Quick answer: You can make sugar-free iced tea in two ways: brew unsweetened black or green tea and chill it with lemon or peach slices, or use a sugar-free iced-tea syrup. For example, 4 ml of ZERUP Peach Iced Tea or Lemon Iced Tea in 500 ml ice-cold water gives you 0 g sugar and almost no calories (approx. 2–3 kcal per 100 ml prepared drink), and it's caffeine-free. Many bottled iced teas contain 4–8 g sugar per 100 ml, so a 500 ml bottle can hold 20–40 g of sugar—always check the label.
Iced tea is a favourite in the UAE, especially in summer when the temperature climbs above 40 °C. But most ready-to-drink iced teas are loaded with sugar. This guide shows you how to enjoy peach iced tea and lemon iced tea without the sugar, whether you brew your own or use a syrup.
Why sugar-free iced tea?
A typical 500 ml bottle of sweetened iced tea contains around 20–40 g of sugar, depending on the brand. That's roughly 5–10 teaspoons. The World Health Organization recommends adults limit added sugar to less than 10% of total energy intake—ideally below 5%—which for many people means around 25 g per day. One bottle can take you over that limit before you've even had lunch.
Sugar-free iced tea gives you the refreshing taste and hydration without the blood-sugar spike or the extra calories. It counts towards your daily water intake, which in Dubai's climate means around 3–3.7 litres for men and 2.2–2.7 litres for women, according to general guidelines adjusted for heat. You can read more in our guide on how much water you need in Dubai.
How do you make iced tea without sugar?
There are two main methods: brewing real tea leaves and chilling them, or using a sugar-free syrup.
Method 1: Brew and chill
Brew black, green or herbal tea in hot water, let it cool, then refrigerate. Don't add sugar. For flavour, add fresh lemon slices, peach slices, mint leaves or a splash of fresh lemon juice. Cold-brew is even easier: put tea bags in a jug of cold water and leave it in the fridge for 8–12 hours, then remove the bags. The result is smooth and less bitter than hot-brewed tea.
This method is caffeine-free only if you use herbal or fruit tea. Black and green tea naturally contain caffeine (around 20–50 mg per cup, depending on strength).
Method 2: Sugar-free syrup
Mix a sugar-free iced-tea syrup with cold water. ZERUP by LUVA offers Peach Iced Tea and Lemon Iced Tea flavours: about 4 ml (a short squeeze, a little less than a teaspoon) in 500 ml of ice-cold still or sparkling water. You get 0 g sugar, almost no calories, and no caffeine. One 65 ml bottle makes about 8 litres—roughly 16 glasses of 500 ml—so it's also very economical at AED 19 per bottle, or three bottles for AED 49 (mix and match, save AED 8).
Both methods work. Brewing real tea gives you the authentic tea taste and antioxidants from the leaves. Syrup is faster, consistent and portable: you can keep a small bottle in your bag or desk drawer.
ZERUP Peach Iced Tea
Sugar-free syrup for water · 65 ml makes about 16 glasses · halal · AED 19
Peach iced tea without sugar (recipes)
Classic peach iced tea with syrup: Add about 4 ml of ZERUP Peach Iced Tea to 500 ml of ice-cold water. Stir and serve over ice. For a 2-litre jug, use about 16 ml of syrup.
Sparkling peach iced tea: Carbonate cold water in your sparkling-water maker first, then gently stir in 4 ml of ZERUP Peach Iced Tea per 500 ml. The bubbles add a refreshing fizz.
Peach iced tea with real tea: Cold-brew two black-tea bags in 500 ml of water overnight in the fridge. Remove the bags, then stir in about 2 ml of ZERUP Peach Iced Tea for extra peach flavour. This version does contain caffeine from the black tea.
Peach iced-tea ice cubes: Mix about 10 ml of ZERUP Peach Iced Tea into 500 ml of water, pour into an ice-cube tray and freeze. Drop the cubes into plain water or sparkling water—they'll slowly release flavour as they melt.
Lemon iced tea without sugar (recipes)
Classic lemon iced tea with syrup: Add about 4 ml of ZERUP Lemon Iced Tea to 500 ml of ice-cold water. Garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint if you like.
Lemon iced tea with fresh lemon juice: Mix about 2 ml of ZERUP Lemon Iced Tea with 500 ml of cold water, then squeeze in half a fresh lemon (about 15 ml of juice). This gives you a sharper, more natural citrus note alongside the syrup's sweetness.
Half-and-half iced tea: Combine about 2 ml of ZERUP Lemon Iced Tea and 2 ml of ZERUP Peach Iced Tea in 500 ml of water. You get a balanced peach-lemon flavour that's very popular in Germany (where it's sometimes called "Halb & Halb").
