Artificial Food Coloring Free Turmeric Green Iced Tea with Lemon
That golden hue in your glass isn't from a dye packet or a flavoring blend — it comes entirely from ground turmeric, which gives this iced tea its gorgeous, sun-warmed color and a gentle earthy depth. For anyone trying to avoid synthetic food dyes, store-bought bottled teas and flavored drinks can be a minefield, but every single ingredient here is clean and recognizable. Green tea forms the base, steeped carefully to avoid bitterness, while ginger, cinnamon, and a pinch of black pepper layer in warmth that makes this feel like so much more than a simple cold drink. Fresh lemon juice brightens everything up and balances the honey's sweetness in a way that feels naturally refreshing rather than sugary. The result is a chilled, complex tea that looks stunning in a glass over ice — the kind of drink you'd expect to pay too much for at a wellness café. It's easy enough to batch ahead and keep in the fridge, ready to pour whenever you need something that feels both nourishing and a little special.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 cups water
- 4 green tea bags
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1–2 lemons)
For serving
- ice, for serving
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the water, turmeric, ginger slices, cinnamon, and black pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then remove from the heat.
- 2
Add the green tea bags to the hot spiced water and steep for 3–4 minutes, until the tea is a deep golden-green. Remove and discard the tea bags — do not squeeze them, as this can make the tea bitter.
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