*I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Pure Leaf. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.**

I had to give up soda two years ago and it was one of the hardest, but best decisions I have ever made. As much as I liked soda, it was downright unhealthy for me. I had to find a substitute and while I do like water, I needed something during the day with more flavor. When I heard about Pure Leaf Tea Iced Tea from a friend, I instantaneously went out to the store and purchased some of their delicious flavors. From that point on, I have been addicted to Pure Leaf!

Now, that the summer is upon us, there is simply nothing more refreshing than a nice, cold glass of Pure Leaf Tea.

Is Pure Leaf Tea Good For You?

Pure Leaf Iced Tea is a line of real brewed teas that delivers a fresh brewed taste, while being made from only the finest and all-natural ingredients. There are no preservatives and no added color to any of their iced teas. The end result is a delicious tasting iced tea with the perfect balance of aromas, body, and flavor.  As a consumer you have so many options of iced tea brands to choose from, but nothing to me will deliver the real brewed flavor other than Pure Leaf.

The reason you get the real brewed flavor is it comes from REAL tea leaves (hand-selected from China, India, Africa, and South America) picked at their freshest, and never from powder or concentrate. This way you can enjoy the pure and fresh taste of tea, straight from the leaf to the bottle! What could be better! Oh, and I might add that Pure Leaf is proud to be a Rainforest Alliance Certified for sourcing tea sustainably. Each of the square bottles are made of PET plastic, which are lightweight and provide a high pallet of efficiency, which equates to more bottles, lighter loads, and less fuel used in transport. The PET plastic is also 100% recyclable.

Pure Leaf has recently introduced two new lower-sugar iced teas – Not Too Sweet Peach Tea and Not Too Sweet Honey Green Tea. As a consumer of Pure Leaf, I was so happy to see these two new varities on the market.  In each of these bottles, you get 18.5 fl oz of deliciousness! The entire bottle is only 100 calories  (45 calories per 8 0z) and contains no fat, sodium, carbohydrates, and protein. They also contain very little sugar.

I alternate between the Not Too Sweet Peach Iced Tea and the Not Too Sweet Honey Green Tea on a regular basis. I like to have a tea that is not overly sweet and that has less calories, since I am watching my weight. These two teas were exactly what I was looking for!

The Not Too Sweet Peach Tea is a lighter version of the classic with a natural tangy-sweet flavor of peach mingled in with the bold, refreshing taste of all natural black tea leaves. The Not Too Sweet Honey Green Tea mixes the delicate flavors of green tea and honey paired perfectly together to make a light and refreshing iced tea! If you are looking for a great Iced Tea which has delicious flavors without  many calories, these two teas are for you!

Pure Leaf can also be a great ingredient in a favorite summertime drink. I decided to make a Peach Blueberry-Basil Iced Tea using the Pure Leaf Not Too Sweet Peach Iced Tea.

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup blueberries

-5 large basil leaves

-1 bottle Pure Leaf Not Too Sweet Peach Tea

Directions:

-Crush blueberries and basil with a wooden spoon in 1-quart glass measuring cup. Stir in Pure Leaf Not Too Sweet Peach Tea. Strain and serve in ice-filled glasses. Garnish, if desired with additional blueberries and basil. If you are making a pitcher, simply double the recipe. If you like to add a cocktail version, add in 1/4 cup of light rum.

You can drink the Pure Leaf Iced Tea alone or in a great recipe for a refreshing drink on a hot day!

Pure Leaf has also  partnered with Ted Allen of Chopped to showcase different unique food and beverage pairings for any meal. Be sure to check out his great summer entertaining tips below