Lemon iced tea with real tea: Cold-brew two green-tea bags in 500 ml of water for 8–12 hours in the fridge. Remove the bags and stir in about 2 ml of ZERUP Lemon Iced Tea. This adds caffeine from the green tea (around 20–30 mg per 500 ml).
Making a jug for the family or iftar
For a 2-litre jug, use about 16 ml of ZERUP (any iced-tea flavour). For a 5-litre drinks dispenser—common at iftar gatherings during Ramadan—use about 40 ml. Fill the jug with ice-cold water, stir well and add ice cubes and lemon or peach slices for presentation. You can read more ideas in our guide on Ramadan iftar drinks.
Brewed iced tea keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days in a covered jug. Drinks made with ZERUP are best enjoyed the same day; the syrup itself keeps for three months in the fridge once opened (always close the cap tightly).
Sugar-free iced tea for children
Children can enjoy sugar-free iced tea, but use a lighter mix: about 2–3 ml of ZERUP per 500 ml of water for younger children (school age and up). This keeps the flavour mild and helps them get used to less-sweet drinks. Avoid giving any caffeinated tea to young children; ZERUP iced-tea flavours are caffeine-free, so they're safe in that respect.
You can find more tips in our guide on helping kids drink more water.
ZERUP Lemon Iced Tea
Sugar-free syrup for water · 65 ml makes about 16 glasses · halal · AED 19
Eistee ohne Zucker: the German search and More Zerup in the UAE
Many German expats in the UAE search for "Eistee ohne Zucker" (iced tea without sugar) because sugar-free iced tea is very popular in Germany. According to More Nutrition's German website, checked October 2026, its Zerup brand offers Peach Iced Tea and Lemon Iced Tea flavours that are well known there. In the UAE, More Nutrition products appear mainly through import and marketplace listings (for example, Amazon.ae global or third-party sellers). Listings we saw in October 2026 were typically priced well above the German retail price, and delivery could take days to weeks; availability of single flavours varies.
LUVA Nutrition is a UAE brand from Dubai, and ZERUP by LUVA offers its own Peach Iced Tea and Lemon Iced Tea recipes, formulated for the Gulf market. LUVA delivers to all seven Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah) within 12 hours, with free delivery over AED 200. Both ZERUP flavours are halal certified, caffeine-free and priced at AED 19 per bottle (or three for AED 49). You can compare the options in detail in our guide on More Zerup flavours and UAE matches.
More Nutrition and Zerup are trademarks of their respective owner in Germany and the EU. In the UAE, ZERUP is a registered trademark of LUVA Nutrition. LUVA Nutrition is not affiliated with, endorsed by or a distributor of More Nutrition.
What's in sugar-free iced-tea syrup?
ZERUP Peach Iced Tea and Lemon Iced Tea use glycerin as a carrier and are sweetened with acesulfame K and sucralose. There is no aspartame and no sugar alcohols like xylitol or erythritol. Both flavours are caffeine-free, halal certified and vegan. The full ingredient list and nutrition information are printed on every bottle and shown on the product page.
One 65 ml bottle makes about 8 litres of iced tea—roughly 16 glasses of 500 ml—so the cost per litre is about AED 2.40 for a single bottle or about AED 2.04 per litre with the three-for-49 offer. That's far cheaper than buying bottled iced tea, and you control the sweetness by adjusting the amount of syrup.
How much sugar is in regular iced tea?
Most ready-to-drink iced teas contain 4–8 g of sugar per 100 ml. A 500 ml bottle therefore holds 20–40 g of sugar—roughly 5–10 teaspoons. Some premium or "lightly sweetened" versions have less, but you should always check the nutrition label. Our guide on sugar in drinks in teaspoons shows how quickly sugar adds up across different beverages.
Even "diet" or "zero" bottled iced teas use artificial sweeteners, so making your own gives you full control over ingredients and taste. If you find many drinks too sweet, you can dial down the syrup; read our guide on drinks too sweet for more tips.
Can you sweeten iced tea without sugar?
Yes. Besides sugar-free syrups, you can use:
- Stevia or monk-fruit sweetener: options with almost no calories. Start with a small amount—they can taste very sweet or slightly bitter in large quantities.
- Fresh fruit: muddled berries, peach slices or a squeeze of fresh lemon add natural flavour and a hint of sweetness without added sugar.
- Herbs: fresh mint, basil or lemongrass give aromatic complexity without any sweetness.
All these methods work with both brewed tea and syrup-based iced tea. Experiment to find the balance you like.
Is sugar-free iced tea OK during Ramadan?
