What Sparkling Tea Is All About
A "cup of tea" usually evokes cozy images of a steaming hot cuppa and a moment of peace and quiet. But tea has evolved far beyond that. At Zest Tea, our range of hot teas are always popular... but our iced tea range is winning over both tea lovers and energy drink enthusiasts across the states.
In this article, we'll explain what a sparkling tea is and give you an insight to the ready-to-drink energy tea flavors we have at Zest Tea!
What is Sparkling Tea?
Sparkling tea is simply a mixture of tea and carbonated water. The bubbles you see in sparkling drinks are made from carbon dioxide and they can actually be infused with any drink you like. So long as the bottle or can remains sealed, the bubbles will keep on bubbling. You can even make sparkling tea at home, using our methods below (although it's far more convenient to purchase it pre-made).
We think sparkling tea is one of the best beverages available. It allows you to enjoy the bubbles you usually only get from an unhealthy or sugary drink, but with the many health benefits that a cup of tea provides.
If you want to learn more about the health benefits of tea, start by reading our article Green vs Black Tea: Caffeine, Flavor and Health Benefits.
Is Sparkling Tea Healthy?
Sparkling drinks often get a bad rep as they're associated with sugary sweet soda, but that's not always the case. The sparkling element, the CO2, doesn't damage your health. It's the other ingredients that may be added that cause problems.
When comparing plain carbonated water to still water, neither are harmful to your teeth, dilute your stomach acid, or weaken your bones. In fact, carbonated water may be more beneficial than still water as it aids indigestion (to put it plainly, it helps you pass gas).
Tea, however, contains tannins which can stain your teeth and is slightly acidic. Other flavorings, even natural ones, can change the pH too. So, make sure to brush your teeth regularly to maintain your dental health when drinking tea (sparkling or not).
How You Can Make Sparkling Tea At Home
There are three ways you can enjoy sparkling tea at home. The best way to enjoy a sparkling beverage with an amazing taste is by purchasing a variety pack of canned teas. Check out Zest Tea below to learn more about that.
If you want to go DIY, you have two options:
- Use a SodaStream to infuse carbon dioxide bubbles directly into your tea.
- Make tea and combine it with sparkling water.
When using sparkling waters, you can combine a small amount of highly concentrated brewed tea with sparkling water to dilute it. The other option is to brew teabags or tea leaves directly in sparkling water - the only problem with this method is that it takes much longer. You'll need to add your black tea, herbs, fruits and flavors to the water and let it steep overnight in the fridge. Heating the sparkling water will cause it to go flat quickly.
A third option is to use our Hydrating Electrolyte Powders! This powder can be mixed gently into any sparkling water to create a tasty and hydrating beverage with a caffeine kick to boot.
Sugar or Lemon Juice?
Although a soothing cup of green tea or black tea tastes great, when you compare your bubbly tea with other sparkling soda drinks, you may feel a little disappointed.
A little bit of lemon juice, fruit juices, vanilla, lime, citrus... all of these flavors can be added to your sparkling drink to create a fresh, bright and fun mix. Most sparkling drinks contain a range of flavors, not to mention added sugar or sweeteners.
Some sparkling tea flavor mix ideas include:
- Hibiscus
- Citrus fruits
- Lime
- Coffee
- Ginger
- Mint
- Pineapple
- Cardamom
- Grapes
- Elderflower
Botanicals from your garden, such as rose petals or culinary herbs could also be used to blend more complex flavors.
Zest's Canned Energy Teas
We have 6 different flavours of tea to enjoy, including a mix of black and green tea blends. Importantly, our canned teas are high-caffeine and pretty good for your health too:
- 120 to 150mg of caffeine per can
- Up to 100mg of L-Theanine per can
- Low sugar or sugar free
- Plant-based, vegan, paleo and keto-friendly
- No artificial sweeteners or GMO ingredients
- The perfect amount of carbonation.
These are key features to look out for in canned drinks. Many sodas are loaded with excess sugars as well as caffeine, which can actually do more damage to your energy levels rather than boosting them. Learn more about what to look for in an energy drink with our article Is A Green Tea Energy Drink A Good Idea?
Ready-to-Drink Green Tea
Green tea is great for sparkling creations, as it has a naturally light and fresh flavor.
Pomegranate Mint - fresh-tasting pomegranate, green tea and ultra-refreshing mint.
Blood Orange Mango - the juiciest of the bunch with green tea, tropical mango and blood orange.
Cucumber Melon - our freshest recipe with cool cucumber and mellow melon. Best served over ice.
Ready-to-Drink Black Tea
If you like the punchier flavor of a black tea beverage, sip on one of our canned black teas.
Passionfruit Berry - black tea with notes of citrusy bergamot and sweetened with juicy passionfruit.
Sweet Chai Infusion - black tea combined with everyone's favorite chai spices to warm your palate.
Blackberry Lime - black tea, nuanced sweet blackberries and tangy lime notes.
FAQs
Is carbonated tea a thing?
Yes, it's an amazing thing that lots of people enjoy. The health benefits of tea with the fun and energy of an energy drink. What's not to love?
Does sparkling tea have alcohol?
Zest canned energy teas do not contain alcohol. Check the ingredients list on sparkling teas from other brands to find out what they contain.
Can you make tea with sparkling water?
Yes, you can. Either dilute a small amount of very strong brewed tea with the carbonated water, or brew your tea directly in sparkling water overnight.
Does Starbucks have sparkling tea?
Starbucks occasionally has sparkling teas on the menu, depending on your location. Not to brag, but at Zest Tea we have a wider range of flavors that you can get delivered directly to your door, whenever you fancy something bubbly.
Is sparkling tea high in caffeine?
It depends on how much tea is within the beverage. Green tea typically has less caffeine than black tea, but when diluted with sparkling waters and other ingredients, this can change. At Zest Tea, our ready-to-drink tea blends contain 120 to 150mg of caffeine.
SOURCES