I drink tea.  All day.  It starts with a cup of organic kukicha in the morning.  Then I move on to a glass of organic iced green tea.  This is followed by a series of glasses of different iced organic teas, usually ending up the evening with a glass of iced chamomile tea so I can “wind down” aka not the climb the walls because I’ve consumed more caffeine than a trash can at a Starbucks. 

And what happens if I’m away from home and I don’t get a glass of iced tea?  I’ll start stalking area coffee shops because they always carry a “flavor of the day” that I instantly must try the second I lay eyes on it.  So yes, I drink tea.

So how to make all this iced tea?  You can brew it the old fashion way, i.e. brew, ice, sit in refrigerator for hours until it is ready.  Or you can purchase a Mr. Iced Tea.  This amazing $20 gadget allows you to make gallons and gallons of iced teas in the easiest, most efficient manner...or you could wait for it to brew in the refrigerator.  It is your choice in the fast-paced world of iced teas. 

Why exactly is tea so awesome?  First, let’s look at the organic black teas.  According to the experts, black tea is made from young tea leaves and their buds.  It comes from the plant Camellia Senesis.  The leaves and buds are completely fermented or oxidized after they have been dried.  It usually contains 65 mg of caffeine – a little less than coffee, but more than what you’ll get from cola.  Organic black tea is grown without pesticides or harmful chemicals, and its farmers use sustainable practices. 

Organic green tea is also derived from Camellia Senesis.  However, it does not go through a fermenting process – instead, it is steam dried.  Both black and green teas are high in antioxidants, and the studies show “catechin in green tea raises thermogenesis increasing metabolism.”  At 35 mg, green tea traditionally contains less caffeine than black tea, but more than chocolate.

But how do they taste?  We’ve applied our tea-sensitive buds to some of the best organic iced teas out there.  (Plus non-sugar sweeteners!)  So here’s the details on what’s tasty, what’s tangy, and what’s just too much. 

Choice Organic Black Tea: Orange Pekoe Cut

This is an excellent, stand-alone tea.  It has the orange pekoe thing going, so it doesn’t need sweeteners or fruit slices to jazz it up.  It has a nice pure traditional tea taste with no frills.  It will work with traditional tea drinkers, and it will go over well with those who like the latest flavor blends out there.  And at an average of $3 a box, you’re getting a good deal for an organic black tea.

Celestial Seasonings Organic Black Tea

This is another tea that gives you a lot of bang for your buck.  It has a hearty, full-bodied flavor.  It is very tasty and not overpowering, and it doesn’t leave you with a bitter aftertaste.  It works really well if you add some fruit slices, and you can get away without sweetener.  And props to the big name corporation for incorporating sustainable, organic farming in their lines. 

Good Earth Organic Original: Sweet and Spicy Tea

This is one tasty tea.  It has a pungent cinnamon taste, and you don’t need to add any other flavors to it, citrus, sweetener, or otherwise.  You can even get super fancy and serve this as a “dessert” tea.  It has such a sweetness to it that it is almost like a grown-up lemonade.  So if you’re a girl or guy with a sweet tooth, this is the tea for you.

Numi Organic Tea: Morning Rise Breakfast Blend

And finally, if you want a strong black tea with a traditional bitter taste, this is the tea for you.  (Translation: I like a strong, black tea and this had me running for the sweetener.)  But it does offer a great pick-me-up in the morning.  It is a hearty, complex, rich and bold.  Basically, it is a good choice if you mean it.

Eden Foods Organic Kukicha

My personal favorite, Kuckicha is a Japanese tea made from the twigs and stems of green tea plant.  Not too harsh or tangy, it has a rich, nutty flavor that works really well in an iced blend.  Since it is low in caffeine but retains all the same benefits of tea, you can drink it all day without worrying about being up all night.  This tea is “steamed, sun dried, roasted in gas fired iron rotating ovens and aged for 2 to 3 years in order to develop the best flavor.”  And all the fancy construction pays off – it is truly one of the tastiest teas you can find.

Traditional Medicinals Organic Yerba Mate

If you’re looking for the ultimate caffeine experience, then this is the beverage for you.  This tea promotes alertness.  Why?  It has almost as much caffeine as coffee!  So if you’re looking to make the summertime transition from coffee to iced tea, try some mate.  It is traditionally used in South America as a “stimulant” beverage.  It is very dense and an excellent choice for the seasoned tea drinker.  It also blends really well with fruit flavoring (try a spoonful of organic jam!).

Tazo Organic Green Tea

This is probably the best tea to add fruit and sweetener, as it is a bit bland and tasteless.  But if you’re not a big tea drinker, it is a good drink to start on.  It tastes rather like tea-flavored water.  So if you’re looking for a tasty tea experience, this isn’t the brew for you.  But bring on the tea-flavored water!

365 Organic Green Tea

This tea from Whole Foods is a great selection for the frugal shopper.  You get 80 bags for less than $5 – and 80 bags will go a long way.  Not to mention, it is really tasty and it works really well as an iced tea.  Its light tea taste is really heightened if you throw in some lemon.

Onto the sweeteners!  Anyone worth her Mr. Iced Tea knows that the best thing you can throw into an iced tea are lemon/lime/orange slices.  Often, a delish herbal tea like ginger or raspberry can be added into the mix for added flavor.  And if you want to add non-sugar sweeteners, here’s the good stuff.

Xylitol by Kal

This light, airy sweetener is derived from fruits, and it has 33% fewer calories than sugar.  It is also low on the glycemic index.  It is delicious and adds all the sugary sweetness you would want to your iced beverage.   It dissolves really quickly and – best of all – doesn’t have a chemically aftertaste that plague most of non-sugar sweeteners.

Stevia Extract Natural Vanilla by 365

Stevia is another non-sugar sweetner favored by organic greenies.  It is derived from the Stevia Rebaudiana plant and rice.  It is calorie and aspartame free.  And it is not the tastiest thing on the market.  Seriously, unless you have a taste for artificial sweeteners, you’ll have a problem with this sweetener.  To me, it was just a mouth full of chemicals….though it’s not from chemicals. However, many people love the taste of stevia and find it a perfect sugar substitute. 

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