Can REAL Sweet Iced Tea be sugar free? This southern girl is here to tell you YES it can! I’m an artificial sweetener despiser, but I promise that a good brand of stevia is all it takes to take your sweet tea from flab to fab. I’ve read many a story of a true southern sweet tea lover who accidentally drank some stevia sweetened sugar free sweet tea and didn’t EVEN know it wasn’t ‘real’. It’s that good.
If you’re a Trim Healthy Mama like me, this would be a Fuel Pull beverage that you could enjoy anytime. Well, anytime there is any left in the pitcher
Which is why today on Trim Healthy Tuesday, I’m also going to share my favorite trick: how to make tea concentrate! I make one batch of tea that makes two or three pitchers…enough to last at least a full day. 🙂 This lovely pitcher is actually a vintage Pyrex coffee percolater. Cool, huh? I just took out the percolating parts, and it’s my fave tea pitcher now. I fill it with 1-2 cups of water per batch that I’m going to make. Bring your water to a full boil.
Drop in 2 family sized tea bags per batch. I am making 2 batches here. Allow to steep for 5 minutes or until you remember that you’re making tea.
Now add 2 small scoops of good quality stevia extract per batch. I still have a little NuNaturals stevia left, and it didn’t come with a scoop, so I’m using these AWESOME Mini Measuring Spoons
I feel the need to confess that prior to Trim Healthy Mama, I’d put 3/4 cups of sugar in every pitcher of sweet tea. No wonder my jeans were so large back then. Gracious.
NOW…this is where things get practical. I made a double batch of tea here, so I poured half of it off into a little jar. Then I fill the pitcher the rest of the way with water, and we’re in business.
So that’s one pitcher of sugar free REAL sweet ice tea, and a second jar of concentrate. When your first pitcher runs dry, just dump the concentrate in, and fill with water. Life is good when you’ve got concentrate in the fridge. 🙂 
It’s so easy to do this with other types of drink recipes too, once you know how much sweetener you prefer. Lemon-aid, chai, or your favorite warm beverage can be done the same way, and simply refreshed with cold or even boiling water to bring it to the temp you like.
Stacy is making Spaghetti Squash Primavera today over at www.stacymakescents.
Here’s a printable Sweet Ice Tea-Sugar Free recipe just for you
- 1-2 cups of water per 'batch' of concentrate you're making
- 2 family sized teabags per batch
- 2 of the enclosed measuring scoops ("doonks") of THM Stevia,or
1/8th t. of your favorite stevia extract per batch
- Bring water to boil
- Remove from heat, and add tea bags.
- Allow to steep for 5 minutes or more, to desired strength.
- Remove tea bags with a fork.
- Add sweetener.
- Divide concentrate into equal amounts in storage jars, and label.
- With remaining amount of concentrate in pitcher, fill with water.
Stacy says
October 8, 2013 at 7:47 AMI’m trying to be excited about this…I really am. But my deep hatred of tea just won’t let me. Barry, however, is a tea lover and pretty stinkin’ happy. 🙂
Its_Gwen says
October 8, 2013 at 10:35 PMMy own sister strongly dislikes tea. 🙂 I enjoy it.
Rashel says
October 8, 2013 at 8:49 AMI LOVE sweet tea and have been making mine with Stevia since starting THM. I have been experimenting to find the right balance, so I am excited to try this. I do have a question though – how much does your pitcher hold?
Thank you,
Rashel
Rebekah says
January 29, 2015 at 7:08 PMThat’s my question too. I usually use 2 family size to make a whole gallon of tea.
Gwen says
January 31, 2015 at 12:50 PMMy pitcher is a half gallon…I’ll add that to the directions. 🙂 Great question!!! Sorry I missed it the first time around.
De says
October 8, 2013 at 2:27 PMYou might want to check out Mountain Rose Herbs of Frontier Natural Products Co-op for organic black tea. A world of difference! We’ve bought organic orange pekoe from Frontier (what Lipton’s is supposed to be!) for many years for making Kombucha and it’s sooooo good! The tea smells heavenly while brewing. =)
Its_Gwen says
October 8, 2013 at 10:33 PMThanks for the tips! I love a good tea. 🙂 Loose leaf is usually better, but just messier to brew.
