Yes, traditionally, iced tea is made from tea leaves.
Iced tea is typically created by brewing tea, allowing it to cool, and then serving it over ice. While variations exist, the base of iced tea is almost always tea leaves or tea bags. The brewed tea extract is then often enhanced with sweeteners like sugar or artificial sweeteners and flavors such as lemon, peach, or mint.
Here's a breakdown of the iced tea-making process:
- Brewing Tea: Tea leaves are steeped in hot water to extract their flavor and color. This process is the same as making hot tea.
- Cooling: The brewed tea is allowed to cool to room temperature or refrigerated.
- Serving Over Ice: Ice cubes are added to the tea to chill it further.
- Optional Additions: Sweeteners and flavorings are added to enhance the taste.
While commercially produced iced tea may sometimes use tea concentrates or extracts, the fundamental ingredient remains tea. Therefore, iced tea is, indeed, made out of tea.
