Grapefruit Mint Iced Green Tea (+ Sangria Recipe)

Grapefruit Mint Iced Green Tea is a revitalizing and refreshing drink sweetened with honey and I think this is the best Iced Green Tea! Using tea bags, this recipe couldn't be easier. And if you're up for the 8-hour wait, you can easily make this using the cold brew method too. 

 

 

This Iced Green Tea is flavored with grapefruit, mint, lemon, honey, and orange for a round yet tart and refreshing experience. The combination of all the citrus fruits makes the difference.

 

And because I know how you think, I added how to super easily make this into the white wine sangria of the summer! And if you like that, you will love this mulled white wine for fall.

 

If you like this grapefruit and orange blend, I am confident you would also love this blood orange and grapefruit hot cider! 

 

 

The reason why I came up with this recipe is a hot green tea by Lipton. Their green tea with citrus is flavored with grapefruit, lime, and lemon and it was amazing.

 

I believe it was the grapefruit that made this drink extra special. I am not sponsored in any way, but it was so good! But I knew I had to recreate it to fit a refreshing and cold summer drink. 

 

Other cold and refreshing drinks are this iced herbal tea with hibiscus, mild guava white tea, or a new summery favorite is this raspberry rhubarb iced tea. My newest obsession is this roasted oolong milk tea, so creamy yet low-calorie!

 

Many of my cocktails also have instructions to make them into non-alcoholic mocktails such as a classic mojito and cucumber pomegranate lemonade. I also love to make my favorite cocktails into boozy popsicles!

 

Summer won't always be around, and sometimes we want hot tea to warm us up. You can of course serve this hot as well, or you can try this soothing sore throat tea with honey and ginger (caffeine-free). 

 

What are the benefits of green tea?

 

Green tea is one of the healthiest beverages you could drink. Loaded with antioxidants that can help improve brain function, promote fat loss, protect against cancer and lower the risk of heart diseases. It can also reduce bad breath, prevent type 2 diabetes and help you live longer!

 

Tea is rich in polyphenols, natural compounds that have various health benefits, such as reducing inflammation and helping to fight cancer. 

 

Green tea also contains a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). These substances prevent cell damage and protect against aging and many types of diseases.

 

I know all this sounds like just a bunch of advanced words, but the bottom line is - green tea is good for you!

 

 

 

What are the benefits of grapefruit?

 

A superfruit that also tastes amazing, here are some of the health benefits of grapefruit:

 

• Good for hydration
• It's low in calories
• High in nutrients and antioxidants
• Rich in vitamin A and E which are immune-boosting
• Improves cholesterol levels
• Reducing the risk of kidney stones
• Lowering triglycerides
• Controls blood sugar
• Lowers blood pressure
• and it can even speed up healing wounds!

 

If you have any more grapefruit you want to use, I recommend baking them for a healthy breakfast. I've included 3 different recipes in this healthy baked grapefruit recipe. And for that special brunch, these beautiful elderflower grapefruit mimosas or grapefruit plum cocktails!

 

 

How to Make It

 

You don't have to make this iced green tea using the cold brew method. I usually don't! But cold brewing ensures that the green tea will be less acidic and potentially less bitter.

 

That is also why we have to wait for the water to be below 170F (75C) if we're using the 'hot brew' method. If the water temperature is higher than this, the green tea will release some bitter components, making it a more unpleasant experience.

 

Cold brewing is super simple though - it just takes time! Instead of hot water, simply start with cold water. Add the tea bags directly into the cold water and place this in the fridge overnight.

 

If you want to sweeten this drink with honey, I recommend boiling the water, adding honey so it can dissolve, and then cool completely. Then add in the green tea bags and chill overnight in the fridge.

 

 

For the impatient of us - use warm water. Compared to the 8hrs+ it takes to cold brew tea, using 170F (75C) water only takes 2-3 minutes. And it's easier to dissolve the honey.

 

You still need to wait for the iced tea to become - iced - but for the impatient of us, just simply pour the lukewarm tea with a bunch of ice cubes into a large glass. 

 

I don't know if this is any 'better than the one from Starbucks' as I've never tried that one. What I do know is that this is my favorite iced green tea recipe and I urge you to give it a try!

 

We don't need those highly sweetened coffee house drinks, right? Perfect to enjoy on a hot summer day with mango and avocado summer rolls or a watermelon salad.

 

 

A summery white wine sangria

 

When I first made this iced green tea with citrus, I realized this would be perfect as a sangria as well! And bonus; it quickly serves 8 instead of 4.  

 

I do it super simple here, and just pour chilled white wine and vodka into the chilled tea. You can leave this in the fridge for an additional 4 hours, to mellow the flavors even more - but I can never wait that long. 

 

A sangria often uses a liqueur and sweet fruit as sweeteners, and this sangria uses vodka and citrus which are not that sweet themselves. That's when the honey comes into play. If you don't like a sweet sangria, you can simply leave it out too.

 

Sangria is often topped with something bubbly like prosecco or sparkling water. In this case, I think it would dilute the drink too much considering we're already using iced tea.

 

But of course, if you want to, top it with something bubbly! If you're ready for a red wine sangria, I highly recommend this cranberry orange sangria.

 

 

Did you like this iced green tea? Here are more refreshing summer drinks:

 

• Iced Hibiscus Tea
• Iced Black Tea with Ginger and Lemon
• Cucumber Pomegranate Lemonade
• Homemade Berry Cordial
• Classic Mojito
• Apricot Rosemary Gin Fizz
• + bonus for tea lovers: Earl Grey Ice Cream

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Comment below or tag me @thegingerwithspice on Instagram. And don’t forget to Pin it for later! To make sure you’re never missing another recipe, please feel free to subscribe to my newsletter. As thanks, you will receive a free e-cookbook Travels Through the Seasons, with many delicious recipes from around the world that suit different seasons of the year. 

 

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