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Iced Naturally Sweet Tea Without Sugar

I love making this naturally sweet tea and keeping a bottle in the fridge year round. It’s made with fresh-squeezed fruit juices and fresh mint, and everyone who tries this tea asks for the recipe!

I sweeten our iced tea with organic unprocessed agave nectar, a mild-flavored, all-natural sweetener that is harvested from wild agave plants. It has a low glycemic index, but is 1.4 times sweeter than refined sugar.

This citrus tea is one of my family’s favorite cool drinks, along with our old-fashioned homemade lemonadered currant honey iced tea and iced coffee.

A glass of naturally sweetened iced tea garnished with a lemon slice and fresh mint.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Refreshing Taste: You’ll love the sweet, tangy, and minty flavors of this delicious, thirst-quenching tea!

Quality Ingredients: Most store-bought sweetened iced teas are full of high fructose corn syrup, and the ‘light’ versions are loaded with artificial sweeteners. Instead, make your own cool, delicious sweetened tea with natural ingredients and enjoy a superior product.

Save Money: Making your own sweet citrus tea is much less expensive than buying bottled or canned teas. Plus, you’ll keep unnecessary bottles out of landfill.

Ingredients Notes

Two lemons and a bunch of fresh mint.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this mint citrus flavored tea recipe:

2 quarts cold water (2 quarts = 8 cups) – Spring water or filtered water will give your ice tea the purest flavor

6 tea bags of your choice – You can use your favorite black tea for a more traditional flavor, oolong tea for a smooth taste, hibiscus for a more tart, fruity flavor, herbal tea, green tea, or whatever type you like best.

1 large handful fresh mint leaves, washed – If it’s not mint season, you can often find fresh mint at Asian or international grocery stores

3 – 4 tablespoons agave nectar – Look for organic, raw or unprocessed agave nectar if possible. You can also substitute honey if you prefer.

2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice – You’ll get about 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice from one regular lemon. Feel free to adjust this amount to suit your tastebuds!

The juice of one large orange – You’ll get about 4 to 5 tablespoons of juice from a large orange.

Additional fresh mint sprigs and lemon slices or wedges for garnish

Equipment Needed

You probably have these kitchen tools on hand:

  • Large saucepan or pot
  • Wire mesh strainer
  • Lidded 2 quart pitcher or container

Step by Step Instructions

Note: If the tea bags have tags, remove them. If they have strings, tie them all together to make removing the tea bags easier.

STEP ONE: In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a full rolling boil.

STEP TWO: Remove from the heat and add the tea bags and fresh mint. Allow to steep for 30 minutes.

STEP THREE: Strain the mixture and add the agave nectar, lemon and orange juices; stir until combined.

STEP FOUR: Cool to room temperature, pour in an airtight container and refrigerate. 

STEP FIVE: Serve the tea over ice and garnish with mint sprigs and lemon if you wish

How to Store Iced Agave Tea

Store the citrus tea in an airtight container. The tea will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

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A glass of naturally sweetened iced tea garnished with a lemon slice and fresh mint.

Iced Naturally Sweet Tea

Eliza Cross
This refreshing iced tea is steeped with mint and naturally sweetened with a tantalizing blend of fresh lemon juice, orange juice, and agave nectar.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Course Beverages
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 36 kcal

Equipment

  • large saucepan
  • wire mesh strainer
  • 2 quart pitcher

Ingredients
  

  • 2 quarts cold water
  • 6 tea bags
  • 1 large handful fresh mint leaves washed
  • 4 tablespoons agave nectar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • the juice of one large orange
  • mint sprigs and lemon slices or wedges

Instructions
 

  • Note: If the tea bags have tags, remove them; if they have strings, tie them all together to make removing the tea bags easier.
  • Heat the water to a full rolling boil in a large saucepan.
  • Remove from the heat and add the tea bags and fresh mint. Allow to steep for 30 minutes.
  • Strain the mixture into a lidded pitcher and add the agave nectar, lemon and orange juices; stir until combined. Cool to room temperature, put the lid on the pitcher, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  • Serve the tea over ice and garnish with mint sprigs and lemon wedges or slices.

Notes

Storage: Store the tea in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 36kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.003gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.003gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 0.03mg
Keyword agave nectar, fresh mint, lemon juice, orange juice
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A tall glass of agave sweet iced tea garnished with fresh mint leaves and a lemon slice.

This recipe was originally posted on July 22, 2009. It has been updated with new photos and information.

About Eliza Cross

Eliza Cross is the author of 17 books, including Small Bites and 101 Things To Do With Bacon. She shares ideas to simplify cooking, gardening, time and money. She is also the owner of Cross Media, Inc. and founder of the BENSA Bacon Lovers Society.

4 thoughts on “Iced Naturally Sweet Tea Without Sugar”

  1. Hi,

    Might I suggest trying Zevia. Zevia is the first All Natural, 0 Calorie, Stevia sweetened soda in the world! No Aspartame & No Splenda! Six delicious flavors including Cola, Orange, Twist, Ginger Root Beet, Ginger Ale and Black Cherry. I think Zevia might fit in very well with your sound advice for reader to stop using artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup. If yo uwould like to try and potentially review zevia please email l me at ian at zevia dot com and I will gladly send you samples.

    -Ian

    Reply
  2. Pingback: Hug This Lemon Tree
  3. It’s refreshing. I like the sweet tea when I feel thirst during summer season. Tea is magical to me. I really appreciate what I have now because of tea.

    Reply
  4. hi there,
    for an even more minty splash use mint tea bags and also make ice cubes from the tea so as not to loose any flavour as ice melts in your tall refreshing glass of iced tea. make a mint party out of it all by serving lamb with mint,mint in a salad, mint ice cream and mint filled cookies. ok so i’ve gone over the top with the mint but you get the idea….

    Reply

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