On a hot summer day, an iced cold bottle of tea hits the spots and while it might seem like a healthier alternative to soda, many are packed with so much sugar that you might as well be eating candy. Brands try to lure you in with promises of antioxidants and a refreshing taste, but before you’re ready to enjoy a bottle, check the label first to see how healthy it really is. Consuming too much sugar can lead to major problems like weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Paying attention to the amount of added sugar in foods is vital for your overall well-being and the American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women and no more than 9 teaspoons for men. To help narrow down the search for healthier bottled teas, here are six that are far from guilt-free.
Arizona Iced Tea Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey
Nutrition: per serving 12 fluid ounce
Calories: 90
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 0mg
Carbs: 23g (Fiber: 0g , Sugar: 23g)
Protein: 0g
Arizona Iced Tea Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey is a go-to for many, but it’s loaded with so much added sugar. “Arizona Iced Teas come in large bottles—each bottle contains two servings,” says Amy Brownstein, MS, RDN. “However, most individuals drink the tea as if the bottle were just one serving.” She explains, “A 20-ounce bottle of Arizona Iced Tea Green Tea provides 42 grams of added sugar or 84% of your daily added sugar budget. Sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with weight gain and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.” Alexandria Hardy, RDN, LDN Owner of Pennsylvania Nutrition Services adds, “It’s more sugar than you need in an entire day, and there’s hardly any of the antioxidant benefits real green tea offers. You’re better off steeping your own and adding a drizzle of honey.”
Lipton Iced Tea Citrus Green Tea
Nutrition: per serving 1 bottle
Calories: 100
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 150 mg
Carbs: 25g (Fiber: 0g , Sugar: 25g)
Protein: 0g
Lipton is a well known and trusted brand, but the Citrus Green Tea is one to skip, according to Terry Tateossian, an ISSA Nutritionist and ISSA Personal Trainer, IIN Hormone Specialist, IIN Emotional Eating Coach, and the Founder of THOR: The House of Rose. “It’s marketed as green tea, which we associate with antioxidants and metabolism support, but one bottle has 25 grams of sugar and zero protein or fiber to slow that spike.” She explains, “That’s the equivalent of more than 7 teaspoons of sugar in a single drink. What’s worse, it hides behind terms like ‘natural flavor’ and adds preservatives like phosphoric acid and acesulfame potassium, which may disrupt gut health in the long term.”
Snapple Peach Tea
Nutrition: per serving 16 fl oz
Calories: 160Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 10mg
Carbs: 40g (Fiber: g , Sugar: 40g)
Protein: g
Snapple Peach Tea has been a favorite with customers for years, but have you read the back of the label? “This one might surprise people because Snapple has been marketed for years as a lighter, fruitier alternative to soda,” says Tateossian. “But just one bottle of their Peach Tea contains 40 grams of added sugar, which is more than what you’d get in a pack of Skittles.”
Pure Leaf Extra Sweet Black Tea
Nutrition: per serving 1 bottle
Calories: 240
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 0mg
Carbs: 64g (Fiber: 0g , Sugar: 64g)
Protein: 0g
With 64 grams of total and added sugar, Pure Leaf Extra Sweet Black Tea is sickeningly sweet and terrible for your health if consumed often. “That’s more than a can of Coke and the equivalent of 16 teaspoons of sugar,” Tateossian points out. “And it has zero fiber or protein to help regulate blood sugar, meaning you’re basically flooding your system with a fast hit of glucose,” she says. “What makes it worse is the health halo around ‘tea.’ Sure, it starts with brewed black tea, but by the time they’ve added all that sugar, any antioxidant benefit is outweighed by the inflammatory effect of the sweetener spike.”
Gold Peak Brewed Sweet Iced Tea
Nutrition: per serving 18.5 fl oz
Calories: 190
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: 0g)Sodium: 10mg
Carbs: 48g (Fiber: 0g , Sugar: 48g)
Protein: 0g
Gold Peak Brewed Sweet Iced Tea has 48 grams of added sugar. “You’re getting zero fiber, protein, or healthy fat to balance it, which makes this a fast track to inflammation, belly fat, and blood sugar crashes,” says Tateossian. “If you love the taste of sweet tea, try brewing it yourself and adding a dash of honey or monk fruit.”
Brisk Lemon Flavor Iced Tea
Nutrition: per serving 12 fl oz
Calories: 70
Fat: 0g (Saturated fat: g)
Sodium: 110mg
Carbs: 17g (Fiber: 0g , Sugar: 17g)
Protein: 0g
Brisk Lemon Flavor Iced Tea has three servings in one bottle, so if you drink the entire amount, which most will, you’re consuming 48 grams of sugar, plus a big dose of junky ingredients. “This bottle is basically a chemistry experiment,” says Tateossian. “You’re getting 48 grams of added sugar, mostly from high fructose corn syrup, plus a double hit of artificial sweeteners like acesulfame potassium and sucralose, a red flag combo for blood sugar instability and gut disruption.” She adds, “And let’s not ignore the preservatives and phosphates layered in here. If your tea needs this many additives to stay shelf-stable, it’s not something your metabolism needs.”
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