I’m currently six months pregnant. While I’ve never been big on sugary drinks or juice, right now I am extra careful about my calorie and nutrient intake for the sake of my sensitive little passenger. I mainly drink water, and tons - I mean tons of it. Still, I want to drink something tasty when I'm hanging out with friends. As much as I love a good soda with lime, that gets old fast so I’m always looking for tasty things to drink that won’t load me up with extra sugar or caffeine.

Here are my favorite pregnancy-safe summer teas:

Chilled green tea 

On hot summer days, I crave something delicious but lighter in flavor. August Uncommon’s green teas are not at all what you'd expect from green tea. They’re bright, flavorful and unique, not boring, bitter or vegetal like you might get with a plain ol’ green tea. Green teas also have the bonus of being high in L-Theanine, a calming amino acid that slows caffeine absorption and helps reduce caffeine crashes.

My current iced green faves:

Skylark
organic green sencha tea with forest strawberry and silver linden.
($29 for a 23-cup tin)

This one makes for a super refreshing citrusy Arnold Palmer with a splash of lemon juice or lemonade. Pro Tip: muddle some strawberries in your glass, then add the lemonade and tea. Mmmmmm. A summer picnic in a glass.

Tropic of Capricorn
aromatic green tea with eucalyptus and dragon fruit.
($29 for a 29-cup tin)

So fresh and fruity yet not too sweet with juicy melon and invigorating eucalyptus flavor. 

Dolomite
almond jasmine green with rose petals
($29 now $14.50 for a 29-cup tin)

Pro Tip: I love adding coconut water to for a slightly sweet natural treat.Try light coconut milk for a more decadent iced tea latte.

Naturally caffeine-free herbal teas

In the evening, I’ve had enough caffeine for the day, so I go for herbal or rooibos blends. August Uncommon’s caffeine-free herbal teas will blow your mind. They are just exploding with flavor, and have no caffeine or sugar. The bonus here is that a pitcher of iced tea also works wonders as a cocktail mixer. That way, my husband and our friends can add the spirit of their choice for a tasty cocktail.

My caffeine-free faves are:

Cocteau
intricate rooibos and honey bush with vanilla, grapefruit and mint.
($29 now $14.50 for a 29-cup tin)

This is a mint tea taken to the next level. The grapefruit, vanilla and rooibos flavors really transform mint into a wonderfully complex iced tea or arnold palmer.

Pro Tip: For your non-pregnant friends, iced Cocteau makes a simple and amazing cocktail when you add grapefruit or citrus flavored vodka, gin or for the adventurous drinkers, mezcal.

Days of Heaven
sweet rhubarb, lemon verbena and chamomile.
($19 for a 14-cup tin)

This tea has that wonderful sweetness of a rhubarb pie. Love its naturally sweet, buttery flavor.

The most amazing black tea! (actually it’s an oolong)

For the die-hard black iced tea fans, I can’t get enough of Dark Iris chilled ($29 for a 23-cup tin). Seriously, have you ever had an iced tea with peach, pistachio, rose and lime? It’s to die for, and it’s sugar free. But it’s also delicious with peach pie. ;)

Stay chill, pregnant ladies!

— Gina Zupsich, August Uncommon Tea co-founder