iced tea addiction...

vidvox
vidvox Posts: 62 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been working at this lifestyle change thing for a few months now, and have seen a bit of success. However I know that one problem holding me back is that I drink too much iced tea, sometimes up to 3 cans a day. For clarification, where I'm from there's no such thing as buying unsweetened iced tea - all that's sold in stores and restaurants is the sweetened stuff.

So I should just switch to water, right? I do actually drink copious amounts of water every day, too, so keeping hydrated isn't the problem. The problem is that I'm on several medications that leave me with a severely dry mouth all the time. And for whatever reason, when I have a dry mouth water doesn't help (I know it sounds crazy but it's true). Only drinking something sweet seems to quench the thirst.

I don't drink pop (soda) and I try to avoid artificial sweeteners. I'm looking for some ideas to kick the iced tea habit and quench the dry mouth problem with something healthier. I'd love some suggestions??

Replies

  • Melissaol
    Melissaol Posts: 948 Member
    I drink ice tea also. It's crystal light. But it's like the only way I can drink water.
  • mensasu
    mensasu Posts: 355 Member
    Why not make your own iced green tea without any added sweetener. Add a dash of lemon or mint. Then fill a portable water bottle with it.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    I live in North Carolina, and if I can get unsweetened tea here, you must be able to get it. Sometimes I have to go through the drive through twice because they mess it up, but they have it :). Some people look at me strange, because I don't even like artificial sweeteners. Just unsweetened tea. And hey, you can make your own! I do that a lot. Lemon is great with it. I use it instead of water. I do not care for water much.
  • mensasu
    mensasu Posts: 355 Member
    I live in North Carolina, and if I can get unsweetened tea here, you must be able to get it. Sometimes I have to go through the drive through twice because they mess it up, but they have it :). Some people look at me strange, because I don't even like artificial sweeteners. Just unsweetened tea. And hey, you can make your own! I do that a lot. Lemon is great with it. I use it instead of water. I do not care for water much.

    Bottled, canned and powdered unsweetened ice tea is pretty much imposible in Canada - I usually have to make a trip to the US to get some, so if the OP is in Canada like me, she will have to resort to making her own.
  • karlyelindsay
    karlyelindsay Posts: 25 Member
    Lipton sells tea bags for cold brew you just add water and let it brew.
  • vidvox
    vidvox Posts: 62 Member
    Yep, I'm in Canada too! Thanks for all the great ideas so far!
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    Is there a reason you don't make your own? I LOVE tea. One of the ladies I work with bought too much loose leaf tea at the Russian grocery and she gave it to me. Black tea, currant and strawberry. OMG it tastes like heaven. She also has one with rose leaves in it. The flavor is still very tea like, but there is a subtle sweet hint that is so good. I have an infuser mug so I can make it a cup at a time.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
    Yep, I'm in Canada too! Thanks for all the great ideas so far!

    My apologies...when you said you couldn't get it, I assumed you were from the south :). It can be difficult to get it in the south in the US (unsweetened that is).
  • citizencrp
    citizencrp Posts: 228 Member
    I gave up the sweetened (and fake sweetened) iced teas years ago and I love unsweet tea. I'm lucky, I guess, that I can get that many places I go, but I also make it every day. I actually make a lot of herbal tea every night and then let it cool enough to put in the fridge and then switch it over to my water bottle and drink a bunch the next day.
    I like lemon/ginger and mint, and something called Tulsi Tea.
    And occasionally I'll make real black iced tea. Yum.
    But I always have my kettle going and a pitcher in the fridge.
    I highly recommend it.
  • chlorisaann
    chlorisaann Posts: 366 Member
    I brew my own by the gallon, Daily.... I go through that much... :blushing: I also mix 2 family sized bags of regular black tea with 2 small bags of flavored green tea to get different flavors based on my mood...
  • xoyasminxo
    xoyasminxo Posts: 132
    You can buy black tea bags for fairly cheap and make your own by the gallon. I would do that with no sugar or sweetener. However, water is always better.
  • xoyasminxo
    xoyasminxo Posts: 132
    I gave up the sweetened (and fake sweetened) iced teas years ago and I love unsweet tea. I'm lucky, I guess, that I can get that many places I go, but I also make it every day. I actually make a lot of herbal tea every night and then let it cool enough to put in the fridge and then switch it over to my water bottle and drink a bunch the next day.
    I like lemon/ginger and mint, and something called Tulsi Tea.
    And occasionally I'll make real black iced tea. Yum.
    But I always have my kettle going and a pitcher in the fridge.
    I highly recommend it.

