Cold-brewed tea has its perks.
You’ve heard of cold-brewed coffee. But have you ever thought about cold-brewed tea? Using cold water instead of hot water extracts more of the flavors slowly over several hours. Which makes for a smoother, less bitter and cleaner tasting tea.
Cold brew tea has less caffeine than hot tea, so it’s easier on the stomach. If you love the taste of tea, you can drink more of it without experiencing the side effects of too much caffeine.
But great taste and less caffeine aren’t the only benefits of cold brew tea. Some research shows that cold brewing at a longer duration may have more health benefits than the traditional method of steeping tea leaves in hot water.
A 2015 study in the Journal of Food Science and Technology reported that cold water steeping maximized tea’s health benefits, including a higher antioxidant activity and total phenolics and gallic acid content.
So this summer, treat yourself to some cold-brewed tea. You’ll love the smooth taste. Plus, the greater antioxidant power could help protect your body from free radicals which may play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.
How To Make Cold-Brew Iced Tea
BREWING GUIDE
TEA: 1.5 teaspoons loose tea or 1 tea sachet /bag
WATER: 1 cup (8 fl. oz.)
WATER TEMPERATURE: Cold
STEEP TIME: 12 hours
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Loose tea or tea sachets / bags
- Filtered water
- Glass container with lid
DIRECTIONS
- Put tea and water in a glass container. Use cool or room temperature water. Filtered water makes the best-tasting tea.
- Cover pitcher and place in refrigerator for at least 12 hours. (Green teas should cold brew for only three hours.)
- Strain tea leaves or remove tea sachet/bag.
- Pour into a cup. Then serve with or without ice.