Hot weather replacement for hot herbal tea

JoAnna4731
JoAnna4731 Posts: 115 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello! My initial weight loss goal is a total 28 lb. loss, which I am taking very, very slowly (.5 lb per week). I am over half way there (16 lbs down since Christmas - woot!) and one way I have kept the munchies away all winter has been by drinking TONS of hot herbal tea. No calories, and lots of tasty (even indulgent) flavors. My favorites are those that remind me of dessert, like cinnamon, apple, almond, etc. It has been especially effective for me because it takes no time to make a cup of tea (I have a hot water dispenser in my office kitchen!)

But as the summer time and hot weather rolls in, I am doubting that hot tea is going to be as appetizing. Does anyone have any suggestions for an easy zero-calorie cold beverage? I guess I could make iced tea, but that takes effort, time, and storage in my fridge, which I don't have.

Replies

  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,281 Member
    I sometimes cheat the clock with iced tea by brewing it strong (use more tea) and then pouring it over ice. I pour the steeped cup of tea over about 4 ice cubes until it cools it a bit, then toss a few more cubes into it that won't melt immediately. The tea is extra strong, the melted ice then dilutes it to the right flavor. Other than that, flavored seltzer water is zero calorie. I haven't tried water enhancers myself, but I hear about them a lot on mfp forums.
  • JoAnna4731
    JoAnna4731 Posts: 115 Member
    girlwithcurls2 wrote: »
    I sometimes cheat the clock with iced tea by brewing it strong (use more tea) and then pouring it over ice. I pour the steeped cup of tea over about 4 ice cubes until it cools it a bit, then toss a few more cubes into it that won't melt immediately. The tea is extra strong, the melted ice then dilutes it to the right flavor. Other than that, flavored seltzer water is zero calorie. I haven't tried water enhancers myself, but I hear about them a lot on mfp forums.

    That's a great idea! Never tried that, but I'm going to now :smiley:
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    edited May 2018
    I like the Mio water enhancers, and, once it's warm enough, I make room for a pitcher of iced tea in my fridge. It pretty much lives there all summer (though it does come out for a rinse when the tea is gone).

    ~Lyssa
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    I like the Mio water enhancers, and, once it's warm enough, I make room for a pitcher of iced tea in my fridge. It pretty much lives there all summer (though it does come out for a rinse when the tea is gone).

    ~Lyssa

    This^

    I have a pitcher of iced tea in my fridge almost all the time. Twinings berry (herbal) is a favorite.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,740 Member
    Iced tea, flavored if you like, is the way to go. I keep two large pitchers in my fridge all the time. For summer, flavors like lemon and ginger and peach are refreshing as are the berry flavors.
  • Crafty_camper123
    Crafty_camper123 Posts: 1,440 Member
    Celestial seasonings makes single serve cold brew tea bags. They're pretty good. Otherwise as mentioned above, I'll make strong hot tea, then pour it over a glass of ice. Or I'll drink the flavor packets or drink enhancers. Flavored seltzer water is good.(Like Perrier or Lacroix) They also make water with added flavors that are pretty good too.
  • Aplant77
    Aplant77 Posts: 112 Member
    I make my herbal teas hot and then chill them. They are just as tasty cold as they are hot!
  • Fitnessgirl0913
    Fitnessgirl0913 Posts: 481 Member
    I bought one of these for making hot tea to iced tea during the summer and it works really well! Of course you can just dump hot tea over ice too but I love fancy tea gadgets hahaha

    https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/search/?q=ice+tea+press&lang=en_US
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Get yourself one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005OTXI/ref=psdc_3117950011_t1_B001J5FN48

    This was one of the first appliances I got when I moved into my own place, and I still use it every day. I always have a pitcher of iced tea in the fridge. Use any sort of tea you like (I just put loose leaf teas in a paper coffee filter). I don't bother putting ice in the pitcher; I just use water, and stick it in the fridge when it's done. You can add granulated sweeteners in the same compartment as the tea, or just brew it unsweetened. If you prefer liquid sweeteners, I would put those in the pitcher with the water before you brew the tea.

    There is a 3 quart version (the model I have), but if you don't have much fridge space, you would probably prefer the smaller one.
  • JoAnna4731
    JoAnna4731 Posts: 115 Member
    Fitnessgirl0913 wrote: »
    I bought one of these for making hot tea to iced tea during the summer and it works really well! Of course you can just dump hot tea over ice too but I love fancy tea gadgets hahaha

    https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/search/?q=ice+tea+press&lang=en_US
    apullum wrote: »
    Get yourself one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005OTXI/ref=psdc_3117950011_t1_B001J5FN48

    This was one of the first appliances I got when I moved into my own place, and I still use it every day. I always have a pitcher of iced tea in the fridge. Use any sort of tea you like (I just put loose leaf teas in a paper coffee filter). I don't bother putting ice in the pitcher; I just use water, and stick it in the fridge when it's done. You can add granulated sweeteners in the same compartment as the tea, or just brew it unsweetened. If you prefer liquid sweeteners, I would put those in the pitcher with the water before you brew the tea.

