Flat Belly Minty Green Iced Green Tea

As veggie- loving, twin sister, registered dietitians and personal trainers, you probably think that we eat healthy foods all of the time and must never battle the bloat or even have days of feeling puffy in the summer heat!  Ha! If only!  First, we do eat healthy foods most of the time, but you likely know by now about our killer sweet tooth that we work hard to keep in check, and there are times when we feel as if we overdid it on a sweet and just want to flush the bloat!  And as much as we love summer, we’re the first to admit that we do swell in the heat a bit too, and with even a tad bit of sugar, we swell even more- ah!   With such long, hot summer days we’re always looking for a healthy little something that will power us through our days—and that makes us feel lighter and helps to flush the tummy bloat too!…

This easy refresher hits the spot. From the moment you cut into the lime and pinch off the leaves of mint their refreshing and invigorating scent instantly revitalizes our mind. On top of whisking us away on a little mental vacation the ingredients in this  Minty Lime Iced Green “Flat Belly” Tea have some great health benefits, making us feel lighter and bloat-free to boot!

This drink works its magic, thanks to its healthy ingredients:

Green Tea  (Want more green tea, check out our Detoxifying Green Tea Smoothie and our Matcha Green Tea smoothie.)

Here’s why we included it in this drink:

The fluid in tea helps to flush excess water weight, minimizing your middle.

• Typically, when you’re bloated, you’ve eaten too much salt compared to the amount of potassium in your body. When your sodium level is too high (so easy to do since most people far exceed salt recommendations), your tissues hold on to fluid and simply drinking will help your body to flush the salt and restore the normal fluid balance! And if you’re bloated due to constipation, water helps to get things moving through your digestive tract to push waste out of the body. Both mean Buh bye puffiness!
• More bloat gone? Yup! Green tea has a small amount of caffeine (35- 80 mg compared to coffee’s 100-400 mg in the same size cup). The caffeine contained slightly increases the amount of urine your body expels as it also gives you a slight energy boost.  This gentle boost from green tea is invigorating
• Caffeine along with the amino acid L-theanine, in green tea have an anti-anxiety effect along with providing energy that is considerably steadier (vs coffee), so you feel light and refreshed.
• Green tea’s antioxidants, catechins fight cell damage and have been associated with everything from reducing cancer and blood pressure to protecting your brain against aging. As you calm your insides, this means that less damage and inflammation helps to reduce puff, particularly in the long haul.

Lime
We made sure this drink was packed with vitamin C…and lime is a superstar when it comes to neutralizing free radicals and mopping up the damage caused by pollution, smoking, stress and unhealthy food and beverage choices.  Limes also keep your skin looking young (wahoo!) thanks to their vitamin C that assists in collagen formation. .

Mint
We like to think of mint as a peacemaker in the body. It eases indigestion and calms the stomach, possibly by improving the flow of bile through the stomach, which helps to speed and ease digestion. Thanks in part to its anti-inflammatory antioxidant rosmarinic acid, it “calms your insides” to ease the havoc inside your body!  Buh bye indigestion and bloat!

Minty Lime Iced Green “Flat Belly” Tea
Ingredients

• 1 bag green tea
• 8 ounces of water
• 1/2 small lime, juiced
• 2-3 mint leaves
• Ice, to chill

Directions

1. Prepare green tea according to package directions. (We heated water, just until it bubbled, not a rolling boil., Then we poured it over the green tea bag, let steep for 5 minutes and then removed the tea bag. For stronger tea you can steep longer).
2. While tea is steeping, juice 1/2 of a small lime in a small dish.
3. Add the mint leaves into the lime juice and muddle (press the leaves into the dish to release their healthful oils) slightly to release their oils.
4. Once tea has cooled slightly, pour tea over ice, add in lime/mint juice. You can include the leaves or leave them out, either way you will get their minty effect.

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