Sweet tea has long been a favorite beverage for many people, but if you are trying to limit your sugar intake, it can be difficult.
The good news is that there are plenty of healthy alternatives to sugar that will give your sweet tea the sweetness it needs without the extra calories or added sugars.
We’ve compiled 9 great ways to make sweet tea without sugar so you don’t have to miss out on this refreshing drink just because you’re watching what you eat!
Great Ways to Make Sweet Tea
- You Can Add Maple Syrup
- You Can Use Stevia
- You Can Add Honey and Lemon
- Try Coconut Sugar
- Substitute with Rock Sugar
- Use Fruits as Sweeteners
- Try Agave Nectar
- Use Honey as a Sweetener
- Try Molasses for a Different Flavor
1. You Can Add Maple Syrup
If you want to try a different natural sweetener, maple syrup is a good choice. It has a unique flavor that pairs well with tea and it is also healthy for you.
Maple syrup contains antioxidants and minerals like zinc and manganese.
It is easy to add maple syrup to your tea. After you steep your tea for five minutes, you can add one cup of maple syrup.
Allow it to simmer for another minute and then remove the pan from the heat.
This will give you sweet tea with a delicious hint of flavor that is much healthier than sugar-sweetened tea.
It also has many health benefits like helping to fight infections, improving bone health, and promoting heart health.
Directions:
- Boil a half-gallon of water
- Remove from the heat after five minutes
- Stir in one cup of maple syrup as a sweetener for one minute before removing from heat.
- Pour into a pitcher and chill in the refrigerator
It is easy to make this tea with maple syrup and it has a unique flavor that you will love. The tea will also be much healthier than if you use sugar as the sweetener.
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2. You Can Use Stevia
If you want to avoid sugar and honey, stevia is a good choice as a sweetener. It comes from the leaf of the stevia plant and it is a natural sweetener that is calorie-free. You can find it in powder or liquid form.
You will need to use more stevia than you would honey or sugar to get the same level of sweetness.
For every cup of tea, you will need one teaspoon of stevia powder or eight drops of liquid stevia.
The best thing about stevia is that you can add as much of it as you want because it doesn’t have any calories, unlike honey which contains 16 calories per tablespoon.
Stevia is a good choice if you are looking for a healthy sweetener that does not contain any calories.
It also has other health benefits like boosting your metabolism and helping to control blood sugar levels.
Directions:
- Boil a half-gallon of water for five minutes
- Remove from heat after five minutes and add one teaspoon or eight drops of stevia powder as sweetener
- Pour into pitcher, chill in refrigerator, and enjoy!
It is easy to make sweet tea with stevia and you will love the taste. This tea is also much healthier than if you use sugar as a sweetener.
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3. You Can Add Honey and Lemon
If you want a sweet and tangy tea, honey and lemon is a great combination. The lemon adds tartness while the honey provides sweetness. It is also healthy for you.
You will need one cup of honey for every quart of tea that you make. You can add the honey before or after you steep the tea.
One of the best things about this combination is that you can add as much honey and lemon juice as you want.
You will get a delicious tea with just enough sweetness to give it flavor without making it overly sweet.
Directions:
- Boil a quart of water for five minutes
- Remove from heat after five minutes and stir in one cup of honey
- Add a half-cup of lemon juice and stir well
- Pour mixture into a pitcher and chill in the refrigerator
It is easy to make sweet tea with honey and lemon. You can add as much or as little honey and lemon juice as you want to get the perfect flavor for your taste buds.
This tea is also healthy for you and it is a great choice if you are looking for something sweet and tangy.
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4. Try Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut trees and it has a sweet flavor that tastes similar to brown sugar. It contains antioxidants, zinc, iron, potassium, and manganese.
The great thing about coconut sugar is that you can use it in the same amounts as regular granulated sugar when making tea.
One cup of tea requires one to three tablespoons of coconut sugar depending on your preference for sweetness.
Coconut sugar has other health benefits like helping with weight loss because it contains fewer calories than table sugar or honey.
It also aids digestion which helps reduce bloating and indigestion after eating too much fatty food at a meal.
Directions:
- Boil a quart of water for five minutes
- Remove from heat after five minutes and stir in two tablespoons of coconut sugar
- Pour mixture into pitcher and chill until cold before serving
It is easy to make sweet tea with coconut sugar and it has a unique flavor that you will love.
The health benefits of this type of sweetener are also great, especially if you need more antioxidants or help with digestion.
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5. Substitute with Rock Sugar
Rock sugar is a type of unrefined sugar that comes from the sap of sugar cane plants. It has a flavor that is similar to brown sugar and it contains minerals like zinc, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
One cup of tea requires one to two tablespoons of rock sugar depending on how sweet you want your tea to be.
