Dietitians Dish – February 10, 2020
Keep working on making habits effortless!
Habit #2 – Drink 8-ounces of a calorie-free beverage before you eat.
Drinking enough water to stay properly hydrated benefits the body, but water is not the only option. Swap your pre-meal glass of water with a green tea-based drink to keep your taste buds happy! Calorie-free options, like brewed tea, have even more health benefits than water alone.
Green tea is a source of fluoride, a mineral that strengthens teeth. Tea is also a natural source of manganese, an essential mineral needed for bone formation, which plays a role in energy metabolism. Flavonoids are also typically found in tea, and help to maintain normal blood vessel function.
Brew a cup or pitcher of green tea and drink it hot or iced. Vary the flavors with the addition of natural sweeteners and/or some fresh fruit combinations.
The addition of red berries would make a lovely Valentine’s beverage!
Iced Green Tea
Ingredients:
- 4 cups water
- 4 green tea bags
- 6 cups of ice cubes
- Sweetener (optional)
- Fruit, slices or chunks (optional)
Directions:
- Boil the water, turn off and let stand a few minutes so temperature drops slightly.
- Add tea bags to a pitcher and pour boiled water over them, allowing them to submerge and steep for 3-5 minutes.
- Remove tea bags, add sweetener and/or fruit (if desired).
- Stir in 6 cups of ice cubes (or 4 cups of cold water).
- For a natural sweetener, thoroughly mix 2 Tablespoons of honey with a 1/2 cup of hot water until dissolved into a syrup. Use by the teaspoon until reaching desired sweetness.