Artificial Flavors Free Lemon-Basil Mint Green Tea
Every ingredient in this refreshing drink is exactly what it says it is — fresh herbs, real citrus, raw honey, and green tea bags, nothing more. That matters when you're trying to avoid the synthetic flavor compounds that sneak into so many bottled teas and store-bought lemonade blends. Steeping the mint and basil directly in the hot water pulls out their natural oils, so the flavor is bright and complex without any artificial shortcuts. The lemon juice goes in fresh-squeezed, and the raw honey dissolves into a gentle sweetness that tastes nothing like the flavored syrups used in commercial drinks. Keeping the water just below a simmer is the key move here — it protects the green tea from going bitter and lets the herbs shine. Poured over ice with a few lemon slices, this is the kind of drink that makes you wonder why you ever reached for a bottle in the first place.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 cups water
- 4 green tea bags
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1–2 lemons)
For serving
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced (optional)
- ice, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of water to 175°F (80°C) in a small saucepan — just below a simmer, with small bubbles beginning to form at the bottom. Remove from heat.
- 2
Add the green tea bags, mint leaves, and basil leaves to the hot water. Steep for 4–5 minutes, until the tea is a clear golden-green and the herbs are fragrant. Do not steep longer, as the tea can turn bitter.
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