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Iced Green Tea With Fresh Lime - You Have To Love It

By Tony Payne

Iced Green Tea with Fresh Lime really is the most wonderful refreshing drink for summer, and at the same time it gives you a great energy boost.

I spent the last two years living in South Florida, where the heat and humidity of the summer months can really cause the body to become dehydrated, and also just makes you feel exhausted if you spend too much time outside.

At the same time, I was determined to lose weight and to try and improve my fitness, having been in a relationship for 10 years where I did little or no exercise and was not always eating healthily.

I had already broken my habit of drinking coffee every day, which is a common problem with anyone who works in an office. It's far too easy to relieve the frustrations of the working day by heading off to the coffee machine and pouring another cup throughout the day, and so I switched to drinking either Green tea or Water.

Living in a community surrounded by a golf course, which is common in Florida, I had plenty of places to walk, as well as a pool to swim in during the day. In the evening I also often walked the fairways of the golf course with a friend, which was great, being away from the lights and traffic on the main roads, and this helped me to relax and to get the stress of the way off my chest as well.

But I digress away from the theme of this article (very common with me as you will find), so back to the joys of Iced Green Tea With Fresh Lime...

Being outside in the hot sun and the humidity of South Florida in the summer makes you thirsty, in fact more like super thirsty! While energy drinks and sodas can seem to quench your thirst and give you more energy, just looking at the labels tells you that they are full of caffeine, sugar, additives and colorings, plus more often than not high fructose corn syrup, none of which is healthy for you.

I found that filling a large glass with ice, brewing a mug of green tea, allowing it to cool, then pouring it over the ice, made for a refreshing drink, but it needed something more.

I love lemons and limes, and always thought that limes were more sour than lemons, but this really isn't true. With the price of limes (at Walmart) being 10cents each, I decided to try squeezing a whole fresh lime into my iced green tea, and the result is surprisingly refreshing. Rather than tasting too sour, this drink was just perfect to drink, each gulp making your whole body feel more alive and energized.

So what are the benefits of drinking iced green tea with lime instead of sodas or energy drinks?

Well, it has been proven that green tea is loaded with antioxidants, and also helps reduce fluid retention in the body. Limes are loaded with Vitamin C, boosting your immune system and also helping to reduce fluid retention. Between the two of these ingredients, this drink leaves you feeling more alive helps your body rehydrate, and even without exercising you can feel the weight starting to drop off as your body releases fluids.

With my walking up and down seven flights of stairs several times a day, swimming twenty plus lengths in the pool, and walking between two and five miles a day, in just a few months I lost over twenty pounds in weight, at a cost of pennies and without paying anything for expensive supplements.

There are some additional benefits to drinking green tea with lime that you might not be aware of.

Firstly, having squeezed the juice from a lime, you are left with the skin. There are various uses for this, including facial rubs and washes, but I place mine in a bowl of water in the bathroom, or kitchen, and this provides a pleasant citrus aroma for a few days. You can also dip your fingers into the bowl and rub the liquid on your skin for a refreshing citrus splash.

Secondly, I have oily skin, especially on my face. Once the teabag (yes I know, I ought to brew my tea from leaves in a pot) is cool, I use it as a facial scrub. Rubbing the teabag on my face really helps take away a lot of that oiliness, reduces blackheads and pimples, and leaves my skin feeling refreshed and clean.

I am sure that you can find many more uses for the lime and tea bags as well, and I hope you try my iced green tea and fresh lime drink. I will definitely be pleased to see any feedback that you leave, and suggestions on how this can be improved further.

Finally, for me only fresh limes will do of course - no juice concentrate, and my favorite green tea is Uncle Lee's Legends Of China Green Tea which is quite inexpensive. It can be found in stores, including some Walmart's, as well as online. You may prefer other brands, but having tried a number, this is by far my favorite.

I invite you to read more about how I make my favorite drink on My Blog.

Poddys is a blogger and a member of various affiliate programs. Among the things that he writes about, are ways to earn money online that are easy to follow, legal and not scams. Believe in what you are selling, and the sales will follow.

