Summer is here bringing with it long, lazy days with friends and family, cool drink in hand. And that frosty glass is more likely to be filled with ice tea than ever before. The beverage is the fastest growing on the local market as Aussies catch on to the global trend. Our climate is perfectly suited to ice tea and industry experts predict tea-based milkshakes and smoothies will soon be added to café menus.
Easy does it
The beauty of ice tea is that it is quick and easy to make. In fact, it’s as straight forward as preparing a regular cuppa. Simply add boiling water to the bag or leaves, let it steep to the desired strength and pop in the fridge to cool. There’s no need to use a different variety of tea than what you have at home but summer is a great time to experiment with Madura’s green, white and herbal range.
Mix it up
That tall chilled glass of ice tea is only the beginning. A splash of soda water gives it a summer fizz while a slug of spirits make a cheeky cocktail that will take you through the afternoon and into happy hour. You can dress up a jug of chilled Early Grey with fresh mint, lemon juice and a generous splash of rum for a drink with southern style. Or add moscato, summer berries and citrus to a jug of ice black tea to create Sangria. Swap the alcohol for extra fruit and freeze it into popsicles for the little ones in your life. Your options are limited only by your imagination.
You’re sweet enough
The soft drinks that once dominated the shelves are now jostling for space with ready-to-drink ice tea. They may be convenient, and a better option than a can of soft drink, but those ready-to-drink ice teas often contain a lot of sugar. Making your own ice tea at home allows you to control exactly what goes into the drink. Add some slivers of fruit such as strawberries and peach or a little honey for sweetness to your favourite brew.
Reap the benefits
There are myriad health benefits to drinking tea, and some are especially relevant in the summer. Slipping into your swimsuit could be made easier by adding some iced green tea to your New Year regime. Research indicates that drinking green tea can help kick start your metabolism. There is also evidence to suggest that tea can provide an extra line of defence against the sun’s harmful UV rays. The powerful antioxidants in tea are known to reduce free radical damage and improve overall antioxidant activity. So add a little sipping to your slip, slop, slap routine. Drinking more tea will also keep you hydrated when the mercury rises. The myth that caffeinated teas are dehydrating has been put to bed with studies revealing that even a tea that is high in caffeine provides an overall net gain of fluid.
Treat yourself
Madura’s Let It Chill T Box is the perfect introduction to ice tea. The wooden display case is filled with 72 individually sealed tea bags in six different varieties including Green Tea & Jasmine, Earl Grey, Green Tea & Mint, Camomile, Green Tea & Australian Lemon Myrtle and Peppermint.
Madura Tea, Australia's multi award-winning producer of over twenty tea blends, believe that when you give the gift of tea, you're also giving a gift of relaxation, wellbeing, and tradition. For quality tea gifts online to suit every occasion under one roof visit our online tea store.