    Tulsi tea is definitely an acquired taste, but when I get sick it always helps a lot. I just can't get past the "holy basil" in it. I drink it anyway.
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
    I drink ice tea also. It's crystal light. But it's like the only way I can drink water.

    On occasions I get bored lugging around my gallon of water so Ill add crystal light. But the sodium and aspartame bug me out so its only once in a while.

    You could try brewing half a gallon with 5-6 bags of your choice in tea (green tea is amazing for weight loss) and adding it back into a gallon of water. Lemons also work but the acidity isnt desirable long term.
  • IceDragon72
    IceDragon72 Posts: 48
    Look at the aisle with coffee/tea in your local grocery store. You should be able to find boxes/bags of plain tea (no sugar added-check labels!) that you can brew on your own. Lipton makes a great cold-brew unsweetened tea that I love. You should also be able to find bags of unsweetened green tea that you can brew the same way as iced tea.

    If you are unable to find these items, there is always Amazon.com. :)
  • leska1216
    leska1216 Posts: 260
    Lipton sells tea bags for cold brew you just add water and let it brew.

    Great idea!! I do this all the time.

    #1 -- 4 teabags into 2 liter container. Place in sun until desired darkness/flavour. Throw out teabags. Now, if you really need to, you can lightly sweeten to your taste. I never sweeten. Adding lemon is good, or add other herbs to your liking.

    #2 -- 4 teabags into 2 liter container. Place in fridge overnight. Finish as above.

    If you must sweeten, sweeten the whole jug not the glassful.

    Both are very good
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    You don't need to buy cold brew tea. Just add ice!

    ETA I didn't get what people meant so I Googled it, you don't need special cold brew tea bags to make sun tea etc. Regular tea will work.
  • vbrent07
    vbrent07 Posts: 115
    I'm addicted to iced tea too! Although I love to buy the bottles of lipton ice tea at the store, I just buy the tea bags and make my own. This controls my sugar because I don't add any and also saves money! Also, I have an iced tea maker and brews a big batch of tea similar to a coffee maker!
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
    Flavored iced tea you make yourself? There are so many flavors, especially if you invest in some kind of infuser so you can buy loose tea instead of just bags. If you have to have the sugar, start with lightly sweetening it, and then each week cut your sweetener down until you don't use any sugar. I did it, it works!

    Adagio has some great teas! I love the apricot green tea, nom!
  • somanyrhoades
    somanyrhoades Posts: 107 Member
    mmmmm, ice tea! IF you can't buy unsweetened tea, make your own! you can get a tea maker at walmart or target. I think they are like 30 bucks or so. then you can buy tea bags and make your own! You could even sweeten it yourself with a little sugar (like a teaspoon per cup, far less than what one can of presweetened tea has it). Breaking myself of sweetened beverages has been the hardest thing I have had to do so far on this journey, and I still haven't completely done it, but I was drinking like 300-500 calories a day! I'd much rather save those for food. Also, they make tea infusers now for relatively cheap. They have a column in the middle of the pitcher that you can put fruit into to flavor the tea, which is a much better way to sweeten. I don't have one yet, but it's on my stuff to get list! If you are having trouble eliminating sweet tea completely, start small. Limit yourself to one or two a day at first and gradually reduce your intake. Eventually you won't even want it as much!
  • paintlisapurple
    paintlisapurple Posts: 982 Member
    I live in North Carolina, and if I can get unsweetened tea here, you must be able to get it. Sometimes I have to go through the drive through twice because they mess it up, but they have it :). Some people look at me strange, because I don't even like artificial sweeteners. Just unsweetened tea. And hey, you can make your own! I do that a lot. Lemon is great with it. I use it instead of water. I do not care for water much.

    I also live in N.C. and yes, when you go out to eat and order an unsweetened tea you either receive sweet tea (automatic mistake I suppose) or get this kind of "seriously" look quite often. LOL
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
    I'd make your own unsweetened ice tea with lemon if I were you. It'll also save you $$$! :smile:

    But I think you'll find that the less you drink sweetened drinks, the more you'll realize that you actually don't need them like you think you do. They are the only thing that quenches your thirst probably just because your body is addicted to the sugar. Cut it out and you'll most likely find that water is all you really need!
  • amytag
    amytag Posts: 206 Member
    I make a gallon of water each night and slice up a whole lemon and a whole cucumber into it, and add a few sprigs of mint. It has that same "ultra refreshing" feeling as iced tea. Something about the flavor combination is addictive and so fresh. I love sweet tea but the calories just aren't worth it anymore.
  • Melissaol
    Melissaol Posts: 948 Member
    I'm going to try this. Thanks

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