The Herb Stop Blog
The BEST Hydrating Herbal Teas for Staying Refreshed This Late Summer
While many of us are already mentally in the upcoming autumn season, it’s still hot out, especially here in Pine, Arizona. These hot temperatures can leave us feeling drained, parched, and quickly tired.
Staying hydrated benefits our mind and body, not just in the short-term, but it can even affect our risk of disease. A study released in January 2023 revealed that optimal hydration may reduce disease risk and slow aging - two excellent reasons to drink up!
So, what is the best way to stay hydrated? For many of us, it’s developing the habit of carrying around a water bottle and drinking other nourishing drinks daily. Keep reading to learn all about our favorite hydrating herbal tea options and different ways to boost your hydration.
Our Favorite Hydrating Teas
Caffeine-Free Tea Options
Here are some of our favorite herbal teas for staying hydrated and refreshed:
- Chamomile Tea: While most well-known for its calming effects, Chamomile is a naturally cooling herb that can help you stay hydrated or cool down quickly when you’re overheated. This tea may also soothe your nervous system after being out in the heat or experiencing stress.
- Lemon Cucumber Herb & Fruit Tea: Cucumber is a naturally hydrating ingredient. Sip on this bright lemon tea and enjoy its many antioxidant-packing ingredients, such as ginger, cucumber, apple, and lemon.
- Licorice Root Tea: Licorice root is an adrenal-boosting herb said to quench the thirst and help regulate and lower body temperature. An excellent choice for staying hydrated and refreshed on a long, hot day!
Hibiscus Tea Options
We had to dedicate an entire section to this powerhouse ingredient! Hibiscus is a hydrating flower rich in electrolytes, such as magnesium, potassium, chloride, and sodium, making it an ideal summer or post-workout beverage choice.
The taste of hibiscus tea usually has a lightly sweet but tart flavor that reminds many of cranberry juice. If you enjoy a sweeter tea option, add a drizzle of honey to your hibiscus tea or choose one of our teas that contains sweeter ingredients, like berries, to counteract that tartness.
Check out these delicious hibiscus teas for some inspiration:
- Hibiscus Tea: You’ll love this tea’s beautiful cherry color and tart flavor. It contains Vitamin C, magnesium, and iron, which offer many health benefits. As a result, we recommend drinking this tea on hot days or after a workout to rehydrate quickly.
- Wild Strawberry Herb & Fruit Teas: For those who enjoy a not-too-sweet tea, you’ll love our sweet strawberry, sugared rhubarb, and tart hibiscus combination. An excellent choice, iced or hot!
- Purple Seduction Herb & Fruit Tea: This naturally caffeine-free tea pairs hibiscus with decadent papaya and berry to tempt the senses. We love serving this tea iced for an extra punchy flavor.
- Tropical Hibiscus Herb & Fruit Tea: Our delightful Tropical Hibiscus Herb & Fruit Tea contains hydrating and mouth-watering fruits, such as strawberries, cherries, orange peel, and apples. Alongside rosehips and hibiscus, this beverage is equally refreshing and tasty!
Caffeinated Options
Many of us have been taught that caffeinated beverages, like coffee and black tea, are inherently dehydrating, but this belief has been largely debunked!
According to The Mayo Clinic, caffeinated drinks can be beneficial for helping you meet your daily hydration goals. While caffeine is a natural diuretic, the fluid in most caffeinated drinks will balance this out, especially if you regularly consume caffeine.
As long as you’re not drinking extreme amounts of caffeine, defined as more than 10 milligrams per kilogram of body mass, some caffeinated drinks can help you reach your hydration goals.
For example, a person weighing 165 pounds would be at risk of extreme caffeine consumption and dehydration if they consumed more than 750 milligrams of caffeine (approximately seven to eight cups of coffee! This would be even more difficult to hit if you’re drinking caffeinated teas.)
Most importantly, if you enjoy caffeinated teas, you’re likely to form a habit of drinking them, helping you improve overall hydration!
Here are some of our favorite refreshing and hydrating teas with caffeine:
- Honey Lavender Black Tea: A refreshing premium black tea combining multiple cooling and calming ingredients like chamomile and lavender. We love this tea’s naturally sweet taste! A fantastic way to start the morning off hydrated and wide awake.
- Get Up & Go Tea: An energizing green tea blend packed with hydrating ingredients like licorice root and antioxidant-rich herbs like ginger and eleuthero root. This tea is the perfect option to start your day strong and enhance focus.
- Passion Fruit Black Tea: Passion fruit is the star of this tea, with a fruity, floral, and tropical taste that is sure to please. You can quickly turn this into a sweet treat by adding a splash of the milk of your choice and a sweetener like honey.
Hydrating Add-Ins
The following ingredients are excellent when added to water or tea to increase hydration further.
- Add cucumber slices to your beverage. Cucumber is a nutritious vegetable that is over 95% water! Add cucumber to your tea or water for a crunchy, hydrating boost.
- Chop up apples and add them to your drink. Like cucumbers, apples have a high water content. Apples add an oh-so-satisfying, sweet flavor to any tea. Peach slices are a great alternative if you don’t love the taste of apples.
- Add a splash of pineapple juice or coconut water. Pineapple juice and coconut water are rich in electrolytes, which help your body to function optimally and retain enough water to stay hydrated. Pineapple and coconut are excellent flavors that pair well with any of the fruity teas in this article!
Give these delicious teas a try! You’ll be surprised how much a yummy treat helps you stay hydrated.
Stay Hydrated,
Herbalist Natalie & Herbalist Leilah