With the long days of summer upon us we are always looking for a light and refreshing drink to cool off with. One of our favorite recipes comes from the Nutrition Twins is simple to make and leaves you feeling light without any bloating.
From the moment you cut into the lime and pinch off the leaves of mint their refreshing and invigorating scent instantly revitalizes our mind. If that isn’t enough to quench your thirst, This Minty Lime Iced Green “Flat Belly” Tea packs some great health benefits as well.
Green Tea – Green tea revs up your metabolism and is packed with antioxidants and catechins that help fight cell damage that has been associated with everything from reducing cancer, lowering systemic inflammation, lowering blood pressure to protecting your brain against cognitive decline.
Limes– Limes may be small but they are a nutrition powerhouse packed with vitamin C, antioxidants that are important compounds that defend your cells against free radicals that can cause damage to cells leading to illness.
Mint – This powerful little leaf contains phytonutrients with antioxidant-like properties, which may reduce cellular damage caused by oxidative stress. If you have IBS, Peppermint oil has been linked with reducing pain, stomach upset, and other symptoms of IBS. To top it off mint helps boost your immune system by providing nearly half your daily needs of vitamin A which helps protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Minty Lime Iced Green “Flat Belly” Tea
Ingredients
- 1 bag green tea
- 8 oz water
- 1/2 small lime juiced
- 2-3 mint leaves
- ice to chill
Instructions
- Prepare green tea according to package directions. (We heated water, just until it bubbled, not a rolling boil., Then we poured it over the green tea bag, let steep for 5 minutes and then removed the tea bag. For stronger tea you can steep longer).
- While tea is steeping, juice 1/2 of a small lime in a small dish.
- Add the mint leaves into the lime juice and muddle (press the leaves into the dish to release their healthful oils) slightly to release their oils.
- Once tea has cooled slightly, pour tea over ice, add in lime/mint juice. You can include the leaves or leave them out, either way you will get their minty effect.