Mmmm.... Sounds refreshing! I live on an island with a climate similar to Florida's. Having lived in Japan I've always considered green tea to be a hot beverage served with rice crackers, but I'll definitely try this out. It might even help me break my coffee addiction and lower my blood pressure. Cheers!

Having come from England, Iced Tea to me was strange at first, but it's very popular in the USA. Iced Green Tea is very good, and if you like Lime or Lemon, adding this makes it a very refreshing drink, especially on a hot day. Some people might need to add sugar, but I really enjoy mine without. I hope you enjoy your drink. Looking forward to hearing back about it.

Thanks, that's always nice to hear :)

I definitely have a preference for tea over coffee, and iced teas are really refreshing. I love your idea for using the skin to provide a refreshing scent to the room.

I have seen oranges sliced, tied up on a string and hung up before too. That works quite well, but you can't do that if you squeeze the juice out. It seems a waste to just throw the skins away when there are uses for them, and the smell of citrus is so good.

Great intel, Tony.
I will certainly give this lime in green tea a good solid try come summer time.
Thanks for sharing.
Keep up the good work.
Frederick

frederick Jan 5, 2010 13:11

I also make green iced tea (as well as black tea). My favorite tea brand is Luzianne because it is specially blended for ice tea and my tea is never bitter. I've used a slice of lemon in tea before, but not limes. And a whole lime should add a lot of flavor. I'll buy some the next time I go to the store.

I've heard of using used tea bags on your eyes to get rid of bags, and to put tea bags in a bath if you have a sunburn.

I recently read that you should sprinkle used GREEN tea leaves in your cat's litter box to control odor.

That sounds like a good use for the tea and tea bags. I hope you enjoy your tea with lime. I do find it so refreshing.

I love green tea (with no sugar)and drink iced green tea every other day, (even now in cold Colorado winter..jealous of you down in warmth right now. Now I will give the lime with it a try and see how that goes, thanks for the suggestion.

lotuspetal Jan 5, 2010 17:01

I keep reading that green tea is good for you. I`m going to have to try it.

It really doesn't taste much different to black tea, but since you drink it without milk, it helps if you like either hot tea without milk, or iced tea. Hope you like it, green tea works great for me.

I come from the Philippines where small limes grow called kalamunding or kalamansi. I have seen them in Florida, too. Different citrus fruits really add variety to any tea. Green tea is, indeed, good for you.

The small limes grow mostly in the Florida Keys and are called there "Key Limes", being used a lot to make Key Lime Pie.

I just wonder since "kalamansi" could sound very much like "Key Lime" where these orginated. Was it in Florida or the Philippines?

With the Spanish visiting the Philippines and also Florida, I don't know whether these are the same fruit or not, and which came first. Methinks this is the perfect time to Google for Key Limes...

Well, it seems that the Key Lime originated in Southeast Asia, being brought to Florida later. The history on Wikipedia is very interesting.

Okay, this sounds too good! I will of course have to add some agave or honey, but I love limes, I love green tea, so I can just imagine what they taste like together. Very good information!!

Thanks, I hope you enjoy it, you will have to stop by and let me know.

Iced green tea with lime sounds delicious. I just wish it was warm enough here in the UK to try it. I'll save it to my recipes bookmarks folder so I can try it when (if) it's hot in the summer.

stazjia Feb 9, 2010 10:14

I always drink my green tea hot but I'm going to try your iced green tea with lime recipe - as soon as it gets hot for the first time... lol

I drink mine hot in the winter, but it's great on ice with lime when the weather is really hot.

Catching up on some of your intels, Tony. I can't wait until the warm weather hits so that I can try out green tea and limes. We're having a rainy spell now .. good for the hay but some warmer weather would be nice.

Laraine May 18, 2010 05:31

I live in Washington State. Does it have to be warm and sunny to enjoy iced green tea or can it be raining and overcast too?

It really goes down well when you are hot and in need of refreshment, but you can drink it at any time you feel like it of course. Same as some people drinking hot tea on a hot day.

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