    There is a 3 quart version (the model I have), but if you don't have much fridge space, you would probably prefer the smaller one.

    So much YESSS!! Thanks for the tips on these - I had NO IDEA that these even existed.
  • brookielaw
    brookielaw Posts: 814 Member
    iced tea and fresh-squeezed lemonade. I've gotten REALLY into making the lemonade lately.
  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
    Family favourites in this heat as alternative choices to hot teas (in our case iced chais, oolong (hot), etc) is:

    Agua fresca (our version), preferring tamarind, Jamaica hibiscus and horchata.

    If it does get to the triple digits, we prefer to match heat with heat, which is how the Indians of India do it. It's to promote sweating cool-ation.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    In the summer I make splenda sweetened kompot drink in advance whenever I have any fruits that are starting to get overripe and keep it in the fridge. It's basically real fruit flavored water, the poaching liquid of fruits if that makes sense. Very refreshing. Not as quick to prepare as the stuff above, but I prefer it to anything else in hot weather.

    We have a hibiscus tree, and I take advantage of that sometimes.

    I also make ayran sometimes (regular plain yogurt, ice cold water or crushed ice, salt, and mint). Great after a workout for electrolytes.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I love super strong iced tea. I drink it by the truckload during the summer. For some reason when it's extra hot, I just don't feel like (diet) soda. I drink a lot of seltzer water, too, but there's something about iced tea when't it's HOT.
  • ursula130
    ursula130 Posts: 47 Member
    JoAnna4731 wrote: »
    Hello! My initial weight loss goal is a total 28 lb. loss, which I am taking very, very slowly (.5 lb per week). I am over half way there (16 lbs down since Christmas - woot!) and one way I have kept the munchies away all winter has been by drinking TONS of hot herbal tea. No calories, and lots of tasty (even indulgent) flavors. My favorites are those that remind me of dessert, like cinnamon, apple, almond, etc. It has been especially effective for me because it takes no time to make a cup of tea (I have a hot water dispenser in my office kitchen!)

    But as the summer time and hot weather rolls in, I am doubting that hot tea is going to be as appetizing. Does anyone have any suggestions for an easy zero-calorie cold beverage? I guess I could make iced tea, but that takes effort, time, and storage in my fridge, which I don't have.

    Hot tea is still great, never goes out of style. Try some other flavours, lemon lime, ginger lemon....etc
  • valleemic
    valleemic Posts: 103 Member
    We had a hot day today and while hubby was drinking beer on the deck, I had Perrier on ice with lemon juice. Yummy and refreshing!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Make iced tea using the same herbal tea.
  • jjalbertt
    jjalbertt Posts: 98 Member
    I bought an iced tea press, it's a single serve travel mug. I basically steep the tea and once it's done I pressed a mesh compartment full of ice cubes into it and BAM iced tea.
  • jjalbertt
    jjalbertt Posts: 98 Member
    This is what I have, it's super easy and quick. https://www.davidstea.com/ca_en/teaware/teal-iced-tea-press/901711DT01VAR0032708.html
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Late spring - early fall, after my first cup of "Earl Grey, hot" I have room temperature tea. If it's really hot out, I might toss in a few ice cubes.

    I brew it strong, for example, 1 C of water for one tea bag of Celestial Seasoning Peach plus one bag of black, and after it has steeped add 2 cups of refrigerator water. Then I leave it on the counter.

    That's my standard tea, but I also have other flavors like black cherry, mango, etc., for when I need some variety.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    I love those LaCroix infused waters. You can make your own water with mint, citrus, or berries. You can also do iced tea if thats your thing. I love hot tea even in summer, but then I'm half Persian so...
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    Crafty_camper123 wrote: »
    Celestial seasonings makes single serve cold brew tea bags. They're pretty good. Otherwise as mentioned above, I'll make strong hot tea, then pour it over a glass of ice. Or I'll drink the flavor packets or drink enhancers. Flavored seltzer water is good.(Like Perrier or Lacroix) They also make water with added flavors that are pretty good too.

    target has some pretty good selters too.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    edited May 2018
    Cold brewed herbal tea!!! Or hot brewed iced herbal tea if you need it faster :). For cold brew just place 3-4 tea bags in ice water and refrigerate over night, for hot brewed iced tea steep tea as usual but in less hot water and then pour over ice.

    These can be made just as single cups, no need for extra storage, if you think this is too much work for a cup of tea then... idk water with lemon juice?
  • mrumlor
    mrumlor Posts: 92 Member
    I use fruit tea bags or herbal tea. Just brew it cold. Cold tap water (i use a liter) and a couple tea bags and put it in the fridge overnight. Adjust tea to water ratio to your tastes.

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