5 Iced Tea Recipes for Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptom Relief
Rheumatic ConditionsRheumatoid Arthritis

5 Iced Tea Recipes for Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptom Relief

5 Iced Tea Recipes for Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptom Relief
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Updated on April 16, 2026
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When you’re bothered by the pain and stiffness of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), drinking iced tea may be a revitalizing way to find some relief.

“Tea can be beneficial,” says Mahsa Tehrani, MD, a rheumatologist and cofounder of the Arthritis and Rheumatology Clinical Center of Northern Virginia in Vienna. “Tea has fantastic anti-inflammatory properties, which can help theoretically with the underlying inflammation associated with arthritis,” she says.

Research has found that drinking 4 to 6 cups of green tea daily over a period of up to six months has a positive effect on RA disease activity, and a large Swedish study showed that heavy tea consumption (black, green, and other tea) has a protective effect against RA.

Before trying complementary treatments, including tea, talk to your doctor to make sure they won’t interact with your RA medication, other prescriptions, or over-the-counter products that you use.

 While tea is generally considered a conventional food item by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), some teas are labeled as “dietary supplements” or “herbal supplements,” and supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA, which means they could contain ingredients not listed on the label or provide irregular doses.

Tea should never replace the medical treatments for RA prescribed by your doctor.

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1. Mint Ginger Iced Tea

Ginger is not just for upset stomachs. Research has found that ginger and its active components have strong antioxidant properties and may help reduce inflammation.

 Safety note: Ginger may affect blood clotting, so anyone on blood-thinning medication should take special care to consult with their doctor before consuming it.

Recipe for Mint Ginger Iced Tea

  1. In a large pot, bring 6 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat.
  2. Add 6 ounces (oz) smashed, peeled fresh ginger and 4 mint tea bags. Steep for 8 minutes and strain.
  3. Add honey to taste.
  4. Let cool to room temperature and serve over ice.

2. Blueberry Green Iced Tea

A heart-health aid and brain booster, blueberries are antioxidant superstars that may also help reduce the joint pain and swelling caused by RA. A study of more than 60 adults ages 45 to 79 found that daily blueberry consumption helped people with knee osteoarthritis reduce their pain and stiffness and helped them walk more easily; it may help those with RA as well.

 And research has found that the phytochemical in green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), can reduce the symptoms of autoimmune arthritis.

 Safety note: Green tea may interact with Tylenol (acetaminophen), codeine, and other drugs.

Recipe for Blueberry Green Iced Tea

  1. In a large pot, bring 6 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat.
  2. Add 4 green tea bags and steep for 3 minutes.
  3. Pour the tea into a blender and add 1 cup (fresh or frozen) blueberries.
  4. Blend, strain, and let cool to room temperature.
  5. Serve over ice and garnish with lemon.

3. Strawberry Nettle Iced Tea

The stinging nettle plant has been used for hundreds of years, especially in Europe, to treat muscle and joint pain, arthritis, and gout.

 One study found that the antioxidant activity in nettle leaf extract inhibits one of the key enzymes that affect the inflammation process.

 You can buy nettle in most health food stores, but note that it may interact with any diuretics and blood pressure drugs you may be taking.

Recipe for Strawberry Nettle Iced Tea

  1. In a large pot, combine 6 cups water, 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries, and ¼ teaspoon (tsp) vanilla extract.
  2. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons (tbsp) dried nettle leaf; steep for 10 minutes.
  4. Strain, let cool to room temperature, and serve over ice.

4. Rose Hip Iced Tea

The fruit of the rose plant, the orange-red ball that forms on the stem of the plant, is a concentrated source of vitamin C, and rose hip has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects due to several compounds — including phenolics, terpenoids, galactolipids, carotenoids, fruit acids, and fatty oils — that can benefit osteoarthritis (and may benefit those with RA, too).

Recipe for Rose Hip Iced Tea

  1. In a large pot, bring 6 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat.
  2. Add 4 rose hip tea bags and steep for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Let cool to room temperature.
  4. Serve over ice and garnish with mint leaves.

5. Lemon Iced Black Tea

The standard for traditional teatime, black tea, is rich in quercetin, a bioflavonoid that has anti-inflammatory effects. A study of 50 women with RA found that eight weeks of quercetin supplementation reduced morning pain, early-morning stiffness, and post-activity pain.

 But be careful: Depending on brewing method, black tea can be high in caffeine, a stimulant. Does it make you feel jittery? Try decaf instead.

Recipe for Lemon Iced Black Tea

  1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil.
  2. Pour the water over 2 black tea bags into a heatproof pitcher.
  3. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. Remove the tea bags, add 2 oz lemon juice, and sweeten to taste.
  5. Serve over ice.

The Takeaway

  • Different teas have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and when consumed regularly, they may help reduce the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Check with your doctor before making tea a daily habit to make sure it won’t interact with any medications you may be taking or any other conditions you may have.
  • While tea can be a helpful complementary tool, it should never replace the medical treatments for RA prescribed by your healthcare provider.

Additional reporting by Cheryl Alkon.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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  2. Westerlind H et al. Is Tea Consumption Associated with Reduction of Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis? A Swedish Case-Control Study. Arthritis Research & Therapy. August 7, 2021.
  3. Know the Science: How Medications and Supplements Can Interact. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
  4. Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. February 21, 2024.
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  6. Rubin D et al. Effects of Oral Ginger Supplementation on the INR. Case Reports in Medicine. June 11, 2019.
  7. Du C et al. Blueberries Improve Pain, Gait Performance, and Inflammation in Individuals with Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis. Nutrients. January 29, 2019.
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  9. Green Tea. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. March 19, 2024.
  10. Supplement and Herb Guide for Arthritis Symptoms. Arthritis Foundation.
  11. Arnold E. Inhibition of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2α (cPLA2α) by Medicinal Plants in Relation to Their Phenolic Content. Molecules. August 17, 2015.
  12. Nettle. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. December 7, 2021.
  13. Gruenwald J et al. Rosa Canina – Rose Hip Pharmacological Ingredients and Molecular Mechanics Counteracting Osteoarthritis – A Systematic Review. Phytomedicine. July 2019.
  14. Owens S. Rose Hips: Behold the Fruit of the Rose Plant. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. September 17, 2014.
  15. Alharbi HOA et al. The Role of Quercetin, a Flavonoid in the Management of Pathogenesis Through Regulation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Biological Activities. Biomolecules. January 20, 2025.
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Beth Biggee, MD, is owner and practitioner of Lifestyle and Integrative Rheumatology, a holistic direct specialty care practice in North Andover, Massachusetts. She offers whole-pe...

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