iced tea is a popular drink– specialty drinks are common today, or always available in any form- these days. There are many variations of how ice tea is prepared and served.
So how does it compare? Does it matter where you get your iced tea?
The answer is yes, it does. It matters because when you are hungry, thirsty, or just want something sweet, you want your iced tea to have the right balance of flavors and ingredients. The more unusual the better!
This article will talk about some of the different types of ice teas and what they might contain.
Contents:
Sugar
Most watery beverages lack sugar or sweeteners. This is because most people do not consume water with meals, and because most drinks lack sugar or sweeteners.
However, iced tea is a very common beverage in the United States. It is typically consumed after a meal as a way to hydration. Many time times, iced tea is accompanied by snacks like pretzels or chicken wings to make it more customizable.
Sugar contains sweetness so we can taste it in our drinks. When drinking an ice tea, there should be enough sugar to make the cup feel refreshingly sweet. If you want your drink to be sweeter, then add more sugar!
Most people use half of the recommended amount of sugar per person due to not knowing how much they are consuming. People are usually advised to eat half of what they drink is recommended to prevent constipation.
Citric acid
Most carbonated beverages contain sugar as its main ingredient. Carbonation comes from the soda or watery beverage that contains sugar as its main ingredient.
Citric acid is one of the chemicals found in lemon juice that gives our drinks that tangy taste. It also is used in food, cosmetics, and medical applications.
Citric acidendars can be found in most carbonated beverages such as waters and sodas. It is also found in some fresh fruit juices and supplements.
Water
This is one of the most important things you can include in your ice tea. Most commercial drinks are watered down, which is why you can taste the sugar and artificial ingredients.
If you want your tea to be stronger, you must buy more water or less tea. When drinking black or green tea, the darker color results in more water needed to taste good.
Sugar works better as a sweetener for white or floral teas, than black teas. Unless your favorite flavor is also included, then you need less sugar!
Some people like their tea with no added sweeteners whatsoever.
Caramel color
caramel color is what makes the ice tea black. Most companies use a mixture of coconut milk and evaporated milk, but not every company makes it that way.
There are a few brands that use just coconut milk and there are some with just evaporated milk. Due to the difference in flavor, these can be difficult to match up. Luckily, both work well!
Normally, the caramel color is mixed into the iced tea as soon as it is brewed. However, if you want a certain color of ice tea, you have to buy the different colors separately. This is true for regular and green iced teas too!
Some people cannot tolerate caffeine or sugar in their beverages because of how strong it is. Some people would rather have something with less energy than nothing.
Natural flavor
Most bottled iced teas have artificial flavorñaa- something to enhance the taste of ice tea. This is great! You can enjoy your favorite brand of iced tea without the boring flavor.
However, if you do not like the taste of ice tea with sugar and milk, then this may be an issue for you. Most brands eliminate the sugar and milk because it makes it more cost-friendly to produce.
Isolating the ice and water separately results in more profit for the company, so they can charge more for their product. This is why it is important to know what ingredients are in your cold water and how much you should use to make your own iced tea.
There are two main ingredients that are used in making iced tea: water and concentrate or syrup.
Sodium benzoate
This ingredient is also called sodium chloride. It is the same salt that we use on our table salt. Sodium benzoate prevents the water-based concentrate from being frothed up and over-extracted, making it hard to tell what flavor it is once it has been added.
It also adds a subtle mineral taste to the tea. This helps make ice tea more refreshing and unique. More often than not, people are surprised by this as there is no typical taste that they are used to drinking.
Sodium benzoate is very dangerous to children and others with sensitive palettes because it can cause irritation or even melting.
Potassium sorbate
Potassium sorbate is a chemical found in many foods and beverages. Most people do not notice it, but it can harm your lungs!
Potassium Sorbate is a common ingredient in many drinks such as soda or iced tea. It is also found in medication such as anti-anxiety drugs and weight loss shakes.
When mixed with an acid, like vinegar, potassium sorbate can help preserve drinks for a longer period of time. This helps spend more money on the drinker, the drinker’s friends, and later, someone else.
Potassium sorbate is usually found alongside sodium benzoate in the production of lemonade or cokes.
Citrus oil
The ingredient most commonly found in iced tea is lemon. This is not a coincidence! Most iced teas are made with lemon-lime flavor, which is pretty close to lemon and lime mixed together.
Although it may sound strange, peppermint is another common flavor element in iced tea. The peppermint adds texture and taste to the beverage. Many people enjoy this aspect of the drink because it is refreshing and gives it a slight kick.
Most common shapes of iced tea are circle, square, and rectangle. The circle allows for more room for content to fit into the ice cube tray. The square allows for a perfect fit for the beverage space and transparency of the ingredients. The rectangle allows for more area to display or showcase the ice and content in the glass.