(Family Characteristics) How you start your morning can affect the rest of your day. If you want to incorporate healthier choices into your morning routine, try a concept known as “habit stacking.” Building small, healthier habits into routines you already have, such as enjoying a morning drink or breakfast before checking email instead of jumping straight into the daily tasks, can make it easier to stick to a new one. habit if it is built into an existing routine.
How to boost hydration
If you already enjoy the breakfast routine to start the day, consider replacing sugary drinks with drinks without added sugar, such as unsweetened green or black tea. When included 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, has created these easy-to-make tea recipes that are better for you.
A small handful of ingredients makes a big splash in Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothies, ideal for an on-the-go breakfast. For a little refreshment at any time of day, simple Sparkling Green Tea Cranberry Spritzers provide a solution with 0 grams of added sugar, while alcohol-free Green Tea Mojito Mocktails provide natural sweetness with 100% fruit juice.
Choosing drinks without added sugar can contribute to a healthy heart, according to the American Heart Association, making these recipes perfect for stacking daily habits. Water is necessary for your body to function optimally, and because unsweetened tea is 99.5% water, it’s a delicious way to help hydrate.
Discover more ways to improve daily routines at Heart.org/eatsmart.
Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)
- 3 cups of water
- 8 green tea bags for one serving
- 16 ounces frozen mixed berries (about 3 cups)
- 2 medium bananas, peeled, cut in half and frozen
- 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated peeled ginger root (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 teaspoons chia or flax seeds (optional)
- Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Throw away tea bags. Let the tea mixture cool for 30 minutes. Pour into the jug. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until chilled.
- Process tea, berries, bananas and yogurt in a food processor or blender until smooth. If desired, add ginger root and vanilla and process until smooth. Pour into 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 grams of protein.
Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)
- 4 cups of water
- 4 green tea bags for one serving
- 32-40 sprigs of fresh mint, plus extra for garnish, divided
- 2 cups of 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 peel twists (optional)
- Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Throw away tea bags. Let the tea mixture cool for 30 minutes. Pour into the jug. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until chilled.
- While serving, add mint leaves to four glasses. Use a muddler or wooden spoon to mash the mint leaves several times to release the juices. Do not puree to a pulp. Add ice.
- Stir the white grape juice and lime juice into the tea mixture. Pour into glasses. Garnish each with lime wedge and mint leaf.
Tip: To get more juice from the citrus fruits, you can heat the fruit on high for 30 seconds before cutting, or until warm. When cool enough to handle, use a citrus juicer or handheld juicer to juice citrus fruits.
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 gram of protein.
Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)
- 4 cups of water
- 4 green tea bags for one serving
- 1 cup 100% cranberry juice or 100% cranberry-pomegranate juice
- 2 cups of ice cubes
- 1/2 cup seltzer (flavored or plain) or low-sodium club soda, chilled
- 4 orange slices or lime wedges (optional)
- Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Throw away tea bags. Let the tea mixture cool for 30 minutes. Pour into the jug. Stir in the cranberry juice. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until chilled.
- While serving, place ice cubes in four glasses. Pour the tea mixture into glasses. Top each serving with seltzer. Garnish with orange slices.
Tip: To make cranberry flavored ice cubes, fill the 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 gram of protein.
SOURCE: American Heart Association