Soothing Chamomile Iced Tea with Mint

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If you’re looking for a drink that’s not only refreshing but is filled with healthy benefits, look no further than this Chamomile Iced Tea.

Also known as te de manzanilla, this aromatic herbal tea, made with mint and lemon, is a cooling, calming drink that’s perfect for summer.  

You can enjoy a glass of caffeine-free Chamomile Iced Tea on its own, or with a meal, at any time of the day. 

Te de Manzanilla – Herbal Tea With A Long History 

With a history that dates back to the Neolithic era, chamomile has long been treasured for its soothing properties. Despite its tiny daisy-like appearance, it has also been revered for its spiritual value. The Egyptians even dedicated it to the sun god Ra in ancient times.  

In modern times, according to the American Botanical Council it continues to be one of the world’s most popular herbal teas. Chamomile flower extracts and oil are also used in medicinal tinctures and aromatherapy throughout the world. 

Although essential oils are present within the entire chamomile plant, the terpenoids and flavonoids are most highly concentrated within the flowers. 

To make the best iced chamomile tea at home, you’ll need dried chamomile flowers, chamomile tea in bags or fresh chamomile you’ve gathered in your garden, foraged in the wild or purchased at a farmer’s market. 

Is Homemade Iced Tea Good for You?

Is homemade iced chamomile tea good for you? Yes!  Homemade iced tea is more economical and has more healthy benefits than the iced tea you can buy in the store or at Starbucks because it’s fresher, contains only chamomile and there are no preservatives or additives. And, unless you’re making a Southern sweet tea, no added sugar. 

Chamomile tea is especially popular in Latin America. In Guatemala, my mother-in-law makes te de manzanilla (chamomile tea) by placing entire bunches of the chamomile plant — flower buds, stalks and leaves — into the large pot she uses to make tamales and boils the plant until she gets a brilliant yellow-hued herbal beverage.

It will often sit on the stove overnight and be ladled out therapeutically for relieving nervousness, stomach upset, insomnia and any other ills the family may have. 

Her home remedy aligns with the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine that lists chamomile as an aid in sleep, for soothing stomach aches and pain, and reducing overall stress, among other things.  

The taste of chamomile tea made from scratch has an intense herbaceous flavour with a faint aroma of fresh apples.  

A note of caution: There can be risks with consuming any botanical. Follow these safety guidelines for herbal supplements published by the Mayo Clinic before consuming herbs or flowers in tea or any other form. 

Fresh Chamomile Iced Tea With Lemon and Mint 

While chamomile on its own has many purported benefits, I spruce up this chamomile tea recipe just a bit, with lemon and mint. It’s the perfect homemade iced tea for a warm summer day. 

In addition to being delicious, the fresh lemon adds a boost of vitamin C which is handy if you’ve got a cold or are feeling under the weather.  

In this homemade iced tea recipe, you can opt to use honey as a natural sweetener. But it’s not really necessary as chamomile tea has a slightly sweet taste on its own.

Chamomile Iced Tea – Te de Manzanilla Ingredients

• Loose dried chamomile flower buds (or tea bags or fresh chamomile)
• Water (filtered, purified or distilled)
• Garnish: fresh lemon or mint leaves
• Equipment: You can use an infuser tea pot, a tea ball, a French Press Coffee maker or a pot and a fine-mesh strainer.

Step by Step Instructions for How To Make Homemade Chamomile Tea

1. Prepare your tea bags or loose tea. If you’re using fresh chamomile, remove the heads of the flowers from the stalk.

   

2. Bring filtered water to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and remove from the heat.
3. Once the boiling has completely stopped and is at 100C, pour it over the dried or fresh chamomile flowers (or tea bags). 

   

4. Let it steep for 5 minutes.
5. Strain with a fine-mesh strainer, use a gauze bag or a basket filter. Allow the tea to cool slightly.
6. Transfer it to a glass pitcher. Chamomile is naturally sweet but if you’d like to add honey do it now.
7. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
8. Add ice to the pitcher or pour over ice in individual glasses and add slices of fresh lemon, springs of fresh mint or honey as desired.

Tips for Making Chamomile Iced Tea

• Allow the tea to infuse naturally. Although it might be tempting to squeeze the chamomile flowers or teabags in an attempt to extract more flavour or colour, don’t do it. The pressure will release bitterness into the tea.
• To prevent the delicate leaves from getting scorched and producing a bitter taste, be sure to wait for one minute before combining the chamomile tea with the boiling water
• Use filtered, purified or distilled water to avoid the taste of fluoride and other additives in tap water.

How to Serve Iced Chamomile Tea

This calming and relaxing tea should be served chilled over ice. As mentioned above, refrigerate it for at least one hour prior to being poured over ice.

Cold chamomile tea is the ideal drink for lunch on a hot summer day or to enjoy by the pool. Since it’s got no caffeine, you can enjoy it at any time of the day. A glass of this tea might even help you sleep!  

If you’re looking for a summer drink with a caffeine kick, check out our recipe for Vegan Iced Cafe Frappé! 

If You Liked This Iced Tea Recipe, You’ll Love These Summer Drinks: 

• Cold Brew Hibiscus Tea – Agua de Jamaica 
• Agua de Avena – Vanilla Oat Milk Cooler
• Fresh Strawberry Mango Lemonade
• Sparkling Bourbon Peach Punch

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5 from 14 votes

Easy Chamomile Iced Tea

Chamomile Iced Tea is a calming and relaxing tea, perfect for hot summer days.

Prep Time2 mins

Cook Time3 mins

Total Time5 mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American, Guatemala, Latin American

Servings: 4

Calories: 11kcal

Author: Michele Peterson

Cost: $2.

Equipment

• Infuser tea pot, tea ball, a French Press Coffee maker or a pot and fish-mesh strainer
• kettle or pot

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp loose dried chamomile flowers (or 8 tea bags or 1 cup fresh chamomile)
• 6 cups water filtered, purified or distilled
• 1 fresh lemon (optional)
• 1 mint leaves (optional)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Prepare your tea bags or loose tea. If you're using fresh chamomile, remove the heads of the flowers from the stalk.
• Bring water to a boil, reduce to simmer, and remove from heat. It should be 100C.
• Once the boiling has stopped completely, pour it over the fresh or dried chamomile (or teag bags).
• Let it steep for 5 minutes.
• Strain with a fine mesh strainer or use a gauze bag or basket filter. Allow tea to cool slightly.
• Transfer to a glass pitcher. If you'd like to add honey, do it now.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Add ice to the pitcher or pour over ice in individual glasses, and add slices of fresh lemon, springs of fresh mint, or honey as desired.

Notes

• Allow the tea to infuse naturally. Although it might be tempting to squeeze the chamomile flowers or teabags in an attempt to extract more flavour or colour, don’t do it. The pressure will release bitterness into the tea.
• To prevent the delicate leaves from getting scorched and producing a bitter taste, be sure to wait for one minute before combining the chamomile and the boiling water.
• Use filtered, purified or distilled water to avoid the taste of fluoride and other additives in tap water.

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed to be accurate. It is created by online calculators and although we attempt to provide accurate nutritional information, the figures are only estimates.

Nutrition

Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @ATasteForTravel or tag #ATasteForTravel!

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Michele Peterson

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.

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