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How you start your morning can impact the rest of your day. If you’re looking to incorporate healthier choices into your morning routine, try a concept known as “habit stacking.” Building tiny, healthier habits into routines you already have, like enjoying a morning beverage or breakfast before you check your email instead of jumping right into the day’s tasks, can make it easier to stick to a new habit when it’s built into an existing routine.
If you already enjoy the routine of breakfast to start the day, consider swapping sugary drinks for beverages without added sugars like unsweetened green or black tea. When incorporated as part of an overall healthy diet, unsweetened tea can help support heart health.
If you need help getting started, Lipton, a proud national sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Life is Why campaign, created this easy-to-make, better-for-you tea recipe.
With just a handful of ingredients, Green Tea, Berry and Banana Smoothies are a tasty treat, perfect for a quick breakfast. For a refresher at any time of day, Sparkling Green Tea and Blueberry Spritzers offer a sugar-free solution, while Non-Alcoholic Green Tea Mojito Mocktails add natural sweetness with 100% fruit juice.
Choosing beverages with no added sugars can contribute to a healthy heart, according to the American Heart Association, making these recipes perfect for daily habit stacking. Water is needed to keep your body running at its best, and because unsweetened tea is 99.5% water, it provides a delicious way to help hydrate.
Discover more ways to improve daily routines at Heart.org/eatsmart.
Banana, Berry and Green Tea Smoothies
Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)
- 3 cups water
- 8 individual green tea bags
- 16 ounces frozen mixed berries (about 3 cups)
- 2 medium bananas, peeled, halved and frozen
- 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons peeled and grated ginger root (optional)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chia or flax seeds (optional)
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring water to a boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Let steep for 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool for 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold.
In a food processor or blender, process tea, berries, bananas, and yogurt until smooth. Add ginger root and vanilla, if desired, and process until smooth. Serve in four glasses. Sprinkle with chia seeds, if desired.
Nutritional information per serving (without optional ingredients): 136 calories; 1 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat); 3 mg cholesterol; 23 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 18 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 8 g protein.
Green Tea Mojito Mocktails
Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Serves: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)
- 4 cups water
- 4 individual green tea bags
- 32-40 sprigs fresh mint, plus more for garnish, divided
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 1 cup 100% white grape juice
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 medium limes)
- 1 medium lime, cut into four wedges or lime zest (optional)
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring water to a boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Let steep for 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool for 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold.
When serving, add mint leaves to four glasses. Using a muddler or wooden spoon, crush the mint leaves several times to release their juice. Do not crush until they become pulp. Add ice.
Add the white grape juice and lime juice to the tea mixture. Serve in glasses. Garnish each with a lime wedge and mint leaf.
Tip: To get more juice from citrus, before cutting, microwave the fruit on high for 30 seconds, or until warm. When cool enough to handle, use a citrus reamer or handheld juicer to juice the citrus.
Nutritional information per serving: 45 calories; 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 7 mg sodium; 13 g carbohydrates; 0 g fiber; 10 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 1 g protein.
Sparkling Green Tea Cranberry Spritzers
Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)
- 4 cups water
- 4 single-serving green tea bags
- 1 cup 100% cranberry juice or 100% cranberry-pomegranate juice
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 1/2 cup seltzer (flavored or plain) or low-sodium club soda, chilled
- 4 orange slices or lime wedges (optional)
In small saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Stir in cranberry juice. Refrigerate 2 hours, or until chilled.
At serving time, put ice cubes in four glasses. Pour tea mixture into glasses. Top each serving with seltzer. Garnish with orange slices.
Tip: To create cranberry-flavored ice cubes, fill ice cube tray with 100% cranberry juice and freeze.
Nutritional information per serving: 32 calories: 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 4 mg sodium; 8 mg carbohydrates; 0 g fiber; 8 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 1 g protein.