Yes, between iftar and suhoor. During the Ramadan fast, nothing is eaten or drunk from dawn to sunset; sugar-free iced tea made with ZERUP belongs between iftar and suhoor. After iftar, a jug of chilled peach or lemon iced tea is a refreshing way to rehydrate alongside water. You can also mix it with sparkling water or serve it over ice with fresh mint for variety. Our guide on Ramadan hydration and iftar drinks has more ideas.
Serving ideas and variations
- Iced-tea lemonade: Mix 2 ml of ZERUP Lemon Iced Tea with 500 ml of sparkling water and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Very refreshing on a hot afternoon.
- Peach-mint cooler: Add 4 ml of ZERUP Peach Iced Tea to 500 ml of water, then muddle in a few fresh mint leaves.
- Iced-tea mocktails: Use sugar-free iced tea as a base for alcohol-free cocktails. Our guide on sugar-free mocktails has full recipes.
- Office hydration: Keep a small ZERUP bottle at your desk. A quick squeeze in your water bottle makes hydration easier in air-conditioned offices, where you might not feel thirsty but still need fluids.
You can browse all ten ZERUP flavours in the ZERUP collection, and if you want to try both iced teas plus other flavours and creatine gummies, the LUVA Starter Bundle offers all ten ZERUP flavours and both creatine-gummies tins at AED 382.20 instead of AED 588 (35% off).
The bottom line
Sugar-free iced tea—whether brewed from real tea leaves or made with a syrup like ZERUP Peach Iced Tea or Lemon Iced Tea—gives you all the refreshment of classic iced tea with 0 g sugar and almost no calories. It's a practical, affordable way to stay hydrated in the UAE's heat without the sugar spike of bottled iced tea. Try a few recipes, adjust the strength to your taste and enjoy a cold glass any time of day.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make iced tea without sugar?
Brew black, green or herbal tea in hot or cold water, chill it and add lemon or peach slices for flavour—no sugar needed. Alternatively, mix about 4 ml of a sugar-free iced-tea syrup (such as ZERUP Peach Iced Tea or Lemon Iced Tea) with 500 ml of ice-cold water for instant sugar-free iced tea. Both methods give you 0 g sugar.
Is ZERUP iced tea caffeine-free?
Yes, both ZERUP Peach Iced Tea and ZERUP Lemon Iced Tea are completely caffeine-free. If you add them to real brewed black or green tea, the drink will contain caffeine from the tea leaves, but the syrup itself has none.
How much sugar is in bottled iced tea?
Most ready-to-drink iced teas contain 4–8 g of sugar per 100 ml, so a 500 ml bottle can hold 20–40 g of sugar (roughly 5–10 teaspoons). Always check the nutrition label, as some brands vary.
How long does homemade iced tea keep?
Brewed tea stored in a covered jug in the fridge keeps for 2–3 days. Drinks made with ZERUP syrup are best enjoyed the same day for optimal taste. An opened ZERUP bottle keeps for three months in the fridge if you close the cap tightly.
Can I sweeten iced tea without sugar?
Yes. You can use a sugar-free syrup, stevia, monk-fruit sweetener, or simply add fresh fruit (berries, peach slices, lemon) and herbs (mint, basil) for natural flavour without added sugar. Adjust the amount to your taste.
Is sugar-free iced tea OK during Ramadan?
Yes, between iftar and suhoor. During the Ramadan fast, nothing is eaten or drunk from dawn to sunset; sugar-free iced tea made with ZERUP belongs between iftar and suhoor. After iftar, it's a refreshing way to rehydrate alongside water.
How much ZERUP do I use for a jug?
For a 2-litre jug, use about 16 ml of ZERUP (any iced-tea flavour). For a 5-litre dispenser, use about 40 ml. Stir well, add ice and garnish with lemon or peach slices.
Can children drink sugar-free iced tea?
Yes, school-age children can enjoy sugar-free iced tea. Use a lighter mix—about 2–3 ml of ZERUP per 500 ml of water—to keep the flavour mild. ZERUP iced-tea flavours are caffeine-free, so they're safe for children in that respect.
Try ZERUP Peach Iced Tea
Sugar-free · Halal · AED 19, any 3 for AED 49 · Delivered within 12 hours across the UAE, free over AED 200
Keep reading
- Sugar in drinks in teaspoons
- More Zerup flavours and UAE matches
- Sugar-free mocktails
- Drinks too sweet?
- Ramadan iftar drinks
Sources
- World Health Organization (2015). Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children. www.who.int
- European Food Safety Authority (2010). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for water. EFSA Journal www.efsa.europa.eu
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sugary Drinks. The Nutrition Source www.hsph.harvard.edu
- More Nutrition (2026). Zerup product pages (German website, checked October 2026). www.morenutrition.de
This article is general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, dietitian or other qualified professional. Last reviewed: October 2026.