Gut Friendly Sparkling Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea
This drink is the kind of thing you make once and immediately want to keep in your fridge all week. Fresh blueberries are simmered down with maple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest into a vibrant, jewel-toned syrup that carries real fruit flavor — no artificial dyes, no refined sugar, no mystery additives. Black tea brings a gentle tannin backbone that keeps the whole thing grounded and satisfying rather than cloying. The sparkling water finish adds a lively fizz that makes it feel festive without any of the gut-irritating ingredients found in most commercial sodas or bottled teas. Blueberries are loaded with polyphenols and antioxidants, and pairing them with lemon gives you a bright, anti-inflammatory boost in every sip. It's endlessly customizable too — a little extra lemon juice stirred in at the end can sharpen the flavor to exactly where you want it. Serve it over a tall glass of ice with a few fresh berries floating on top and it looks as good as it tastes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the tea
- 4 black tea bags
- 3 cups boiling water
For the blueberry-lemon syrup
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
To finish
- 2 cups sparkling water, chilled
- ice, for serving
For serving
- fresh blueberries and lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the tea bags in a heatproof pitcher or large bowl. Pour 3 cups of boiling water over them and steep for 5 minutes, then remove the bags without squeezing. Set the brewed tea aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- 2
While the tea steeps, combine the blueberries, 1/2 cup water, maple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries burst and the syrup is slightly thickened, about 8–10 minutes.
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