It is a healthy alternative to table sugar and it has other health benefits like boosting your immune system.
Directions:
- Boil a quart of water for five minutes
- Remove from heat after five minutes and stir in two tablespoons of rock sugar until it dissolves completely
- Pour mixture into a pitcher to chill before serving
It is easy to make sweet tea with rock sugar because you can add as much or as little as you want, depending on how sweet you prefer your tea.
This type of natural sweetener also contains minerals that are good for the body so this makes a healthier choice than using regular granulated sugar. It gives your tea an interesting flavor too!
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6. Use Fruits as Sweeteners
Fruits are healthy for you even though they contain natural sugars that can raise your blood sugar levels.
You should not be afraid to use fruits as sweeteners when making tea because the amount of fruit needed is very small and it will not have a dramatic effect on your health.
One cup of tea requires one tablespoon or less of chopped-up dried fruit like dates, figs, raisins, or cranberries depending on how sweet you want your drink to taste.
The benefit here is that the fruit gives the tea its own unique flavor so there are multiple benefits in using this type of sweetener.
It also helps reduce inflammation which makes it great for people who suffer from chronic pain caused by conditions such as arthritis or fibromyalgia.
Another benefit is that it helps you to lose weight because dried fruits are low in calories.
Directions:
- Boil a quart of water for five minutes
- Remove from heat after five minutes and stir in two tablespoons of chopped-up fruit until it dissolves completely or add one tablespoon if using whole dried fruit like apricots, raisins, cranberries etc.
- Pour mixture into a pitcher to chill before serving
It is easy to make sweet tea with your favorite type of dried fruit when you know the right amount needed to get just the perfect level of sweetness for your taste buds. You can also experiment by adding different types of fresh or frozen fruits too!
The great thing about natural sweeteners like this one is that they come with added health benefits that table sugar does not have.
7. Try Agave Nectar
Agave nectar comes from the sap of agave plants and it has a rich, sweet flavor. It is one of the best all-natural sweeteners to use when making tea because it contains around 50% fructose which means that your body will absorb this sugar more slowly than other types like sucrose or glucose.
The benefit here is that you do not get as much negative impact on your blood sugar levels as table sugar does so this type of natural sweetener makes for a healthier choice over using table sugar.
Agave syrup also helps with weight loss by increasing satiety and decreasing cravings.
Directions:
- Boil a quart of water for five minutes
- Remove from heat after five minutes and stir in two tablespoons agave nectar until it dissolves completely
- Pour mixture into a pitcher to chill before serving
It is easy to make sweet tea with agave syrup because you only need a small amount to get the desired level of sweetness.
This natural sweetener also has a rich, caramel-like flavor that will give your tea a unique taste.
Agave is also a great alternative for anyone who needs to watch their blood sugar levels or is trying to lose weight.
8. Use Honey as a Sweetener
Honey is one of the oldest sweeteners in the world and it has been used for centuries to make tea and other types of beverages.
It is a natural alternative to sugar and it contains antioxidants that can help boost your immune system.
Honey also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce the symptoms of conditions like arthritis and asthma.
Directions:
- Boil a quart of water for five minutes
- Remove from heat after five minutes and stir in two tablespoons of honey until it dissolves completely
- Pour mixture into pitcher to chill before serving
It is easy to make sweet tea with honey because you only need a small amount to get the desired level of sweetness.
This natural sweetener also has its own unique flavor that will give your tea a unique taste.
It is also one of the healthier sweeteners that you can use to replace table sugar in your beverages and it comes with added health benefits.
9. Try Molasses for a Different Flavor
Molasses is a type of syrup that is made from the juice of sugar cane. It has a strong, sweet flavor and it contains minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
One cup of tea requires one to two tablespoons of molasses depending on how sweet you want your drink to be.
Molasses also has other health benefits like reducing inflammation and improving digestion.
Directions:
- Boil a quart of water for five minutes
- Remove from heat after five minutes and stir in two tablespoons of molasses until it dissolves completely
- Pour mixture into pitcher to chill before serving
If you are looking for something different than regular sugar or as a sweetener for your tea, try molasses.
It has a unique, strong flavor that some people love and it also contains minerals that are good for your health. This is a healthy alternative to table sugar or honey.
Conclusion
Sugar has been shown to be addictive, which is why it’s hard for people who are trying to give up sugar.
Fortunately, there are a number of healthy alternatives that can provide the sweetness you need without all the negative health effects.
These natural sweeteners will make your tea taste great and they often have added benefits as well.
The good news is that you don’t have to miss out on your favorite drink just because you’re going healthier!
If you want help finding a new flavor or would like some advice on how best to use these natural sweeteners in making tea, let us know today.
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