9 Thirst-Quenching Iced Tea Recipes

In the dog days of summer, sipping a cold glass of iced tea is a heavenly experience. These 9 low-cal recipes will leave you refreshed and ready to battle the heat.

Minty Iced Green Tea

Mint leaves add a cool, invigorating flavor to this simple, antioxidant-rich tea. And studies show that drinking green tea may help fight cancer and heart disease, so savor this iced drink.

Ingredients: Fresh mint leaves, green-tea bags, ice, honey or agave, fresh lavender leaves (optional)

Calories: 5 (more if you add honey)

Try this recipe: Minty Iced Green Tea

You don't have to add any sugar to this drink. Ripe peaches give the tea its tangy and sweet flavors. Make it ahead of time and enjoy a little boost of vitamin C with each glass.

Ingredients: Boiling water, tea bags, ripe peaches, fresh mint, sugar (optional)

Calories: 30

Try this recipe: Peach and Mint Iced Tea

The antioxidant-packed fruit give some additional sweetness to your tea. Blueberries and lemon provide plenty of tart flavors that is mellowed out by a bit of sugar.

Ingredients: Frozen blueberries, lemon juice, water, tea bags, sugar

Calories: 145 (approximate)

Try this recipe: Blueberry-Lemon Iced Tea

Lavender lends a lovely, subtle flavor to the simple, sugar-free green tea. Lavender blossoms can usually be found at farmers' markets and natural foods stores, but you can also use dried varieties.

Ingredients: Green-tea bags, fresh lavender blossoms, lavender sprigs

Calories: 2

Try this recipe: Iced Lavender Green Tea

You may like a Starbucks latte, but this delicious, sweetened beverage will give you a run for your money any day. Though it doesn't have a low calorie count, this milky tea can take the place of dessert. You'll get 15% of your calcium plus a sweet treat.

Ingredients: Brewed tea, ice cubes, sugar syrup, milk, tapioca pearls

Calories: 230

Try this recipe: Bubble Milk Tea

Oranges and lime provide a refreshing citrus flavor to this sangria-like tea. It's sweetened with honey, which means you'll get a trace of antioxidants while you add sweetness to your glass.

Ingredients: Water, green-tea bags, honey, navel orange, lime

Calories: 68

Try this recipe: Slightly Sweet Tea

The red hue of this spice-filled drink will surely impress guests. Plus, with cloves and cinnamon offering plenty of flavor, you'll need less sugar (and get fewer calories) too.

Ingredients: Cloves, cinnamon sticks, lemon zest, herbal tea bags, sugar

Calories: 49

Try this recipe: Spiced Iced Tea

A versatile tea that can be served hot or cold, depending on your mood. Though the Chinese gunpowder green tea is optional, its peppery and smoky flavors are what make this drink unique.

Ingredients: Boiling water, sugar, loose Chinese gunpowder green tea, mint leaves

Calories: 17

Try this recipe: Moroccan Mint Tea

If you prefer your tea to be a little bit stronger, try this spiked tea. Its frozen texture is perfect for steamy days, and the melon liqueur blends in perfectly to create a calorie-conscious cocktail.

Ingredients: Green-tea bags, sugar, honeydew melon, melon-flavored liqueur, lemon juice

Calories: 181

Try this recipe: Green Tea and Honeydew Granita