Southern Table Wine, the Making of a Healthy Choice

Hey y'all!
I am pretty much addicted "Southern Table Wine" or as it is known the more sinister moniker, "Diabetes Juice."
And with the amount of sugar that I liked in my sweet tea, the latter name may have been accurate.  I would put 1/2 cup or more of sugar per quart.  Now let me tell you, I am naturally a high energy person and all of that sugar and caffeine together would make "high energy" a huge understatement.   Manic might be a better word, and forget having it after 2pm if I wanted to sleep before 11pm that night.  You get the picture, not pretty and then the crash.  Even worse.

I began drinking decaffeinated tea years ago, and that helped.  However, it didn't take away my sugar high and crash nor the negative side affects that consuming that much sugar on a regular basis would cause.

Then I discovered Stevia a naturally sweet herb!  But beware many sweeteners that are parading as being "true" or "raw" actually use dextrose, a man made substance.  The 2 brands I have found that only use Stevia and its derivatives are "Sweet Leaf" and "Stevita" (from Brazil).  FYI,  Stevia has been shown to lower your blood pressure and blood sugar in studies--good for some, bad for others.  I am not sure that less than a teaspoon a day would matter at all, but I wanted to let you know.  It's a lot less side effects than excessive sugar.

I make Healthy Lemonade using it too:

There are all kinds of benefits to drinking black tea, though you usually only hear about green tea.  You can google it and justify your habit as a healthy choice, as I do.  :o)   However, you shouldn't over indulge any tea as you might negate the benefits of a healthy amount.  Also, tea, like calcium, will cut down on your body's ability to absorb iron.  So take your multivitamins or iron supplements a few hours before or after enjoying it.

I like Tetley or Luzianne decaffeinated teas in the family size pouches.  Lipton is okay if you don't over steep it.  Pull it out after 3-5 minutes because it will become more and more bitter, like most teas, by leaving it over that point.  This doesn't bother me with the Tetley or Luzianne and even when Lipton is properly steeped it is my last choice.  However, I know many people who prefer Lipton's, so use what you like if you already have a preference.

Here's the recipe:

4 c. Water

1 family sized tea bag or 2 individual bags 

1 tsp of Stevia or less if this is too sweet for you

Optional additions:

1 tsp of sugar or honey or agave nectar (low glycemic index) to make it a little sweeter and fuller in flavor

wedge of lemon

sprig of mint or bit of dried mint

small piece of peeled ginger (good for an upset stomach)

Making the tea:

Bring your water to the boiling point and pour over your tea bags into a container that already has your Stevia and any desired options in it.  Steep to your desired time.  Remove your tea bags, stir, and serve over glasses filled with ice.  Enjoy!