Fruity Moringa Iced Tea

If you’ve ever had real Southern iced tea, you’ll know that it is heavily sweetened and not very good for your summer waistline. But there is a way to make the perfect iced tea that’s good for your health and really tasty – use moringa tea for your base and add fresh herbs and fruit.

MORINGA ICED TEA BENEFITS

For one, it is a low-calorie and quick way to have moringa. It can be prepared and consumed in a heart-warming beverage during colder months and made into a beautiful iced tea in hotter summer months.

Drinking moringa tea gives you some of the same health benefits as eating moringa, but is simple to make on-the-go (just add hot water!). And for those who may not like the grittiness of moringa mixed into juices or smoothies, moringa tea is a great alternative to getting all of the same energy and nutrition boosting health benefits as moringa powder.

ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids are great for helping your body rid itself of toxins and acts as an anti-carcinogen. Antioxidants also boost your body’s immune system naturally, which is helpful for those with various health conditions like diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.

Some studies show that moringa tea has the same antioxidant power as some of the strongest green teas.

ENERGY

Since moringa leaves are loaded with nutrients, it helps give you a boost of energy, similar to a cup of tea or coffee, without the caffeine crash. For those looking to find a substitute to their morning brew, drinking moringa iced tea is an easy way to do it.

BEAUTIFUL SKIN

Like most herbal teas, moringa tea helps to cleanse the system and women have even reported a decrease in bloating and cramps during menstruation. Anecdotal evidence has even supported that moringa tea can help with boosting your metabolism and aid in digestion, as well as helping with weight loss. When your body functions properly, it is reflected in the health of your body, hair, and skin!

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

A study by the Fisher Clinic has shown a link between moringa and a decrease in pain and inflammation caused by arthritis and other degenerative diseases. Since chronic inflammation is linked to an array different disease and plays a negative role on health, drinking moringa tea is useful to people suffering from different diseases, such as arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and diabetes.

Here are five ways to prepare summer moringa iced tea that will blow your taste buds off this rock and help you chill out by the grill.

Since moringa tea is an herbal tea, please be sure to use water that is under 140°F to retain all of the health benefits to drinking moringa tea.

HOW TO BREW

COLD BREWED

Since heat can kill beneficial nutrients, consider cold brewing your moringa iced tea by placing 2-4 moringa tea bags or 1-2 Tbsps of Moringa Powder in 16 ounces of water and leaving it in your refrigerator for at least one hour.

HOT THEN COLD

If you already have moringa tea bags, take 2-4 teabags and steep them in 12-16 ounces of hot water for up to 10-15 minutes. Pour this straight over ice or let it cool in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 12 hours.

If you are using Pure Moringa Vegetable Powder, place 1-2 Tbsps of Moringa Powder in a coffee maker (use a filter and brew just like you were making your morning cuppa) or French press. Ideally use a ratio of 0.5-1 Tbsp Moringa Powder for every 8 ounces of water.

Alternatively, if you don’t have a coffee maker or French press, mix 1-2 Tbsps of Moringa Powder with 12-16 ounces of hot water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and filter through a coffee filter or a fine strainer.

FLAVOR COMBINATIONS

BERRY SPLASHY

Throw together about a half-cup of strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Dice roughly or muddle them. Add fresh basil leaves and moringa tea. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

GINGER SNAP

Take a 2 inch piece of ginger, peel the skin off, and roughly slice the ginger into thin pieces. Take two lemons, wash the outsides, zest them both, and then juice them. Add your moringa tea and honey to sweeten. Serve over ice and garnish with a slice of lemon.

SPICED PEACHES

To get this warm and sweet blend, take some fresh peaches, muddle them together with a few pieces of peeled ginger. Brew your moringa tea together with cinnamon sticks (1-2, depending on how much you’re making). Mix together and garnish with a cinnamon stick and a dash of nutmeg.

TROPICAL STORM

Muddle or coarsely chop 3 pineapple rings and add the inside of one passion fruit for a tropical flavor combination that will have you dreaming of the islands. Add some mint for a splash of green.

Celebrate this National Iced Tea day with one of these cold concoctions in hand. Share with us your favorite flavor combinations.

About the Author:

Barbara Lee is a blogger and avid lover of traveling, eating local, and the environment. With a BS in Psychology and previous work experiences ranging from non-profit legal work to managing a restaurant in San Francisco, Barbara enjoys pursuing new experiences and living life while using the most natural and organic means possible. Some of her most memorable life moments include watching little blue penguins return to their nests in Melbourne and snorkeling a rift of melted glacier water between tectonic plates in Iceland.  For more posts by Barbara, click here.