Light Summer Refresher

Take a break from hot weather with this antioxidant-packed, cooling treat

- JONNY BOWDEN

Green tea, ginger, and mango—the combination sounds intriguing and tastes even better. The light ginger notes help showcase the creamy rich flavor of fresh mango, which is more like ice cream than a sorbet (especially if you put it in the freezer for a bit). This treat is a bone-builder if there ever was one, with polyphenols— the technical name for healthy plant compounds—from the green tea combined with antioxidants and minerals from the fruit.

For those who are watching their sugar intake, it’s perfectly possible to use erythritol or stevia to sweeten this recipe. In this version, Chef Jeannette decided to go with honey, about which I have a few things to say. I absolutely love the stuff, think it’s one of nature’s delicacies, and am happy that the real, local, cold-pressed, organic kind contains not just sugar, but quite a few healthy enzymes, minerals, and other components of “real” food.

But I’m also aware that it’s sugar, and that the body treats it as a sugar. So if you’re anywhere on the insulin-resistant spectrum—and 88 percent of us are—you might want to lose the honey and stick with erythritol.

I’ve tried this recipe both ways— with honey and with erythritol—and it’s delicious either way. It’s fresh and tropical, and you’ll find yourself swirling it around in your mouth before swallowing. —Dr. Jonny

make it!

Gingered Mango and Green Tea Refresher

Serves 4