Lorrie says
May 5, 2016 at 12:32 AMThanks for the tip.
Dakota122503 . says
October 8, 2013 at 3:36 PMMy husband loves ice tea, sweet or not. I love the idea of a concentrate! We are always running out! Thanks =)
Melissa Baitz says
October 10, 2013 at 1:51 PMHow much tea does the concentrate make per “batch”? I have a gallon pitcher I normally use. Thanks!
Its_Gwen says
October 15, 2013 at 1:56 AMMy pitcher is about a half gallon. You can really scale this up or down to fit whatever size you want.
Cynthia says
October 11, 2013 at 2:00 PMI just started using xylitol and stevia extract in our tea. We don’t do it south sweet but it works well for us. Per gallon: 1/2 cup xylitol and about 8 small shakes NuNaturals stevia extract. I was doing just the xylitol but it was leaving it kind of flat. The stevia rounds it out nicely.
Annette says
October 11, 2013 at 3:48 PMI just can’t get used to that stevia taste … I wish wish wish I could!
Its_Gwen says
October 15, 2013 at 1:50 AMThere is a LONG list of alternative and artificial sweeteners that I dislike the taste of, but the NOW or old NuNaturals is actually enjoyable for me.
Sarah A. says
October 15, 2013 at 5:17 PMThis sounds yummy! How big is your pitcher? 🙂
Its_Gwen says
October 16, 2013 at 10:40 PMMy pitcher is a half gallon. But you can scale this to any pitcher size…just use the amount of tea bags and sweetener you’d normally use, and triple it for a triple batch of concentrate.
holbrookjc says
October 16, 2013 at 12:29 PMHow big is the first scoop?
Its_Gwen says
October 16, 2013 at 10:42 PMKal and some other brands of stevia come with a scoop right in the container. I am not certain what size it is.
Green says
November 9, 2013 at 4:55 PMDo you boil your water in the Pyrex coffee percolater? Is it glass?
Its_Gwen says
November 9, 2013 at 10:48 PMIt IS heatproof glass! Isn’t it the coolest thing ever! 🙂 One of my vintage finds that I just love.
Cathy says
April 7, 2015 at 3:30 PMWould each batch make a gallon or 1/2 gallon of tea? Thanks.
Roxanne says
June 15, 2015 at 12:06 PMIs this a fuel pull because of the sweenter?
Gwen Brown says
June 15, 2015 at 1:34 PMIt’s a FP because there are no carbs or fats…so no fuels. 🙂
Wendy says
December 15, 2015 at 5:42 PMWhich FTM sweetener would you use and how much? The pure Stevia? I hope this can replace my McDonald’s sweet tea obsession:)
Gwen Brown says
December 15, 2015 at 10:14 PMYes. The pure stevia extract is what I use. 🙂
It will vary on how sweet you like your tea, and how potent the stevia extract is that you’re using. Maybe start with the THM Sweetener Conversion chart?
Rebekah says
February 21, 2016 at 4:45 PMI just looked up the Kal and it would appear they’ve started adding maltodexrin to it. Just thought if you haven’t seen that you might want to know 🙂
Gwen Brown says
February 22, 2016 at 5:05 PMHi Rebekah! Thanks for reminding me to update this older post. 🙂 I now use the THM stevia!
Amanda Klippenstein says
April 17, 2016 at 11:28 PMI love iced tea, and am hoping this will be my new go to recipe for summer (rather than the super sugary iced tea I have been making in the past or Pepsi!). I have always liked having a concentrate in my fridge for quick drinks, and never thought to do the same with the THM drinks!
Do you think this recipe would work well using the THM Super Sweet?
It is what I have in my pantry currently.
Gwen Brown says
April 20, 2016 at 1:11 PMI would definitely try the THM Super Sweet Blend…it’s one of my favorites! I use about half of what I’d use for Truvia or similar sweeteners. I’d start small, like 1/4 to 1/3 of the amount of sugar you used to use, and find your sweet spot measurement. 🙂 Start with one pitcher and figure out your amount, and then it’s easy to multiply up to make a concentrate. 🙂 Enjoy!
Shawn Webster says
May 1, 2016 at 7:04 PMI use mango green tea with 2 donks of THM stevia! It’s awesome!