As I wrapped up 2024, I found myself leaning on different teas to get through the winter. Whether it be chai, green tea or a fun citrus one, it was tea that kept me warm almost every morning as I got ready to trudge to my umpteenth 8 a.m. class in a row. I am not much of a breakfast gal, to be honest, because the thought of having anything more than a banana so early in the day has me feeling squeamish and too full, too early. Stepping into this new year, I really wanted to pack more of a punch in my tea drinking, especially given my aforementioned condition. This recipe is highly colorful, refreshing and energizing early in the morning, with cooling effects that are much to be desired as the weather (hopefully) starts to get warmer.
The unique feature of this recipe is that it packs in a ton of antioxidants, which keep the free radicals in your body that are linked to many chronic diseases in check. Fruits and vegetables containing vitamins E and C are often chock-full of antioxidants, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, oranges and much more. I would recommend consuming this tea a few times a week to keep your system in balance but not every day, as too much of anything can be a detriment to your homeostasis.

After a quick trip to Trader Joe’s, you have everything you need!
Super antioxidant tea
Yield: 1 serving
Duration: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1 green tea bag (non-caffeinated, preferably)
- 1 tablespoon agave/honey/maple syrup (sweetener of choice)
- ¼ cup grapefruit juice
- ¼ cup orange juice
- A couple of raspberries, blueberries or strawberries (whatever you have)
- Optional: mint leaves
Instructions:
- Boil water as long until at desired temperature and place into a cup, marinating the green tea bag according to packaging instructions.
- Allow tea to cool (can be placed in fridge to do so).
- Add in grapefruit and orange juice, followed by choice of sweetener as listed above and mix well.
- Add fruit of choice (from the list above), garnish with mint and enjoy!
A lot of these ingredients can be found in a quick trip to Trader Joe’s, particularly the grapefruit juice and the decaffeinated green tea bags. I chose decaf for the green tea because I have been looking to limit my caffeine intake this year, but if you prefer that extra kick in the morning, I would go ahead and use regular green tea. Furthermore, I advise being mindful of the amount of grapefruit juice that you add to your tea, as everyone has a different tolerance to the powerful, sour kick of the juice, which is manageable in moderation. Heating the water before marinating the green tea is important, even though it is cooled after, to ensure the green tea is fully steeped and the most is being made of the tea bag.
Ultimately, like many of my recipes, there is room for modification, as the juices can be swapped for other flavors high in antioxidants as well (pomegranate juice, lime juice, lemon juice, etc.) and even the tea itself can be different if you do your research and find another that supports antioxidative function. I hope this recipe brings you energy and health when you give it a try. Enjoy!
A version of this article appeared on p. 14 of the January 16th, 2025 print edition of the Daily Nexus.