Carrageenan Free Southern Sweet Iced Tea

Sweet, refreshing, and made entirely from scratch, this classic Southern iced tea is the kind of drink that disappears fast on a hot afternoon. What makes it especially worth noting is how clean the ingredient list is — just water, black tea, and sugar, with no store-bought shortcuts that might sneak in unwanted additives. Many bottled and powdered tea mixes rely on stabilizers and thickeners like carrageenan to achieve a smooth, shelf-stable texture, so brewing your own is genuinely the safest and most satisfying route. The method here is simple: steep, sweeten while the tea is still hot so the sugar dissolves completely, then dilute and chill. Skipping the squeeze on the tea bags is a smart touch that keeps the flavor bright and smooth rather than bitter. Serve it over a tall glass of ice with a lemon slice or a sprig of fresh mint for that effortless, porch-ready presentation. Once you taste how good homemade sweet tea can be, the bottled stuff really doesn't stand a chance.

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