How to make green tea is one of the common questions I get. People complain that the green tea they prepare has bitter taste and that’s why difficult to consume. Let’s learn about green tea more before we try to prepare it. Tea is the second most consumed beverage after the water all over the world, with 78% of it being the Black Tea, 20% Green Tea and remaining the Herbal Tea. Green Tea with its origins in India and China has been a globally consumed beverage due to its significant benefits on human health. In the wake of rising health awareness, it has even become a popular choice for a lot of Americans who have included Green Tea in their routine life after acknowledging its positive effects on the body. According to an estimation, American tea lovers had consumed over a whopping 80 billion servings last year (1).

What is Green Tea?

The Green Tea is made by brewing the dried-up leaves of Camellia sinensis bush. Although, the same leaves are used in the making of both black and green tea, the difference in the level of their withering and oxidation processes creates these two different types of teas (2).

The production of green tea involves a low amount of processing of the unoxidized leaves. This allows the retention of the beneficial polyphenols and antioxidants, and therefore, imparting green tea the health-boosting properties.

How to Make Green Tea Recipes :

1.Cinnamon Green Tea

Ingredients

1. Ceylon Cinnamon: 1 Inch
2. Green Tea Leaves: 1 Teaspoon
3. Water: 1 cup

How to make Cinnamon Green Tea?

1. Boil the water with cinnamon sticks for 10 mins.
2. Turn off the flame and let it cool down to 85°C.
3. Add 1 tsp green tea to it and let it soak for 2-3 mins.
4. Strain the tea and enjoy.

2. Lemongrass Green Tea

Ingredients

1. Chopped Lemongrass: 2 Tsp
2. Green Tea Leaves: 1 Tsp
3. Water: 1 cup
4. Honey: 1 Tsp

How to make Lemongrass Green Tea?

1. Boil the water with lemongrass for 5 mins.
2. Turn off the flame and let it cool down to 80-85°C.
3. Add 1 tsp green tea to it and let it soak for 3 mins.
4. Strain the tea, add honey, stir and drink

Brewing Tips for Green Tea

1. Use Filtered Water

Filtered water or the tap water with a trusted source should be used. Avoid using distilled water.

2. Maintain Temperature at 85°C

Boiling the water too hot may strip green tea of its beneficial health properties. So, bring the water temperature at about 85°C before putting in the green tea leaves.

3. Steep for Maximum 3 Minutes.

Letting your green tea leaves soak beyond 3 minutes in boiling water can turn them bitter and will taste grassy. 2-3 minutes is the right duration.

4. Apply 3:5 Tea to Water Ratio.

The ideal way to brewing green tea is to maintain this ratio, which means if you brew 3 gms of green tea you should use 5 oz of water.

Types of Green Tea

Various varieties of Green tea are available in different types. You should keep in mind that bottled green teas contain a lesser amount of polyphenols than the equivalent brewed teas.

1. Single Tea Bags
2. Instant powder
3. Loose-leaf
4. Bottle Green tea that is sweetened with an artificial sweetener or sugar
5. Green tea supplements: come in liquid extracts or capsule forms

The Chinese varieties of green tea are packed with best taste leaves with real goodness. These include:

1. Lung Ching or Dragonwell: Bright colored and highly expensive as it is produced in little quantity.
2. Gunpowder: It has Round rolled leaves and is also called pearl tea.
3. Jasmin Green Tea: It is jasmine flavored, sweet in taste and is high in catechins.

The Japanese Green tea also has a reputed name in this market which includes the varieties such as:

1. Shincha: Completely processed green tea obtained from the first harvest of the season. However, it is low in catechins and caffeine.
2. Sencha: It tastes sweet and is cheaper than Lung Ching.
3. Bancha: It is less flavored and a cheaper version of Sencha.
4. Matcha: It is the expensive and the sweetest green tea and is used in Japan ceremonies.

How to Buy Green Tea?

1. Go for the Green tea that contains GREEN leaves, not brown or black.

The process of oxidation (fermentation) process; which usually turns the leaves brown, is skipped while manufacturing the green tea. This allows the retention of green tea leaves’ pigment- chlorophyll. Consequently, your green tea leaves stay green and retain the highest amount of antioxidants and bioactive compounds in this ‘intact green leaves’ form.

