I was recently introduced to green tea by a friend of mine. It tasted amazing and she told me about all the incredible health benefits of this drink. I couldn’t believe I’d never heard of it before! I decided to check it out online but found that there are a gazillion different brands to choose from. So, I decided to do some research (and taste testing!) to find out which was the best brand and which were the brands to avoid. Along the way, I also found out the answers to some of the most common questions about green tea. I thought I’d write it all up in an article, so you’ve got a handy reference guide. Shall we take a look?

Brand to choose: FGO Organic Green Tea Bags

There are 100 hemp fiber tea bags of organic green tea in the box from FGO. Reviewers talk about being hooked on the tea and loving the taste (even without sugar or other sweeteners).

Works as either iced tea or a hot beverage, so is very versatile. Described as having a light taste with a smooth finish. Great choice Read more+

Brands to avoid: Tetley Honey Green Tea, Good Earth Super Green Tea, I’m Matcha Organic Green Tea Powder, Luxtea Green Tea

What is green tea?

Okay, let’s start at the top: what actually is green tea anyway? Is it green or some other color?

Well, actually green tea comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, as standard black tea. Unbelievably, tea is the No.1 consumed beverage worldwide behind plain old water. A whopping 78% of the tea drunk is black with only 20% being green tea.

The difference between the two is in the way that they are processed. Black tea is made by fermenting it, whereas green tea is simply dried. This gives it a lighter flavor than the more common black tea. Interestingly, that simple drying process also means that more of the important nutrients are retained in the tea.

There are lots of varieties of green tea. Each of which will have its own distinctive flavor, some are a bit sweeter, some taste a little grassy. Some folk like to add a little sweetener, while other people like to drink it straight. Hot or cold is fine just depends on your preference. Some manufacturers are now adding other flavors to the tea to turn it into a specialty drink that you can pour over ice. You can even buy it bottled from vending machines.

When to drink green tea morning or night?

Experts suggest that you don’t drink green tea too early in the morning. Because if you drink it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning it can be harmful to the liver due to its high concentration of a compound called catechins. They recommend drinking green tea around mid-morning around 10-11am, a couple of hours after you’ve eaten breakfast.

They also suggest not drinking green tea just before bedtime, as the caffeine can disturb sleep patterns. The recommended time to drink green tea is two hours before you go to bed.

How long to steep green tea for health benefits?

For the best flavor, tea experts suggest that you allow the tea to brew for 2.5-5 minutes, depending on your strength preference. I’d suggest, when you first start drinking green tea, that you brew for 2.5 minutes, then taste every 30 seconds until you’ve got the perfect taste for you.

Green tea temperature Celsius?

The flavor compounds in green tea are sensitive to high temperatures. Unlike black tea, if you brew your green tea in water that’s too hot, you may get bitter and unpleasant flavors. Instead, brew in water that is around 175-185 Fahrenheit, which is believed to be the ideal temperature.

For the best results, use a kettle that has a built-in temperature gauge. If you don’t have one of those, boil water on the stovetop, then take off the heat and let the water sit for around 45-60 seconds. This will allow it to cool to the required temperature.

Green tea side effects on periods?

Dieticians suggest that green tea won’t have any negative effects on your period, other than due to the caffeine content. Caffeine causes you to become more agitated and therefore may heighten your PMS. So, drink green tea (and other caffeinated drinks) in moderation, especially in the days leading up to your period.

Can we add honey in green tea?

Short answer – Yes! If you need your tea a little sweeter then go right ahead and add your favorite sweetener to it after it’s brewed. Honey is a great sweetener to use and I’d recommend you add a little, taste, then add more as necessary.

Does adding sugar to green tea reduce its benefits? Well, yes, it does. Honey, or any other kind of sugar, will add calories to your drink. So, make sure you go easy, especially if you’re having lots of cups of green tea every day.

Green tea brands to avoid

Unfortunately, there are a number of green tea brands that, from the reviews, seem to promise much, and fail to deliver:

Tetley Honey Green Tea: in my opinion, honey is a great sweetener to add to green tea, and I’ve already mentioned this earlier near the top of the page. Unfortunately, the honey used in this green tea from Tetley isn’t really working for some folk. Reviewers mentioned that whilst the honey smell was there, the taste was nasty. A couple even mentioned that the product they received was well past its “Use by” date. My view is, buy an unflavoured green tea, then add your favorite sweetener to it, a bit at a time, until you get the taste perfect for you Read more+

Good Earth Super Green Tea: this tea from Good Earth has an orange flavor added to it. That’s fine, but a number of reviewers say that the taste isn’t nice, being overly sweet with little flavor. One even mentions that it has stevia in it – by itself that’s no problem, but like I’ve said, I prefer to add sweetener bit by bit after the tea has brewed to get the perfect taste Read more+

I’m Matcha Organic Green Tea Powder: I don’t know about you, but I like my green tea to taste of, well, green tea. Unfortunately, quite a few of the reviews say that this tea has a fishy taste! Read more+

Luxtea Green Tea: I’ll let you into a little secret – I’m a sucker for a nice gift tin. So, when I saw this product from Luxtea, I was instantly interested. Sadly, the green tea inside doesn’t seem to match up to the good looks of the tin. Reviewers say that the flavor is dry, bitter, and tastes like ash Read more+

Conclusion

Green tea can be an amazing drink when it’s brewed in the right way with top quality leaves. It tastes delicious and has a huge amount of incredible health benefits. I can’t believe I’d never heard of it until so recently! Anyway, I hope my research and taste testing are useful for you in picking the best brand and avoiding some of the less good brands. And I hope I’ve been able to answer some of your burning questions about green tea.

These hemp fiber organic green tea bags from FGO are fantastic. Reviewers talk about being hooked on the tea and loving the taste (even without sugar or other sweeteners). Works as either iced tea or a hot beverage, so is very versatile. Described as having a light taste with a smooth finish. Great choice.

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