, non-bitter cup is steeping the bags at 175°F rather than a rolling boil, which coaxes out the tea's delicate grassy sweetness without any harshness. Fresh lemon juice adds a lively tartness that no concentrate can replicate, and a touch of honey or sugar rounds everything out beautifully. Pouring the brewed tea over ice and letting it chill slowly keeps the flavor balanced and the color a gorgeous pale golden-green. Garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint and it looks as good as it tastes — effortlessly elegant for a backyard afternoon or a quiet morning at home.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 cups water
- 4 green tea bags
- 2 tbsp honey sugar or granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1–2 lemons)
- 2 cups ice cubes
For serving
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of water to 175°F (80°C) in a medium saucepan — just below a simmer, with small bubbles beginning to form at the bottom. Remove from heat.
- 2
Add the tea bags and steep for 2–3 minutes, until the tea is a pale golden-green. Remove and discard the bags without squeezing them.
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