Your brewed-up tea will be green or olive green which indicates the fine quality of your green tea.

2. Buy Fresh Green Teas

Green teas lose the effective properties of their bioactive compounds over the passing time. So, choose the one which is recently processed and consume it within 12 months.

3. Buy only Whole Leaf Green Tea

Whole leaf or loose leaf is the most delicious and highly flavored green tea as it is its most natural form. It is produced from the youngest tea leaves which are highly rich in health-promoting compounds.

4. Notice the originating place of your Green Tea

Choose the organically grown green tea and give its manufacturing process a thought. It is better to buy directly from the source using their online stores. Go for the genuine quality green tea for optimum health benefits.

5. Avoid Green Tea in conventional Tea Bags

The green tea in these tea bags contain the small pieces which are obtained as a by-product when producing high-quality loose leaf green tea. It is stripped of its essential oils and is just a cheap and a less flavored green tea option with low health benefits. So, avoid them.

Here is an informative video from Yin & Yang Living on how to make green tea

Benefits of Green Tea

The associated health benefits of Green Tea were known ages before and for that reason, it was a part of the traditional Indian and Chinese medicine. It was used to improve mental and heart health, heal wounds, control bleeding, and regulate body temperature. There are many Health Benefits of Green Tea.

These are the other possible benefits of regularly drinking green tea-

1. Its Bioactive Compounds Improve Health

Green Tea is enriched with polyphenols such as catechins and flavonoids which by functioning as antioxidants protect the cells and molecules from the damage and thereby reduce the aging effects. The other antioxidant compound Epigallocatechin Gallate with its medicinal properties helps in treating various other diseases.

2. Improves your Brain Functioning

The key component of Green Tea; Caffeine, blocks the functioning of neurotransmitter Adenosine and promotes the efficient functioning of the neurons and the neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine.

This results in an improved mood, lower reactions time, good memory, and overall a higher brain function.

3. Reduces the Chances of Getting Cancer

The polyphenols in green tea are believed to decrease the tumor growth by killing the cancerous cells and minimize the damage caused by UVB radiation.
The countries consuming green tea in higher amounts are seen to have a lower number of cancer cases.

4. Helps you Lose Weight

Green tea boosts your body metabolism by increasing the oxidation by 17% and thereby increases your fat burning rate. It results in a considerable weight loss and leads to an improvement in the physical performance. Many dieticians today include green tea in their plan for weight loss. You can try 7-day diet plan for weight loss with green tea.

5. Prevents Premature Aging

The catechin compounds of green tea provide protection to the neurons and shield them from the neurodegenerative disorders. As a result, the chances of you getting Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases are considerably lowered.

6. Improves Immunity

The catechins are reported to have the bacteria-killing properties and inhibit the growth of pathogens. Moreover, it improves dental health and promotes oral hygiene.

7. Lowers the risk of Cardiovascular Diseases and Type II Diabetes

Green tea improves the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and protects them from oxidation. Therefore, you have fewer chances of developing the cardiovascular diseases.

Furthermore, green tea not only reduces blood sugar levels by improving insulin sensitivity, although mildly but also lowers your overall risk of developing Type II diabetes.

Side-Effects of Green Tea

The best thing about green tea is that it has negligible to no known side effects. However, there are some risks that one should keep in mind while using it in combination with other substances.

1. With Blood Thinners

Green tea contains Vitamin K and therefore should be cautiously used with the blood thinners such as warfarin.

Moreover, taking green tea when you are on Aspirin is also not recommended as they both lessen the blood clotting capability of platelets.

2. With Stimulants

Using green tea with stimulants can increase the heart rate and blood pressure.

3. With medications/supplements/herbs

Due to having a high level of active substances, it may interact with other medications, supplements or herbs to result in side-effects. Consult your doctor before starting with Green Tea.

4. Caffeine Sensitivity Complications

Those who are sensitive towards caffeine can experience nausea, anxiety, insomnia, and upset bowel movement.

Best Green Tea Brands

These are some of the best Green Tea Brands and you should try them all at least once to decide on the best one for you on the parameters of freshness, flavor, fragrance, and health benefits.

1. Organic India
2. Assamica agro Green Tea
3. Basilur
4. Golden Tips
5. Twinings
6. Happy Valley
7. Typhoo
8. Lipton